WOODSTOCK — Since 1988, the Friends of the North Fork has been the voice of the Shenandoah River. Continuing to expand on its mission, the local nonprofit has added three new staff members — Laura Bennett, Gael Shaffer and Cindy Frenzel. The staff changes come at a pivotal time in the nonprofit's narrative, said Bennett, the executive director.
"There's been a separation: the normal people that had been talking at the Brew House or Moose, participating and then those who don’t even know what the Friends does,” Bennett said. “And then there are those who have always been here, have always lived here. This organization has existed their entire lives.
So, trying to figure out how we reconnect with everyone – that’s what we’re here for.” Founded on the premise of keeping the North Fork of the Shenandoah River clean, healthy and beautiful through advocacy, community action, education and science, the private nonprofit engages volunteers for river cleanups, monitoring and special events. “We’re trying to establish ourselves as something more definite – what are we good at,” Bennett said.
“And that’s education. Educating our community on the river – whether it’s working with our schools and our science departments or camps, or how we need to reengage the other organizations during various times of the year.” While they answer to a board of directors, Bennett, Shaffer and Frenzel are honing in on what makes the nonprofit tick.
For Shaffer, it start.