There's nothing quite like Aullwood Garden MetroPark in the Spring! Enjoy the early Spring blooms while helping out in the gardens with these great volunteer opportunities.

Inside this edition of your Volunteer Newsletter: 

FEATURE 

Volunteer Updates - What's NEW in Volunteerism this Month

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

 Ed Stevenson - A Heart for Service

APRIL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Spring is here! Join us outside in the parks for one of our most beautiful seasons!  

GET CONNECTED TECH TIP

Responding as a TEAM

STAFF HIGHLIGHT

Elizabeth Langford, Horticulturalist - Aullwood Garden MetroPark

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

Happy National Volunteer Month! Introducing a brand-new volunteer incentive!

Volunteer Updates

What's NEW in volunteerism this month! 

NEW! Volunteer Appreciation - Its National Volunteer Month! To recognize and appreciate your service we are expanding our VIP, Volunteer Incentive Program, to include volunteer discounts! Volunteers with 25 hours or more can now qualify for volunteer discounts towards great MetroParks programs and routine rentals. Read more about these new discounts in this month's Volunteer Appreciation section. 

NEW! April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse Preparations: Everything You Need to Know

REMINDER: Get Connected Site Updates - Beginning in April, all volunteer hours submitted will need to be connected to a volunteer opportunity. When you check in to service, this automatically happens, but for those adding hours, they will need to select the opportunity they have responded to in order to apply the hours to that opportunity and submit. This is an easy drop down on the "Add Hours" and "Track Hours" pages. This will help us better track volunteer service across the agency. 

Coming Soon! New Volunteer Orientation and Handbook - We have revised our new volunteer orientation and volunteer handbook and will be asking all of our short-term and long-term volunteers to review these items and sign off on the new volunteer handbook. 

If you've helped at a Twin Valley Trail Workday, participated in the Twin Valley Trail Challenge, or joined us at the Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience, you've likely crossed paths with volunteer Ed Stevenson. Ed joined our volunteer team in March of 2016 after his wife and he moved to the area to be closer to their grandkids. "Five Rivers looked interesting, so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did", said Ed. In Ed's 8 years of volunteer service, he has volunteered over 2,100 hours! Ed primarily volunteers to support opportunities in Conservation, Park Maintenance, and Special Events, opportunities like Prescribed Prairie Burns, Trail Maintenance, MVPs, and Tram Driving. 

Ed has become synonymous with dependability, leadership, and skill in our agency. He developed his trail maintenance skills over time and is now one of our most experienced and respected trail team volunteers. Trail Manager, Michael Cooper shared the following about Ed Stevenson, "I have had the pleasure of working alongside Ed on numerous occasions and have witnessed firsthand his dedication, passion, and tireless commitment to improving and maintaining our parks and our trails. His hard work and selfless efforts have had a significant impact on our agency, trails, and the community."

Read more about Ed's volunteer journey with Five Rivers MetroParks here. 

Thank you, Ed, for your outstanding commitment, dedication, and service to Five Rivers MetroParks! 

Interested in volunteering to support our Conservation volunteer opportunities? Check out our Conservation volunteer opportunities here! 

   Meet more amazing Metroparks' volunteers in our monthly Volunteer Spotlights here.

Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities 

Spring is here! Join us outside in the parks for one of our most beautiful seasons! 

Check out these volunteer opportunities and upcoming trainings to help you get back outside and make a difference while enjoying the beauty of the Spring season. 

See something that interests you, but have questions? 

Contact a Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275.  

Looking for opportunities where we need the most help right now?  View our high-need, high-priority opportunities here. 

Animal Care 

Animal Care volunteers support staff in caring for farm animals and wildlife animal ambassadors at a variety of our parks. These animals support MetroParks' mission by connecting the public to nature and education on local history, conservation, and small site sustainability. 

 Volunteer Casey Bower supports our horses as a Barn Aide at the Carriage Hill Riding Center. These horses require care 365 days a year and thanks to our dedicated Barn Aides we are able to provide excellent care to our equine friends! 

