Stillman volunteers vital to keeping Center open

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In almost 23 years Roger Laegeler has put in more than 7,000 hours as a volunteer at Stillman Nature Center in South Barrington.

“I spend all my free time here,” said the Palatine resident.

Despite the hours Laegeler and a core group of about 15 regular volunteers log at Stillman, Executive Director Mark Spreyer said there is a desperate need for more volunteers to keep the 80-acre center running smoothly.

Spreyer said more volunteers are needed to clear trails, spread chips on trails, take care of the raptors, maintain the prairie and help remove non-native species, among the jobs that need to get done.

“If I had more people, there’s more I could ask them to do,” Spreyer said. “There’s no shortage of things to do.”

For his part, Laegeler has logged many hours clearing buckthorn and teasel and even items thrown over the center’s fence, like clothing and brush, among other things. He’d love to see more nature lovers become dedicated volunteers.

“It was a challenge,” Laegeler said of why he started volunteering. “There’s so much variety and diversity here.”

The nature-lover has spent many of his work hours alone, doing hard physical labor, but there are perks to the work, he said.

Over the years, he has seen many of nature’s beauties, including a golden crown while cleaning the orchard, a black and white warbler and a golden finch. There’s no shortage of deer either.

“There was this deer standing there watching me,” Laegeler said of a time he was clearing trails, adding the dear watched him for at least 15 minutes.

The perfectionist enjoys the hard work, but would love more volunteers to join the effort to keep Stillman Nature Center running smoothly.

“It’s a good place of solitude and relaxation to get away from the grind of the business world,” he said.

Intern Zack Farley calls Laegeler “bionic.” He recalled a recent summer day when the temperature was well into the 90s and the dedicated volunteer would not give up on removing teasel, even to break for lunch.

“This guy just doesn’t stop,” Farley said. “He’s just a machine. I don’t know how he does it.”

Although he has only been around for the summer, the intern has seen how necessary volunteerism is at the Stillman Nature Center.

“This is a pretty small operation. It is reliant on volunteers,” he said. “... You can really see things get done and make a difference.”

Jim Kaltsas, volunteer and vice president of the board, said Stillman Nature Center is a beautiful place to experience nature and its treasures, which he witnesses on a regular basis volunteering.

“It’s a chance to spend time outside all seasons,” he said. “We need help year-round. It’s a way to help the environment... This place has one employee... and everything else is done with a volunteer crew.”

Stillman Nature Center has the tools, but needs volunteers to use them. Workdays are generally scheduled on the second and fourth Friday of the month.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Spreyer at (847) 428-6957.