Photos And Text By Bruce A. Tomaselli
They were giddy with delight as they pulled
on their hip boots in preparation for their monthly sojourn with
nature.
Late summer had provided a brilliantly
blue sky, low humidity and warm temperatures for Sisters of Saint Joseph
Rosella Lacovitch and Jane Rosko.
The two, who
look too young to be thought of as seniors, are part of a four - person
team that monitors the water quality of Noel's Creek in Cambria County.
The other members are Cathy Solarczyk of Portage and Bonnie Sikora of
South Fork.
The team participates in the
Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (E.A.S.I.). Billed as the
largest senior environmental action network in the world, it involves more
than 300 national, state and local organizations, both public and private
agencies are partners with E.A.S.I. in these
projects.
Sister Rosella is the assistant
director of the Family Life Office, and Sister Jane is the assistant
director of the South Fork Senior Center, where she coordinates Meals - On
- Wheels and the hot lunch program.
"I came
across a brochure at the senior center explaining the program and decided
it would be good to get involved in the volunteer program," said Sister
Jane, who then enlisted Sister Rosella. Their team participates through
Blair Senior Services Inc. of Altoona.
They are
part of a bigger team, the Kiski - Conemaugh Stream Team, who's mission is
to educate and engage citizen stewards in maintaining, enhancing and
restoring the natural resources of the Kiski - Conemaugh River
Basin.
"Our Catholic social teachings require
that we take care of God's creation," said Sister Rosella. "It also
provides for the future of our
environment."
The team began monitoring Noel's
Creek on a monthly basis last fall. They've been studying water quality
and providing samples for the Department of Environmental Protection in
Ebensburg.
Part of their monthly statistical
report includes measurement of water depth in five places and the velocity
of the water or flow. All the figures are put into a data base and studied
by environmental professionals.
Both Sisters
served as missionaries in Brazil so they know a bit about water quality.
"We lived through two very bad cholera outbreaks that killed many people,"
said Sister Rosella.
They lived on the Madiera
River, a tributary of the Amazon River. Drinking water had to be boiled,
filtered or mixed with Clorox to be ingested
safely.
In Noel's Creek they test for sulfate,
nitrate, phosphate, oxygen and alkalinity levels. There is a kit the team
carries for testing for those five chemicals. These, along with aquatic
bugs (macroinvertebrates) and surrounding riparian zone, reveal the
quality of the water.
Organisms such as the
water penny, mayfly nymph, stonefly, caddisfly and dobson fly, are
generally pollution - intolerant. The presence of these in a stream, in
good numbers, usually indicates good water
quality.
The women said it's a great
opportunity for seniors, that are looking to get involved in a program, to
help safeguard our water supply for future
generations.
E.A.S.I. was created in 1991
through an agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
the American Association of Retired Persons
(A.A.R.P.).
E.A.S.I.'s mission is to use
seniors' experience, environmental ethic and commitment to expand
volunteer efforts to protect and preserve our environment for present and
future generations.
E.A.S.I. performs many
other functions such as planting trees, mentor school classes and youth
organizations in environmental projects, help root out invasive non -
native plants that threaten native species and wildlife habitat, among
many other things.
"This is a chance for me to
get outdoors and learn some science," said Sister Rosella who once was a
science teacher.
"I feel God's presence here in
nature," Sister Jane said. Gazing at the stream she said, "It's amazing to
think that this water has existed from the beginning of time. It's part of
God's recycling plan."
WATER SAMPLE: Sister of Saint Joseph Rosella Lacovitch
retrieves a water sample that will be turned over to the Department
of Environmental Protection in Ebensburg. She is part of a team that
tests sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, oxygen and alkalinity levels in
the stream on a monthly basis.
From The Catholic Register, September
22, 2003
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