Columbia News

June’s spotlight volunteer, Trina Warder, has a long history of community involvement, beginning with her family. “We volunteered the very first year the city had the program, my husband, myself and our two boys did Cleanup Columbia on a piece of the MKT Trail every year.” More recently, Warder has been active in cleanup efforts with students at Douglass High School. A French teacher for most of her career, she joined Douglass in 2019 and has taught Urban Ecology and a work-study program at the Truman VA Hospital.

“I take both my classes out, depending on the semester, and we go out multiple times,” she said. “It fits nicely with the curriculum for my Urban Ecology class and provides volunteer hours for a career class.” Warder incorporates litter pickup into classroom lessons about watersheds, tracing water flow through Flat Branch Park and Flat Branch Creek to the Missouri River.

When asked what advice she would give to potential volunteers, Warder recommends litter cleanup even outside official events like April's Cleanup Columbia. “Trash pickup is easy. Recently my husband and I have included a lot of honeysuckle pulling; if we’re out for a walk we may also just do some pickup. Volunteering does not have to be a huge commitment... That little bit of volunteering, if everybody did that? It’s the classic ‘many hands make light work.’”

Outside of volunteering, Warder enjoys gardening, reading, and outdoor activities. “I absolutely love my bicycle; I love to be outside.” She recommended books such as “The Paris Hours” by Alex George and Kristin Hannah’s "The Nightingale." Besides historical fiction, she enjoys mysteries and is always seeking book recommendations.

Warder will retire from teaching in May and is exploring other areas where she can contribute once her schedule opens up. She is considering programs like Park Patrol, where volunteers monitor city trails and parks during daylight hours while serving as ambassadors for other users.

For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact Volunteer Programs at 573-874-7499 or [email protected].

Article written by volunteer Tara O’Reilly.