The first time Emmie Campbell, a high school sophomore, showed up at Earth Matter’s Center was on a Friday volunteer day, near the end of summer 2013, introduced to us by her mom, Lori Nelson. Lori has an intimacy with GI as a core member of one of our Island Partners – 4Heads – which hosts the annual Governors Island Art Fair. Lori works as an artist-in-residency and exhibitor who primarily uses recycled materials in her artwork.
Earth Matter staff immediately put Emmie to work that day, dressing her in a protective white suit and bringing her to the beehives maintained by Earth Matter. That was her first taste of some of the goings-on at the Center, and at the end of the day she told us she would be back.
And Emmie did come back, again and again and again, as an Earth Matter intern this past summer, often working on various projects four days a week. One trainee project that showed she “got it” was her interpretation of caretaking for the Garden Gourmet prefab compost device. Emmie accentuated our Compost Promenade’s goal, which is to highlight the variety and diversity of ways ANYONE can recycle organic waste, using a method that can work with their particular inputs. Emmie took its name “Garden Gourmet” literally, and her compost recipe consisted strictly of diversity of weeds, chopped to pieces smaller than 6″, no masse! Emmie worked at this device devoutly and lovingly each day she came, and amazing compost was created as a result!
Another facet of Emmie’s internship was as Earth Matter’s “docent”. When the Center was open to the public on summer weekends, she was the go-to person to give tours and introduce newcomers, young and old alike, to the activities and animals at our Center.
Emmie also has an empathy for birds and can seemingly “hypnotize” our hens and make them feel quite relaxed. Recently-hatched baby chicks were taken care of by her, and given the protection they needed. She is a natural birder who tended to and nursed an injured gull found on GI, before transporting it to theWild Bird Fund, the only rehabilitation center in NYC, located on Columbus Avenue @ 88 St. in Manhattan.
Thumbs up to Emmie, Jane-of-all-trades, one of our special friends who make Earth Matter the vibrant project it is. And, her mom Lori, who brought us her daughter, and celebrates Earth Matter, through her recycling credo!
By Marisa DeDominicis