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"I first heard about Depave while doing research on storm water mitigation for a Portland Community College class. I was impressed by the way Depave combined restoration work with community building and was immediately moved to be a part of it . I began volunteering at the tail end of the Escuela Viva project, helping install a bioswale and bring in soil and plants to what had been an asphalt playground.
After that, I was hooked, and went on to help coordinate phase two of the James John Elementary project, where I coordinated a lot of the behind the scenes work as well as helping with the sawing and removal of asphalt and the pickup and installation of plants. I also assisted with the project to restore Baltimore Woods – a 30-acre historic Oregon white oak savannah along the Willamette River (in St. Johns) that had been turned into an industrial area.
Working with Depave has been a great learning opportunity, not only because of the technical skills I’ve learned, but because of the opportunity to pick the brains of a diverse group of volunteers including landscape architects, general contractors, biologists, and community organizers. What’s most fulfilling is walking away from a finished project, witnessing the transformation, and knowing that we not only contributed to the repair of the environment, but also created a community space where people can connect and engage."
Corbin is Depave's 2012 Volunteer of the Year!
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"While searching for a place to volunteer, Depave caught my eye because of its integration of environmental sustainability and community engagement. I have a passion for improving society and have come to understand that living harmoniously with the environment is a huge factor in creating healthy communities. One of my passions is environmental education, so I began working on a few community surveys for Depave. I was instantly in love with the work done in this organization and could see the value of their work.
My love was solidified when I came to a few working parties at the Word and Spirit Church. It was amazing to see this parking lot go from emptiness and pavement to green, functional and beautiful. Community engagement was another wonderful thing I observed. So many congregation members and members of the Portland community came out and made the work smooth and enjoyable. Neighbors walking by our work party could not help but stop and inquire as to what we were up to. I realized that through more of these projects, our society could really be transformed.
All of the projects I have worked on so far, from outreach to fundraising, have showed me how important Depave is and how much it contributes to the health and vitality of wildlife, water, humans and the planet at large. I have seen that when asphalt is replaced with gardens, native plants, rain gardens, pathways and play areas, whole communities can be transformed. Depave not only rips up pavement and replaces it with life, it also connects and engages people. Everyone can benefit from the work Depave does whether it be schools, neighborhoods, businesses, churches, parks or residential homes. I am honored to be a part of this team and am excited to see what the future holds for Depave!"
