Name: Athline Clark
Age: Not yet 40
Education: Kailua High; University of Hawaii-Manoa
Position: Volunteer coordinator
Pastimes: Diving, kayaking, hiking, sailing.

Clark is amused that people would worry about her, because she feels she has a dream job. She coordinates the state's volunteer programs, and gets paid to do it.

The job was created when new state Department of Land and Natural Resources chief Mike Wilson noticed there were plenty of volunteer programs for the land, such as miconia eradication and creation and maintenance of trails through Na Ala Hele, but not enough for the ocean.

In an era when the population is increasing while natural resources and government funding and personnel are dwindling, Clark will work to create public/private partnerships through volunteer programs.

"My role is going to initially be kind of like the little girl and the dike," Clark says. "The dike is already built, so I'll plug the holes in it that already exist, and create new dikes, especially on the ocean side."

There are a host of programs that Clark will try to manage more efficiently, such as Adopt a Buoy, artificial reefs, Youth Conservation Corps, Na Pali Coast State Park, litter cleanup days, education at Malaekahana State Park and Heeia Kea, and Big Island task forces for aquarium fish and the Kona Coast State Park.

Clark's childhood in Kailua prepared her for her earlier job as marine programs specialist with the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. As a youngster she cavorted in the ocean after school and on weekends.

She learned the value of volunteerism early, teaching swimming at Kokokahi YWCA at age 14, and Clark was one of the original cruise instructors with the University of Hawaii's Blue Water Marine Lab program in high school.

Now she must convert others to the joy of volunteering.

"The ideal situation is to get people involved in an area where they have a vested interest - in their back yard, a beach they live next to, a place that they go to often, or don't go to often but still treasure.

"I just had somebody today tell me he helped on the trail from the Pali to Waimanalo. He said every time he walks on that trail that he has put his blood and sweat into, he gets a good feeling all over.

"That's what volunteerism is all about."

To help, call Clark at her new office, 587-0393. Just make sure you ask for the right person.

"People are always asking me how the C got dropped from Athline," she moans. "It never got dropped. Athline was my grandmother's name."