During that time she served as Washington County and Vermont Bar Association president and an acting judge in small claims and district courts. In 2007, Helling ran around the world as a member of the Blue Planet Run to raise awareness of and funds for the worldwide drinking water crisis. Since retiring from law, Helling has been spending winters in Colorado and returns home to serve as a member of the Vermont Clean Water Coalition, of which she is a founder, and to help build a passive solar house for Central Vermont for Habitat for Humanity Inc. Helling also writes a column for The Bridge and is engaged with the Montpelier Tree Board and other organizations working in areas of forest preservation and the control of invasive species.