"Staff members are great ambassadors for the stables! Answers my questions in depth! Advance my experience by giving me new duties to perform! I am learning a lot about horses!" - Barn Aide Volunteer 

Carriage Hill Riding Center Barn Aide:

Don't mind getting your hands a bit dirty? Consider joining our team of Carriage Hill Riding Center Volunteers! Barn Aide Volunteers assist with essential daily tasks of our equestrian facility such as cleaning stalls, turning horses out to pasture, and providing them with fresh food and water. All new Riding Center volunteers begin as Barn Aides, and then can complete additional training to assist with Pony Rides, Lessons, Camps, and Trail Rides. 

Note: This opportunity is open to volunteers ages 14 or older. All volunteers at the Carriage Hill Riding Center begin as Barn Aides. Visit the Carriage Hill Riding Center Volunteer Training page to get started. Already qualified? Click the blue VOLUNTEER button below to sign up for a shift. 

Gardening 

Gardening volunteers support our horticulture and education staff in caring for a variety of gardens throughout our parks. These gardens not only provide beautiful spaces for Miami Valley residents to get outside, explore, and connect to nature, but many also provide fresh local produce to those in need in our community.     

Gardening volunteers learn effective pruning techniques from Staff Lead and Horticulturalist Beth Langford at Aullwood Garden MetroPark.  

"Volunteers were given good instructions on how to prune the targeted boxwoods."- Aullwood Gardening Volunteer

Gardening at MetroParks:  

Spring has finally arrived and it's the perfect time to Get Out & Garden! Our horticulture staff is eagerly waiting to welcome you and would appreciate some additional help. Don't worry if you lack experience in gardening, as we'll be happy to teach you everything you need to know. Grab your garden gloves and sign up to support our gardening volunteer opportunities by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below, available at Aullwood Garden, Cox Arboretum, NEW! Possum Creek, NEW! Riverscape and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks.   

Park Maintenance 

Five Rivers MetroParks provides clean, safe parks and conservation areas for the public to enjoy year-round. Our Park Maintenance volunteers help to manage and sustain 18 beautiful parks, 11 conservation areas, and 160 miles of hike, bike, mountain bike, and horseback-riding trails for park visitors to safely enjoy.  

Volunteers support Hills & Dales MetroPark at our annual service events and at regular workdays scheduled throughout the year.  

"Great group of volunteers, all friendly and hard-working. Staff was, as usual, excellent - working along with us, providing guidance and assistance as needed while open to suggestions for efficiently getting the job done!" -Hills & Dales Workday Volunteer

Hills & Dales Workdays:  

Are you someone who loves spending time outdoors, learning new skills, and making a positive impact on the community? You can now register to reserve your spot at the Hills & Dales volunteer workdays. This is your chance to get your hands dirty and engage in a variety of parks and conservation projects such as gardening, tree planting, invasive species removal, and mulching. By supporting this opportunity, you'll help preserve the beauty of this community park for future visitors to enjoy. Come and join us, and let's work together to make a difference! View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Programming 

Five Rivers MetroParks provides a wide variety of high-quality programs to help the public get outside and get connected to nature. Programming volunteers work alongside staff to provide support at programs year-round that help participants master new skills, learn about the natural world, and appreciate the value of open spaces.  

¡Hola voluntarios! Se necesitan hablantes de español con fluidez en Adventure Central.

¿Puede usted ayudar? 

If you read the above and are correcting our grammar, then the Adventure Central Program Assistant opportunity is for you!

NEW! Adventure Central Program Assistant (Spanish Fluent):

The after-school program at Adventure Central promotes positive youth development, education, and leadership skills using an environmental foundation in a welcoming, safe, fun, active setting. We have a special opportunity for fluent Spanish-speaking volunteers to interact with and translate for youth program participants who are learning English as a second language. Volunteers typically spend their time helping in the homework room, assisting in the kitchen during mealtimes, or outdoors monitoring play time.  Learn more and sign up by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Volunteers support a variety of school programs and scheduled field trips throughout our MetroParks.  

