Nature helps keep woman volunteering at Great Plains Nature Center

The first person visitors often see when they walk through the Great Plains Nature Center doors is Kathy Frieze.

For the past two years, she has volunteered once a week to answer the phones and guide visitors. She also helps out at special events that the center, near 29th Street North and Woodlawn, often hosts.

Before that, she taught French in the Andover school district and was an adjunct professor at Friends University.

When she retired, Frieze, 67, said she wanted to volunteer at the center.

“I am not a naturalist, but I am a nature lover,” Frieze said. “This keeps me around nature.

“I’ve learned a lot, and it has increased my appreciation for the natural things in Kansas.”

Frieze said she has become more knowledgeable about shore birds, wildflowers, reptiles and snakes, raptors and song birds.

“I want to make nature more accessible to people,” she said.

This story was originally published May 4, 2014 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Nature helps keep woman volunteering at Great Plains Nature Center."