Man with a Mission: John Helmer Breaks Down Barriers
By: Heather Sisan, Freelance Writer
As sunset colors stain the distant ridges and the wind picks up, people who have spent the afternoon soaking in the peace of the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve head back to their cars. Some of them undoubtedly wish they didn’t have to leave.
John and Normandy Helmer are the only ones who don’t have to…because they live here.
For one to two months each year, the Helmers are volunteer caretakers who live and work on this Nature Conservancy preserve in northeast Oregon. They stay in a historic ranch house that is off the grid, powered by solar panels and propane, with no cell service. It’s not a vacation. Each day, John puts in long hours building, repairing and removing fences; fixing trail markers; welcoming groups that range from hunting parties to college students; leading tours; writing proposals to improve recreation in the area; and restoring historic buildings. He even tackles the occasional plumbing problem. Meanwhile, Normandy focuses on historical research, writing, art and assisting with many maintenance tasks.
“There’s nobody standing over us saying go do this, go do that,” John explains. “I have a project list that we agree to at the beginning of our stay. And I never run out of things to do.”
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“We’re incredibly grateful to them both,” says Molly Dougherty, director of volunteer and community engagement for TNC in Oregon. Without them, she says, some of the work just wouldn’t happen, and other tasks would need to be done by hired contractors or staff who are already stretched thin.
Hundreds of volunteers contribute talent and time to TNC in Oregon each year, many of them advancing land management goals at single-day volunteer events and others carrying out ongoing or project-based roles. John’s level of commitment and expertise make him stand out.
“We trained him on how to talk about TNC and how to do outreach, but he took it to another level,” Dougherty explains. “He proposed ideas for limited mobility hikes, partnering with other entities, in a way that worked for TNC’s risk management. He recruited assistant leaders and made sure they were qualified to work with youth. Not a lot of volunteers bring that level of leadership.”
John’s passion project is documenting trail conditions so that visitors with mobility or health challenges know what to expect. He measures the width, slope and elevation gain of each trail and notes everything from trip hazards to shade availability, the locations of benches, drinking fountains and accessible parking. These detailed descriptions and photographs are a helpful resource for TNC to share with preserve visitors.
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Sign Up for Nature News!His interest in accessibility was sparked years ago when he was leading tours at the Willamette Confluence Preserve, which was owned by TNC at the time. He noticed that some visitors with limited mobility were deeply moved just to be near the river. “A woman got off the bus and said, ‘This is so incredible. I haven’t heard the river in years.”
John realized that he wanted to help people like her who faced challenges accessing nature. After completing training in how to describe trails for accessibility according to standard guidelines, he started documenting trails for TNC and leading accessible tours. “Instead of leading tours for people that can easily get out on their own, I help those historically excluded due to disability, income or race,” he says. “I want to break down barriers to experiencing nature.”
In order to describe a trail, he uses his creativity and empathy to imagine how different visitors experience the terrain. “What if your challenge is visual, what if it’s fatigue and you need to stop every quarter mile, what if it’s cognitive, auditory or neurological?” A specific description can help visitors decide whether a trail is a good fit for their abilities and feel confident about planning a visit. Instead of assigning trails a difficulty rating, John simply describes them as clearly as he can so that people can make their own decisions.
Decision-making is one form of empowerment; taking on a leadership role is another. “It’s very important to put folks with disabilities in leadership positions,” he says, “and not just do stuff for them, but do stuff with them and at their direction.”
John also helps facilitate electric track chair outings for people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges. He has seen people tear up after living in the community for 50 years and finally being able to access a trail for the first time.
The Helmers also volunteer at other TNC preserves, Sycan Marsh and Willow Creek in Oregon; as caretakers at Dye Creek Preserve in California; and as caretakers for properties belonging to the Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Desert Land Trust. In addition, John volunteers for CASA as a legal advocate for minors in foster care. “We’re quite busy,” he says. “I work at it with as much intensity and engagement as I did my career.”
Of all the organizations he works with, John particularly appreciates TNC due to its scale, expertise and collaborative approach. “They work with local land trusts and other organizations and help them step up their game. I like that TNC takes action: protection, restoration and stewardship, not just talk. It’s why we work for them and why we contribute financially,” he shares.
Preserve caretaking and John’s work on accessibility have enriched the Helmers’ lives. “It’s brought me a lot of friends,” he says. “I have friends in their twenties and thirties and, for the first time in my life, I have close friends and collaborators who are quadriplegic, or have difficulty speaking. It’s a super learning experience for me but also great fun.”
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