At our Group planning meeting in February, our leaders decided to focus on volunteers.
Like most non-profit, volunteer-base organization, we rely on volunteers for almost everything.
We have fun, we get training, we get opportunities to meet community leaders, and most importantly, we have the satisfaction of making a difference.
We invite you to join us.
Just scroll down a little more to see what we will be concentrating on this year. Join Us in making our Tampa Bay Sierra Club into a force for conservation, sustainable, and equity.
Volunteer!
Make a Difference
Have Fun
Tabling
Tabling is what the Sierra Club calls manning tables at community events. It is an opportunity to meet with the public, tell them what the Sierra Club is, tell them what we do, and invite them to join. We have fun!
What is needed:
Organize 6-8 tabling events per year
Reserve spot at event
Pay reservation costs (money comes from the Tampa Bay Group)
Recruit volunteers
Consider doing something special at the event
Pickup, set up and return tabling equipment materials
Assist at the event
Talk to event attendees about the Sierra Club
Tell attendees about our campaigns
Encourage attendees to join the Sierra Club
Give them a 1-year free membership
Help them join at the event using a simple cell-phone form and QR code
Provide signups to membership chair
Skills Needed:
Enjoy talking with attendees
Ability to cart material to and from the event, typically from our storage facility. Owning a vehicle that can fit the materials is desirable.
The Sierra Club puts on 4-5 events a year for Tampa Bay Sierra Club members and members of organizations with compatible missions. This is your opportunity to help make these events special.
Coordinate the major social events for the year.
What is needed
What is needed is someone who would like to lead this effort. You would not be working alone - your support would include all other leaders in the Sierra Club Tampa Bay Group.
Plan at least 4 group social events per year:
Holiday party
Joint Florida Native Plant/Audubon event
joint Suncoast and Tampa Bay Sierra Club picnic
Social(s) at a bar
Organize a small group of volunteers who will help you in this effort.
Find & reserve venues
Plan food, activities, and speakers
Create event invitations using the Sierra Club's Event Management System (Campfire) which takes event reservations
Write communications and design any desired handouts and send to Communications Chair for promotion
Plan for sustainability - we want to use reusable tableware to the extent feasible
Coordinate expenses with treasurer
Provide management at the event
Arrange to get needed materials to and from the event
Skills Needed:
Event planning experience
Ability to cart material to and from the event, typically from our storage facility
Membership and Volunteering (this could be one or two people)
The Membership and Volunteering Committee is tasked with making sure new members get into the Sierra Club's database (SalesForce), get several welcome emails including information on how to contact the group and participate in activities. This committee also identifies people who might want to volunteer with the Tampa Bay Group, provide them with information on how to do so, and let the relevant committee chairs know of any members that do volunteer.
What is needed
Process free memberships obtained from tabling by entering them into Salesforce and Get Response
Identify new and transfer members that come to us via Salesforce.
ID members who have transferred in from other groups & ID what they have done in their previous group
Send new and transfer members the welcome email(s)
Send them a list of volunteer activities
Contact new members and transfers to insure that they are getting our communications and assisting them with getting any errors corrected
Review volunteer recruitment information on the SC website
Identify potential volunteers and connect them to committee chairs/point people
Follow up with chairs/ point people about volunteers
Communicate volunteer needs through Sierra Connections and newsletter and other communications means.
Coordinate new member events
Skills Needed:
Technical skills to use SalesForce (the Sierra Club's CRM) - this means some computer and logic skills
Writing skills adequate to create emails
Event coordinating skills (for new member events)
Willingness to answer new member/transfer questions
Assist members in getting wrong contact data and communication settings corrected.
The Sierra Club, including our local Tampa Bay Group, is involved with issues affecting the Tampa Bay Area. In many cases, a powerful way to handle issues, is to work one-on-one with local political political issues. These range from land use changes, to water quality, to flooding, to roadways, to renewable energy, and so forth.
We see people to build relationships with governmental and agency leaders to assist in forwarding the Sierra Club Mission.
