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Susan Ray

Norman, Oklahoma
Membership Chair
Red Earth Group

Susan Ray says her environmental awareness took root while she was a graduate student in community counseling. "I was upset about political decisions being made about our public lands, and it dawned on me that it’s about going back to the grassroots and believing one person can make a difference. That’s what got me involved with the Sierra Club."

Ray's counseling skills and environmental interests have dovetailed in her work as an elementary school counselor. "We have an outdoor classroom, including a pond and garden, and I lead kids in something I call Walking Wisdom. I ask them to look closely at the whole ecosystem, how each little thing is linked to everything else. It’s like planting a seed—you never know how far it will go."

Environmental awareness should be a family commitment, Ray feels. "It’s important that we teach kids to enjoy nature and respect it, because with respect comes responsibility. We learn our values in childhood, and it’s difficult to change habits the older we get. We educate children in math, science, and reading, but the environment takes a back seat. Caring for the environment should be a family value."

Ray was among the first responders to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. "We felt the blast in the mental health center where I was working. Therapists were needed around the clock for two days at the bombing site; then I worked in a 'compassion center' where people were waiting for news about loved ones. The experience really opened my eyes—talk about not taking things for granted anymore. But you saw what a community can do when it really needs to. Each individual could contribute to the recovery effort, even if it was just a drawing from a child.

Published: January 31, 2007