"It was nice to be included in planning what we're going to be carrying out. It was helpful hearing both past experiences and future ideas." - Field Trip Program Support Volunteer

Field Trip Program Support:

Five Rivers MetroParks offers a wealth of onsite educational programs for area school groups.  Fieldtrips are being scheduled and start in April.  Volunteers should enjoy working with youth, be comfortable in nature, and be excited by new discoveries! Those who missed the March training but are interested in supporting our school fieldtrips at Cox Arboretum or Wegerzyn Garden should contact yvonne.dunphe@metroparks.org to schedule shadow experiences for some of the upcoming fieldtrips. View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Volunteer Phil Bush is getting ready to welcome participants to a fishing program. 

"Great communication about what is needed from me. Provided equipment and instructions for a safe experience. Great teaching style and opportunity to learn on our own, as well." -Fishing Program Support Volunteer

Fishing Program Support: 

Know someone who likes to fish, maybe even likes to fly fish? We're looking for fishing volunteers and fly-fishing volunteers to support a variety of upcoming fishing programs!  Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  

Although you don't need to be an expert to provide fishing program support, there are helpful videos available for you in the training library. Ready to get involved? View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Volunteers are needed to provide tours at Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks this season! 

"It was a very enjoyable experience! Betty ROCKS!" - Garden Tour Guide Volunteer

Garden Tour Guides: 

Do you have an enthusiasm for plants and MetroParks that you'd like to share with others? If so, you would make a great Garden Guide volunteer!  Connect and educate visitors to a diverse landscape of plants through a tour of our gardens. May through September, Garden Tour Guides support our education team in providing this unique experience to visitors mainly at Cox Arboretum.   Learn more and begin training online here.  

Skilled Trades 

Five Rivers MetroParks takes pride in the variety of hands-on, skilled trades opportunities we offer, both in historical and modern-day settings. Our Skilled Trades volunteers help drive our mission forward by assisting with maintenance projects in fabrication, repair, and interpretation. 

"Volunteer Sue Steinke shows CJ Volunteer Zarriah Blumenstock how easy it is to learn to weave on a loom."

"Deb is so skillful and a wonderful teacher. It was a pleasure to work alongside her and two other volunteers. I plan to do this again. Enjoyed the new sewing machine." - Textile Volunteer

Textile and Fiber Arts:

Textile workdays are never boring! Volunteers have an opportunity to share their time and talents, and learn some new skills, while creating items to be used by MetroParks volunteers and staff. We are currently looking for volunteers with skills in sewing, crocheting, knitting, spinning and weaving. Join us at Carriage Hill MetroPark for a behind the scenes weekday or weekend opportunity! View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Limited skills but big interest? Look for program support opportunities with our textile team here.   

Special Events 

Event volunteers ensure that a positive, high-energy, outdoor enthusiasm tone starts at the welcome, and the event appears seamless and effortless for all who participate. 

ADOPT-A-PARK:

MetroParks Earth Day service event returns Saturday, April 20th from 9 am-Noon. We still have several projects with plenty of spots available needing support from our volunteers! Projects still available include:

-Invasive Species Removal especially at Adventure Central, Taylorsville, and Possum Creek MetroParks

-Trail Maintenance at MoMBA

-Black Crowned Night Heron Habitat Maintenance at Island MetroPark

View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Additionally, Adopt-A-Park Litter Pick-Up Service Kits are available for independent litter pick-up, and are a great option for youth and families, and groups looking to make a difference together in a MetroPark or out in your neighborhood and community greenspaces!  Click here to reserve your kit and schedule your kit pick-up at one of our drive-thru service kit distribution dates.  

 Volunteers Amanda Arlington and Kevin Westbrook enjoy volunteering and it shows.  Perfect hospitality at Bike to Work.

"This is the second time I have volunteered for the event and I enjoy it!" - Bike to Work Day Volunteer 

Bike to Work Day:

Bike to Work Day Celebration & Pancake Breakfast returns on May 17th at Riverscape MetroPark! Whether you're a seasoned cycling commuter or a first-time bike rider, unite with us to share the culture and the fun of biking to work as a Bike to Work Day volunteer! Join MetroParks staff in offering a pancake breakfast for the community in celebration of Bike to Work Day. Volunteers are needed for setup, registration, bike parking, and more. View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

 Staff lead Suzy Kroeger and volunteer Ginny Wood assist families in completing a fun activity to get their "passport" stamped. 