What is needed:
Build relationships with elected officials to find out their environmental priorities and share ours
Identify which officials we want to meet with
Schedule meetings with officials & TBSC member(s)
Plan discussion topics
Take notes on discussions and follow-up needed and summarize on spread sheet
Send follow-up emails
Serve as eyes and ears on city and county initiatives affecting the environment and democracy
Skills Needed:
General outreach telephone, computer documentation and email skills
The Conservation Committee works to preserve and protect Hillsborough County‘s natural areas and resources such as water and air. Conservation issues that the Tampa Bay Group works on include: Land conservation, Land use, affordable clean energy, affordable clean water, tree protection, plastic reduction, climate resiliency, and safe multimode transportation.
What is needed:
People who are interested in conservation issues.
Examples of help needed:
Looking at the monthly Agendas for the Hillsborough Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners and Tampa City Council for any items that have environmental implications that the committee should address.
Working with multi-organizational teams on Clean, Affordable Energy, water quality, and land conservation.
Addressing Land Use and tree protection issues that arise.
Skills Needed:
General outreach telephone, computer documentation and email skills
Transportation Committee works on transportation issues and opportunities. These include, but are not limited to public mass transit, ferries, electrical vehicles, bicycle networks and lanes, and walking access.
What is needed:
We are always interested in adding new members to our team.
Right now, we are working on safe non-motorized access needs.
Define and locate local groups with leaders for nonstructural street modifications such as popup bike lanes, City-approved residential street closures. Define local school Parents/Teachers for bike buses or walking school buses
Volunteers desired now to:
Define and locate local groups with leaders for nonstructural street modifications such as popup bike lanes, City-approved residential street closures.
Define local school Parents/Teachers for bike buses or walking school buses
Work with leaders in underserved neighborhood (such as the NAACP) and schools to
Identify local leaders
Define problems
Present volunteer leaders with available means to approach City transportation staff and schools
Skills Needed:
General outreach telephone, computer documentation and email skills
The Outings Committee organizes and leaders outings. In this area, they include birding hikes, wildflower walks, river paddles, coastal paddles, backpack trips, and more. Our typical outing has an educational component. Some are focused on issues. Some are cleanups.
These all involve fun and new experiences.
What is needed:
Outings leaders - Local leaders plan and lead outings. Our Outings team can get you the needed expertise to become an Outings Leader.
Outings Committee chair - Must be an outings leader. Works with Outings Leaders to review trip plans and make sure that all needed paperwork is complete.
Trip photographers – Volunteers on outings and who provide images to share on social media
Skills Needed:
Understanding the Sierra Club mission
Following Sierra Club outings standards
Outings Chair must be Sierra Club trained Outings Leader
There are also other skills that are helpful
Be trained in the use of Campfire for Outings
Ability to help people register in the field -- this means creating a QR code for the outing and having anyone who has not registered or signed the waiver in advance, with that QR code so that they can do it before the outing begins
Videos can be great for showing the best of outings (would go to our Communications Committee for use on social media and the website)
Wilderness First Aid (the Sierra Club funds this)
Familiarity with MeetUp and basic MeetUp usage
ACA Level II trip leader training or equivalent (for kayaks or canoes)
The communications committee is responsible for communications within the Group and with the general public. It is responsible for coordinating the various media including the website, social media, and newsletter. In coordination with the Group Chair, it manages the Google Workspace.
What is needed:
Meeting technical support - runs slide shows, Google Meet, etc. so that someone like the Group Chair can focus on leading the meeting–the person needs to be technically competent
Video creator/editor - think You Tube
Short video (TikTok type) creator editor – used largely for Instagram and Facebook
News media contact
Facebook Group moderators
Outings/Event follow-up - person to get content (photos, short articles, etc.)
