Jay Blankenship joined the Peace Corps in 1978 and worked on the island of Montserrat studying the island’s wildlife
Impacted by environment
By JAMIE KLINGER-KREBS
December 2002
Jay Blankenship enjoys reading
a variety of topics, but animals and the environment are at the top of his list.
Leaning back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, former Delafield resident Jay Blankenship (who currently resides in Shorewood) ponders the question of what types of books have most influenced his life. Having led a life of rich experiences thus far, the executive director of Waukesha’s Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) admits he’s always been a sponge for works related to animals and the environment.
"I guess I’d have to say that the books I’ve been most inspired by, I don’t remember anymore, because there have been so many," he says smiling. "‘Call of the Wild’ by Jack London and the works of Gerald Durrell definitely had a big influence on me when I was young. ‘The Sand County Almanac’ by Aldo Leopold also had a huge impact and that book led me to seek my degree in wildlife."
Upon earning degrees in biology, wildlife and environmental education, Blankenship joined the Peace Corps in 1978 and struck out to find his own noteworthy experiences. Settling on the island of Montserrat nestled in the Caribbean, he began studying the island’s wildlife, which consisted mainly of reptiles, birds and amphibians. As a result of those studies, he wrote his own book titled ‘The Wildlife of Montserrat’."
"It was basically a textbook for the people who lived on the island to help them learn about the animals around them," he explains. "Because they only knew about their environment through legends, I wanted to show them what their surroundings were really about."
Blankenship says it was his experiences in the Peace Corps which later led him to social work. Prior to his position at HAWS, Blankenship spent 20 years with the COA Youth Family Center in Milwaukee. Working for the COA (Children’s Outing Association) gave him the ability to work with urban youth and open their eyes to the great outdoors. But after time, he realized he still had a passion for working with animals, which led him to his current job.
Beyond animals and the environment, Blankenship says he also enjoys reading about religion, history and anthropology. In addition, he also likes reading fictional works by Stephen King and Ann Rice. He prefers King’s earlier works and admits he’s gotten a little burnt out on Rice, but finds her vampire chronicles truly entertaining. Clive Barker’s "Great and Secret Show" is also a favorite because it mixes the unimaginable with reality. Recently, he’s enjoyed reading John Krakauer’s haunting tale of Mount Everest, "Into Thin Air" as well as "Into the Wild".
"I often drift back and forth from fiction to non-fiction going from something really heavy then back to something more fun depending on what strikes my interest at the time," he says.
A work that has had a very profound impact on Blankenship’s life is Max Dimont’s "Jews, Gods and History". With a non-religious background, Blankenship admits he has often struggled with the idea of religion. Dimont’s work views religion from a historical perspective and helped him understand his place in the world.
"Because I wasn’t raised with religion I always had an interest in it," he explains. "I always understood the concept of religion, but this book brought it all into light as to why people need religion — it was a real eye opener."
"Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn is another recent read in which Blankenship found himself engulfed. "This book was interesting because it was a fictional work viewed through the eyes of a gorilla. It discussed an environmental theory of how the world became what it is and divides humans into two distinct groups — leavers and takers.
The leavers are the agrarians who live off the earth and respect it, such as Native Americans, tribes in Africa, etc. Takers are products of modern civilization who take and excessively use the earth’s resources and leave nothing behind," says Blankenship. "The idea is the struggle between the two groups and how we need to look at our lives and what we consume. It really makes you think about what you do to the environment and it’s almost shocking."
Along with his personal interests in reading, Blankenship admits that he reads heavily to help him stay in tune with his work. By reading
"Sheltering" magazine and other periodicals, including one published by the American Humane Society, he gets many ideas for the shelter and also stays abreast of fund raising and management issues.
"I’m really reading all the time and I watch very little TV," he says.
Other works that have influenced Blankenship include, "What Went Wrong," by Bernard Lewis, which explores the growing rift between the United States and the Middle East. He also finds himself moved by "Roots" and "Malcomn X."
"Racism is a big issue and these works had a big impact in bringing those issues to light," he explains. "The fight against oppression and racism has always hit home with me."
