Gee Brownley does not wear a cape. She has no shield or insignia. She has never been in a comic book or movie.
Nonetheless, in the estimation of many, she is as close to a local superhero as one can get. She is a volunteer at Machicomoco State Park in Hayes. Armed with only a hat from Costco, a sharp pair of khakis, and her volunteer polo, Gee gets the job done.
Whether that job involves cleaning flower beds, pruning butterfly bushes, or educating local schoolchildren about wildlife, Gee meets the challenge with joyful resolve and a sense of wonder for the natural world.
Recently, Gee was awarded a great honor; she was named the 2024 Virginia State Parks Individual Volunteer of the Year. After accumulating over 240 volunteer hours last year, Chief Ranger Josh Mazzatenta put her name in the running. Gee’s service record stood out among nominees from across the state of Virginia. She was awarded her plaque and certificate last month.
Machicomoco State Park is located on Timberneck Farm Road. Its name, “Machicomoco,” comes from the Algonquian language and means “special meeting place.” The name and the place are perfectly matched, as the park is designed to bring people together. It has trails, designated fishing piers, and docks for launching kayaks and boats. The campground is well equipped with showers, restrooms, camp stoves, and places to hook up an RV. There is also an outdoor pavilion called the “interpretive area;” a special place used for events and shows. There is a lot of ground, and Gee knows it all like the back of her hand.
Most days, park patrons will find Gee tending to the greenery, pruning the bushes outside the interpretive area, and making the grounds neat. Over the years, she has developed a comprehensive knowledge of the local flora. She’s able to recognize and name certain plants within seconds of seeing them. She can quickly tell you where to spot the Coneflowers or that the genus of the False Indigos is Baptisia. Her knowledge extends to the birds as well. Gee and other birders have spotted over 214 different species within the park.
A love of birding
It was Gee’s love for birding that led her to Machicomoco State Park in the first place. A native of Mathews County, Gee started birding in 2017. Her first trips to the park were as a patron, on the lookout for rare birds. Over time, she developed a relationship with a young man whom she thought was another wildlife enthusiast. It turns out that the young man was Mazzatenta. After noticing Gee’s love for the outdoors, it did not take much for him to convince her to start volunteering.
When asked why she loves birds, she replies, “They are free to travel wherever they want to go.” That freedom has brought several rare birds to Machicomoco State Park. Gee has seen a killdeer bird—a type of plover with a piercing shrill that sounds like it’s shouting, “kill deer!” Gee has also seen a West Cattle Egret and a Wood Stork. Gee has a method for spotting the rare birds that others may miss. She likes to “look in the trees.” While everyone else is surveying the land, Gee prefers to grab her binoculars and “look up high in places that most people can’t even see.”
She places her focus on small interactions—especially ones involving children. She recalls a story in which a little girl saw her removing weeds. Gee remembers that the little girl was concerned that Gee might pull up the buttercups—the little girl’s favorite flower. Sensing the child’s anxiety, Gee smiled and gently reassured the youngster, “Don’t worry. The buttercups are safe.” It suffices to say that all the flowers are safe when Gee is working—along with all the Black-eyed Susans, the Skipper Butterflies, and the Little Bluestems that Gee carefully grooms.
For Gee, one of the best things about her journey is that she can inspire other people. For instance, anyone can be a volunteer at Machicomoco State Park. It is as easy as sending an email to machicomoco@dcr.virginia.gov or stopping by the park office. According to Mazzatenta, the park can work with prospective volunteers and “figure out ways to contribute” based on their interests and skills. To Gee, the work is rewarding, and she encourages others to get involved.
For many Virginians, childhood is measured in camping trips, fishing excursions, and quiet nights at the river shore—listening to a crackling fire and looking out at dancing stars on the water. It’s true—the Old Dominion has never been short on natural beauty or ways to enjoy it. Every year, Virginians discover the birds, plants and wildlife that make the state so unique.
And those discoveries are possible thanks to the Virginia State Parks and the volunteers who help keep them running—people like Gee Brownley.