Google App Coach
A committee vice chair
Someone to spend the time on BlueSky to make it useful and have people locally find it useful
Skills Needed:
Not every position needs every skill
There are knowledge needs, including
Understanding the Sierra Club mission
Following official Sierra Club policies such as following Sierra Club branding standards
Understanding the technical requirements of using the different media: social, website, Campfire, print
Understanding Google Workspace and the various Google Apps
Familiarity with MeetUp, Facebook, Instagram, and maybe BlueSky
This talk will be about getting the most sustainability bang for your garden management time, effort and budget. We will talk about the scenarios that are most common in the Hillsborough County area, things to look for in planning and management of your landscape, plants that will survive droughts, plants the will minimize mowing, plants that will attract wildlife especially insects and the birds that depend on them.
The speaker will also provide us with resources for planning, acquiring plants, and minimizing work.
Speaker Bio:
Shirley Denton is a plant ecologist which a long history of using native plants in the home landscape. She worked professionally in Florida for 35 years doing research and consulting on wetland, rare plant, community planning, and water issues.
Until recently, she had a 100% native landscape in Hillsborough County.
She is on our Tampa Bay Sierra Club executive committee, and heads our Communications Committee. She is an Outings Leader and former Outings Chair.
Put this on your radar. We will let you know as soon as it is scheduled. We are hoping for a fun meeting to focus on what the Sierra Club does, what out Tampa Bay Group does, and how you can make a difference.
People coming in from other Groups, and existing members are also invited.
Want to learn about and what it takes to become and outings leader?
Already an outings leader and want to socialize and coordinate with other outings leaders?
If you can answer yes to either, this event is for you.
Join us for a weekend of fun, team building and information about the Sierra Club Outings program in Florida.
Meet people from your group and other groups:
Hike a site on the Lake Wales Ridge that is one of the ancient islands and which is home to numerous rare plants and animals including the sand skink.
Participate in a team-building challenge that is guaranteed to have you working with your team mates to complete it.
Learn about conducting and enjoying outings.
Meals and camp lodging at the Scout camp are included.
Several accommodations are available, first come - first served.
2 dorms, one for men the other for women, 8 bunks in each.
Big canvas tents with bunks (2 or 4 per tent).
Or bring your own tent.
Toilet facilities with hot water are available. Other accommodations are available in Lake Wales and at Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge near Lake Kissimmee State Park (participants responsible for their own reservations).
All Outings Leaders are welcome. Anyone wanting to become an Outings Leader is encouraged to join us.
Families are welcome. All adults must register separately.
This event is no charge for the participants and is being funded by the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Your participation includes lodging, Food, snacks and use of the facilities(kayak and Canoes)
Level: Easy
Cost: No charge.
Bring: Sleeping gear, hiking shoes, warm clothing, whatever you need for being away from home for 2.5 days and 2 nights.
Signup Restrictions: Must be at least 18 or come with a parental guardian. No pets.
Cancellation Policy: Activity is held rain or shine, but may be altered due to inclement weather
Registration is required for all outings. Unless otherwise noted, outings are free though there may be site entry fees. Liability waivers are required, and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. No pets.
Super Bowl Paddle
From Rotary Park to Lettuce Lake, Pizza, and back.
See more images from this event on our Facebook Group. Posted Feb. 17.
We’ve all been there. We thought we were doing our civic duty, participating in democracy by auto-filling our names and addresses on form letters sent out by our trusted NGOs, adding our voices in the public comment period on public lands, wildlife, or social justice issues. But does it do any good? Being engaged does matter, but we can do better. For that you need to know how public comments work.
Ensuring that members and supporters get their voices heard is an integral part of the Sierra Club’s grassroots campaign work, says director of land protection Athan Manuel. Agencies want to see what the public thinks about specific issues, and flooding them with form letters can matter. “It is important when there’s a comment period that we get more comments than the opposing side,” says Manuel. But it might depend on what political party is in office at the time. “When Democrats are in charge, they take these numbers very seriously. They want to say, 'Look, when we came to the final decision on X, one of the reasons we did that is the science. The other reason is that 90 percent of the comments from the American public asked us to do X.'” Republicans, he says, don’t value public opinion the same way. “They come in with an ideology and do whatever the oil, mining, and timber industries want them to do.”
