Conservation Volunteering for Fun and Family

Last week the Missouri Conservation Commission gave a special recognition award to Floyd Vernon Dry, a Conservation Department retiree who has volunteered more than 16,000 hours at our radio shop in Springfield. That’s in addition to his 35 years for work as a radio technician. That’s a huge amount of extra work—essentially full-time work since 1998, just a few years after retiring.

I asked Floyd why he does it. He said, “To be with my son—he’s my buddy.” His son Doug is MDC’s electronics technician in Springfield. "We build model trains together, too. I moved across the street from him—my version of assisted living.”

There are lots of different opportunities to volunteer for conservation, whether it’s helping in a special area of expertise like Floyd, helping out at our nature centers or shooting ranges, or working to support local trails or conservation lands.