Eventually, Chambers’ interest became a passion.

“As I got older, my dad and a friend had cancer. We were wondering why, so Kate Love … and I decided to start a group to educate people,” Chambers said. “We had a big response so we just continued educating people and working with people to create solutions to help make a healthier environment.”

In 1990, Chambers and Love started A Few Friends for the Environment of the World, a Mason County-based nonprofit dedicated to raising environmental awareness, sustainability and action through volunteer efforts, signature events, community partnerships and development.

Chambers’ efforts have not gone unnoticed, and she is currently one of three finalists for a national accolade: the Cox Conserves Heroes Groundbreaker Award.

“I was nominated by our treasurer, Marie Quillan. Cox is a national organization, so we didn’t think we had any chance,” Chambers said. “Actually, I just told her to nominate the group, and she nominated the group, but also me, and I got it. I was surprised, because it’s national and they’re a big company. I’m really excited.”

Cox Conserves Heroes is part of Cox Enterprises’ national sustainability initiative, designed to recognize youth and adult volunteers and nonprofits making a positive impact on the environment.

Voting for the award is open to the public through Oct. 10. To vote, visit coxenterprises.com/cox-conserves/cox-conserves-heroes/vote.

The first-place winner will receive $30,000 to be donated to an environmental nonprofit of their choice courtesy of the James M. Cox Foundation. Second and third place finalists will receive $15,000 and $5,000, respectively.

Chambers said regardless of where she finishes, the money will help AFFEW continue to make an impact.

“(If I win) the $5,000 for third place, there’s a program that I want to bring to the schools in Mason County. … It’s called Snakes Alive and it’s a program that teaches kids about snakes and how important they are and not to be afraid of them and to help them,” she said. “If we get the big prize, or even the middle prize, we would put it toward our dream, which is to build a nature center eventually. We’re working on getting things really organized and strong so we would be working on hiring someone in the next year or two and moving forward with that dream.

“It wouldn’t cover a lot, but it’s a start.”

Chambers taught art at MAPS for 26 years before retiring in 2016. During that time, she led environmental groups for students. She continues to share love of nature and animals with children even in retirement.

“I always had an environmental group with some of the kids (at MAPS),” she said. “Now I’m a 4-H volunteer and also I work with kids in a summer program. I always thought it was really important to educate others — kids in particular — to help them know what they can do.”

A Few Friends for the Environment of the World is an all-volunteer group. Chambers, who serves as president, and her team have have organized many forums and programs. The group’s yearly Earth Day celebration hosts many workshops and presentations, kids activities, hikes and booths.

Through her work with AFFEW, Chambers also participates in a number of community projects such as beach sweeps, invasive plant-pulling and native plant sales.

She also created and taught a youth program for two years in the U Dig It Community Garden, located behind the Ludington United Methodist Church. During this summer program the kids learned about gardening, organic practices and also grew and harvested food for the Lakeshore Food Club. The kids planted native plants, took nature hikes, went on scavenger hunts and created art from nature.

Chambers said her passion for the environment has led to a number of great opportunities. She met and hung out with primatologist Jane Goodall in 2002 at a Roots and Shoots conference. Chambers also went on an environmental tour to the Amazon with Lynne Cherry, author and illustrator of “The Great Kapok Tree,” among other works.

Visit affew.org for more information.