For the agencies’ purposes, however, the sheer number of comments doesn’t necessarily matter. According to the Bureau of Land Management’s website, BLM may receive hundreds or even thousands of form letters stating the same thing from different individuals but count them as a single comment.
“The NEPA public comment process requires the proponent agency to respond to the issues raised by public comments,” says Jeff Ruch, Pacific director at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). “One letter raising five issues will require the agency to respond to each of those issues. By contrast, if you have 100 comments raising the same issue, the agency needs to respond to that one issue only.”
For example, BLM received 17,200 comments from form letters against opening the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for drilling by ConocoPhillips Willow Project. But the agency counted all 17,200 as a single comment because they essentially say the same thing.
The BLM recommends that public comments on proposed rules be specific, confined to issues pertinent to the agency’s proposal, and explain any changes the writer would endorse. They also recommend referencing the particular section or paragraph that your comment addresses. Physical letters may have the most weight, because of the time they take. Other comments with impact are those that are original and supported by quantitative information or studies, and that include citations and analysis of applicable laws or regulations. People can use these guidelines to edit form letters before sending, picking out what resonates most and rewriting them in their own words in a few sentences. It might take a few minutes longer, but the difference can be large.
NGOs should also be aware that when and how the form letters are delivered can make a difference. “If you deliver them as one big file, then they are going to count as one, but if people send individual emails, then they count those separately,” says Manuel.
Organizations like the Sierra Club, Wild Earth Guardians, and Defenders of Wildlife work hard to ensure that their digital campaigns land correctly. They struggle with how to keep their campaigns from losing steam, how to keep the public engaged, how to maximize public participation, and what will most likely sway agencies' decisions. “A lot of times, agencies want numbers,” says Manuel. “The key thing is to mix it up, be open-minded and creative where possible.”
3 Steps to Make Your Public Comment Count
Be specific. What are you responding to? What do you want?
Use data. Can you back up your argument? Include the source of your information.
Be original. Use your own words to explain why the issue matters to you.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Nancy Stevens.
Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 pm via Google Meet. Contact Nancy to get the link.
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Dr. Robert A. Norman - In Remembrance
The Tampa Bay Sierra Club lost a good friend when Dr. Robert A. Norman, known affectionately as “Rob” or “Zayde” to his family, “Doc Rob” to his friends, and “Doc” to the many patients whose lives he touched, passed away on February 14, 2025, due to complications of pneumonia following a very successful stem cell transplant.
Robert Norman was a lifelong lover of nature. One day, when he was six years old, while his older brother was walking him to school, Robert saw a turtle and took off his sweater and waved it to stop traffic in order to pick up the turtle from the road. He proceeded
to school carrying the turtle. He went to see the principal and told the principal that he was going to take the turtle to a nearby pond and let it go. The principal said that he was going to give him a demerit for leaving school without permission to go to the pond, but young Robert knew he had to save the turtle’s life, so he took the demerit.
As an adult, Robert became an avid outdoor photographer and videographer, and made movies of some of his paddle trips. He also created an annual calendar of some of his wildlife photographs which he gave to his friends and patients, and often had large canvas prints made of his photographs to give to patients.
In addition to his passion for helping patients through his medical practice, Dr. Norman loved writing, and authored hundreds of articles and 76 published books. It was not uncommon to find him spending hours writing when he wasn’t caring for patients or enjoying the outdoors—hiking, kayaking, and taking photographs.
Dr. Norman was an Outings Leader in the Tampa Bay Sierra Club, and a good friend, and we will miss his companionship and support of our organization.
Rest in Peace, Dr. Robert A. Norman. You made a difference in so many people's lives, and your commitment to preserving our environment leaves big shoes to fill.
2025 Executive Committee
Our annual election is complete. The following people are now on our Executive Committee (ExCom):
This year we are working with the 5th grade students at Academy Prep of Tampa, St. Pete, and Lakeland, and the Environmental Club at Riverview High School.
If you are interested in becoming a leader or volunteering, please contact one of the leaders.
