Meet Dawn Handey, one member of our board of directors — a thoroughly brilliant and talented group of dedicated volunteers! Dawn grew up in the Athens area, and loves spending time outdoors with her partner and three children, exploring creek beds, having rock-skipping contests, and checking under rocks for salamanders, crawdads, and other surprises lurking there. Say hello to Dawn at her day job at The Plains library, too!
Why is spending time outdoors important to you?
Outdoors is where I feel most comfortable and at peace. It is where my family bonds the most. It gives my children the freedom to explore and gives them a sense of wonder.
What’s your perfect outdoors-kind-of-day?
I would enjoy my morning cup of tea outside, taking in the sounds and smells of an early fall morning. Then I would hike where I can see the sunlight coming through the trees, and take a break to read in the woods or by the water. Finishing the perfect day, I would explore a creak ecosystem with my family.
Advice for someone new to exploring nature?
Find a pair of comfortable shoes, and even maybe take them off and let your feet feel the Earth. Then, get out there, but bring a map or have a map of the area on your phone. Most importantly just enjoy the nature that surrounds you.
Cat or dog person?
Well as anyone who may have seen my t-shirt and pin collections might guess, I am a cat person. I have 4 cats named Calcifer, Danka, Elvira, and Magick. I do love my dog Dowler though and he puts up with all the cats.
Hidden gem in southeast Ohio?
My recommendation is the John Knouse trail in Canaan Preserve. This is a relatively new trail and I find something exciting whenever I visit.
Why is protecting land around us so important?
As society develops ever more advanced technology, and humanity sees our natural spaces solely as a source of materials for exploitation, it is important not to lose sight that we humans are in fact animals that grew from the natural world and we are tied to its fate along with all life on this planet. We need natural space to preserve our health, our environment, our mental well-being, and our future and our children’s future.