"Had a great time checking in the vendors for the festival. All of the vendors were very grateful for our help and the staff were so helpful. Really enjoyed the volunteer experience." - Passport to MetroParks Volunteer

Passport to MetroParks:  

Passport to MetroParks coming up on Friday, May 24th at Riverscape MetroPark! Passport to MetroParks aims to build community awareness of what our MetroParks offer and will highlight various MetroParks' events, programs, and parks. Throughout the event, guests can visit more than 16 vendor booths hosting games and activities. Visitors will be able to learn more about the upcoming festivals and various recreation, education, conservation, and volunteer programs Five Rivers MetroParks offers.  Participants will earn a stamp in their event passport for each activity they complete. Those who earn one stamp in each of the five categories will be entered to win prizes, with additional prize entries for earning more stamps. View the opportunities available and sign up for support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Marilyn Allen, Wegerzyn Gift and Garden Shop volunteer, enjoys time at 2nd Street Market supporting Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation.  

Support Our Partners 

Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation:

Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation is looking for cashiers for its annual MayFair plant sale, now held at the Second Street Market. MayFair at the Market will run Friday, May 3- Sunday, May 5 during regular market hours, plus an additional "members-only" sale Friday morning.  

Foundation volunteers are also needed year-round to support the Gift and Garden Shop, located at the 2nd Street Market.  Proceeds from the gift shop support special projects and programs at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.

For more information about these two opportunities, or for information on becoming a Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation volunteer, please email contact@wegerzyngardensfoundation.org.

Note: Volunteer service for the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation is separate from volunteer service at Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Get Connected Tech Tip: Responding as a TEAM 

Volunteering is fun, especially when you can share the experience with coworkers, family, and friends! If you'd like to share your volunteer experience with your circle of friends, you can respond to an Opportunity as a team.  If an Opportunity lets volunteers respond as a team, you'll see a button that says RESPOND AS TEAM when you visit that Opportunity's page. To find and respond to opportunities accepting Teams, click here for a step-by-step video walkthrough and follow these steps:  

1. Go to "OPPORTUNITIES" from your dashboard.

2. Filter for Opportunities that allow teams to respond to them.   

3. Click the Opportunity you want to respond to.   

4 Click "RESPOND AS TEAM"-if the button is available. 

5. Give your team a title and add yourself by clicking "ADD ME".  You can also see important information about the Opportunity on this screen to help you build and schedule your team.  

6. Now, you're ready to start adding volunteers to your team! Click "ADD VOLUNTEER" to start adding your coworkers, family, or friends! You can also Reserve Additional Spots for your team members, too!  If you Add a Volunteer to your team, you'll need to enter the volunteer's contact information and click "ADD TEAM MEMBER" to save your changes. You may need to answer a question if required, such as Emergency Contact information.  

7. Once you've added all of the volunteers to your team that you need, be sure to check the box under Leader to assign someone as your team leader.  

8. When you finish building your team, click "CONTINUE" to select when you want to volunteer!  

9. On this screen, you'll select the shifts that you want to volunteer as a team for.  Check the box to the left of the Shift Begins date and time.  

10. Be sure to click "FINISH" to save your changes.    

Can't find the group volunteer opportunity you are looking for? You can request a private group volunteer opportunity by completing the Group Volunteer Request Form here.  

  You can find all our great Tech Tips within the Monthly Blog posts. Click HERE to access all of them! Want to learn more great things about Get Connected and the volunteer opportunities, please join us at one of the monthly Volunteer Open Houses.  Use this link to sign up for one of the Volunteer Open House sessions.   

Staff Lead Highlight: 

Elizabeth Langford, Horticulturalist

Staff Highlights are a great way for volunteers to get to know our staff and for staff to share their work with volunteers. 

Elizabeth Langford has been long acquainted with the outdoors and gardening which in part led her to an Apprenticeship position with Five Rivers MetroParks at Aullwood Garden in 2014.  In 2022, Beth became the horticultural technician, then in early 2023, she became the Site Leader at Aullwood Garden and in the fall of 2023, she became the Horticulturalist. 

