October Volunteer of the Month

Steve Rice was recognized during a recent service as our October Volunteer of the Month.

Steve Rice has been an active volunteer here at the Morristown UU Fellowship for more than a few years. (He and his wife Debbie have been members for over 33 years.)

Over his years of membership, the majority of Steve’s volunteer work has been environmentally focused. He began working at the Fellowship with the Ecco Action Committee, then led by Fred and Claire Meyers.

Later, Steve organized the Beautification and Preservation Committee. The efforts of this group resulted in several historical grants and in the development of a Historical Preservation Plan of over 200 pages. (The results of this plan also were helpful as research began for the overall improvement and expansion of our building and grounds.)

Presently renamed the Facilities Team and consisting of a half dozen members, the group keeps an eye on the needs of our property.

Steve’s most recent personal ministry involves his volunteer work as a grounds keeper and handy man. He transplanted Japanese red maple seedlings from his own yard, and planted one by the meeting room door, and two at the top of the steps to the Labyrinth behind our building.

Steve has also been active doing masonry work, cleaning and wire brushing moss and mold from the front of our building over the last several years, and he continues work on this effort.

Each summer he removes the rust and loose paint from the main entrance railings, and repaints the railings, to be ready for our in-gathering in September. And he helps organize the Volunteer Cleanup, to clear leaves and debris from our grounds.

This year, after the Administer received a $5,000 quote for mulching, Steve found that free mulch was available from his town, Florham Park. Over four weeks he hauled around 60 buckets of mulch and spread it over our front oval entrance.

But Steve has not only been focused on the building and grounds. He has served on the Endowment Committee, and more recently is finishing a term on the Finance Committee.

He appreciates working in small groups, as it is a way to meet other UU members and grow our community. But Steve particularly enjoys his work landscaping and maintaining our building and grounds.

Steve says, “I enjoy the flexibility that this work offers, and I enjoy seeing physical results of my efforts.” His volunteer work is meditative and spiritual, and the results are usually immediate.

It is satisfying to him, knowing that his volunteer work has made a difference that we can all enjoy. Thank you, Steve, for your generosity and quiet contributions over these many years.