The path traveled to her present position as the Horticulturalist at Aullwood Garden began years ago.  Beth Langford grew up just a stone's throw away from Aullwood Garden.  While Marie Aull was tending her garden beds, Beth was learning and helping her parents with caring for the family's large vegetable garden which they planted every year.  Not surprisingly, her siblings didn't quite care for weeding, but Beth didn't mind. At the age of 14, she asked her parents if she could have a garden to grow vegetables and flowers while continuing to help care for the family's garden.  Her parents approved. 

In the late '70s, Beth drove by Aullwood Garden one spring day and thought it was a lovely place but didn't know it was open to the public.  Driving by another day, she saw signage on the gate with the hours the garden was open to the public.  Visiting the garden, she fell in love with it.  Seeing a lady working in one of the flower beds in the Sycamore lawn, she thought it would be wonderful to work in such a beautiful garden. 

When Beth worked as an Apprentice at Aullwood, she learned of the history of John and Marie and the great impact they had on the community in various ways.  Gardening and history are woven together - a perfect match as Beth has a passion for both.  The Apprentice position had a fixed time of completion.  Once completed, Beth worked as a Horticultural Technician at Riverscape, as well as other positions outside of Five Rivers MetroParks. During this time, she continued as a volunteer assisting with trail work in various MetroPark locations, controlled prairie burns as well as volunteering at Aullwood Garden, helping with the upkeep of the garden beds and with the annual Winter Luminary walk. Beth is delighted to come around full circle from all those years ago with thoughts of how wonderful it would be to work in such a beautiful garden. 

Read more about Beth's service to Five Rivers MetroParks including her work with volunteers here. 

Join Beth and other Aullwood Garden staff at one of the upcoming Aullwood Gardener shifts! View Aullwood Gardener volunteer opportunities here. Or join us for our next Volunteer Open House, where you can meet one-on-one, in person, with a Volunteer Coordinator and learn how you can support this opportunity! Click here to RSVP to an upcoming Open House. 

Thank you, Beth, for being a true supporter of volunteers and volunteerism at MetroParks!   

 In honor of Women's History Month, we profile some of Five Rivers MetroParks' female employees, like Beth Langford, who keep your parks beautiful, safe and open year-round.  Check it out here on the MetroParks blog. 

Volunteer Appreciation 

NEW! This year, as a thank you for ongoing volunteer service this year, we are expanding our VIP, Volunteer Incentive Program to include volunteer discounts! Volunteers serving 25 or more hours this year will qualify for discounts towards MetroParks programs and routine rentals including shelters and campsites in 2025. Discounts will be awarded as follows: 

-25 or more hours - 15% discount.

-100 or more hours - 30% discount.

-200 or more hours - 50% discount.

These discounts are good for repeated use throughout the year until their expiration date, so you can use it to attend multiple programs or get outside and camp many times throughout the year. Additionally, volunteers who served 25 or more hours with us in 2023 will receive the appropriate discount good through December 31, 2024, as a sincere thank you from your Five Rivers MetroParks. Look for an email the first few weeks of April with more information including how to access your discount!

VIP Item Request Form - Have you hit a volunteer service hour milestone with us? We've created a VIP Item Request Form to make collecting your earned Volunteer Incentive Program items like t-shirts, hats, and service pins even easier! We've added a link to our VIP Item Request Form in the main Get Connected navigation menu and in the image rotator. Click the link to learn more about our Volunteer Incentive Program and see if you qualify for volunteer incentive items. 

 Learn more about how volunteers made a difference at Five Rivers MetroParks in 2023 in this year's Volunteer Impact Report here. 

Read about our amazing MetroParks volunteers here!

Thank YOU for volunteering!

 Volunteer Services is available if you have questions or need assistance in signing up. 

Contact us at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 (PARK). 

Join us at an upcoming Volunteer Open House! 

Your Volunteer Services Team

Yvonne Dunphe - Outdoor Connections Programming #(937) 277-4147 

Allie Zimmerman - Parks & Conservation #(937) 274-3176 

Janelle Leonard - Administration & Animal Care #(937) 277-5445 

Amanda Wheatley - Ambassador & Special Events #(937) 277-4109 

Jenny Hymans - Human Resources Manager of Volunteer Services #(937) 567-1413