Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - April 2025

Spring has the flowers blooming in the gardens and throughout MetroParks. It is the perfect season to enjoy the beauty and hear some of nature's wildlife. MetroParks is introducing a new nature activity perfect to get you outside enjoying Spring in your MetroParks. Learn about the brand new Five Rivers MetroParks Birding Challenge here.

Inside this edition of the Volunteer Newsletter:

FEATURE: Volunteer Appreciation - It's Global Volunteer Month and we're Celebrating YOU!

CONSERVATION TIP: Think Gardening, Community Gardening

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Deb Kozar, Sharing Outdoor Experiences; Plus, Celebrating Eagle Scout Projects!

APRIL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Spring has SPRUNG and We Need YOUR HELP at these great opportunities: Adopt-A-Park, Passport to MetroParks, Bike to Work Day; plus, Bat Box Monitor, School Programs, and Garden Tour Guide Training, and more!

GET CONNECTED TECH TIP: View YOUR Volunteer Impact! Plus, Volunteer Open Houses available to help you complete or RENEW qualifications!

STAFF LEAD HIGHLIGHT: Dan Spaugy, Park Manager at Wesleyan MetroPark

PARKWAYS ONLINE: Don't miss these great April features on the MetroParks blog!

Volunteer Appreciation

April is Global Volunteer Month and we're celebrating YOU - our dedicated volunteers! In 2024, you increased your volunteer service by 6,400 volunteer hours for a total of 32,030.49 hours! AMAZING!

Those numbers alone may not mean much, but when you start thinking about what they represent - all the helping hands tackling invasive species removal across our parks and conservation areas, maintaining our trails, planting native trees and plants, tending to our beautiful gardens, welcoming and assisting visitors, providing tours for school groups, demonstrating 19th century farm life, caring for our many animals, and working to ensure the success of our many programs and special events - it means a whole lot. Put simply, MetroParks could not do all that we do without you, our volunteers. YOU are the helping hands, the warm hearts, the welcoming smile, and indeed the spirit of MetroParks. Read about all the great work you did in 2024 in this year's Volunteer Impact Report and take a few minutes to review your individual and volunteer group impact in your Volunteer Resume and your User Group Resume on Get Connected. 

Thank you so much for continuing to choose to give your time, your talents, your skills, and your helping hands in support of our mission. We hope that we are honoring your generous gifts with the type of work we are giving you to do - developing high-quality, meaningful volunteer opportunities that make a difference - and we hope that we are always letting you know in a variety of ways how much we appreciate YOU!

To show our appreciation, we are sending thank you cards to those dedicated volunteers who served 10 or more hours with us in 2024. Those with 25 hours or more will also receive a personalized note from their staff lead in their thank you card AND their 2025 volunteer discount card, good for 15%, 30%, or 50% of MetroParks programs and routine rentals all year long. 

You'll also see a variety of posts across MetroParks social media and on the website recognizing the incredible work you, our dedicated volunteers do!

For those volunteers joining us at an in-person Adopt-A-Park projects Saturday, April 26th, we'll be giving out Adopt-A-Park tote bags and our Love the Earth seed balls as a thank you for your generous service. Learn more below and sign up to join us!

And, in case you missed it - last month we shared our new Volunteer Tributes. We are GROWING our Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) this year to show our GROWING appreciation for your dedicated service. Now, volunteers with 2,000 or more volunteer hours with us can be recognized for their dedicated long-term service to MetroParks with a volunteer tribute item. Here are the available tributes:

• *2,000 volunteer hours - Tree Planted with Plaque (with 10-year endowment)
• *3,000 volunteer hours - Trail Naming with Plaque (with 5-year endowment)
• *5,000 volunteer hours - Shelter Naming with Plaque (with 10-year endowment)

Tribute can be made in honor of or in memory of volunteers who have provided dedicated long-term service to Five Rivers MetroParks. Requests can be made by the volunteer, their family member, another MetroParks volunteer, a MetroParks staff member, or a member of the Volunteer Services team. Requests can be made through the VIP Item Request Form available on Get Connected or by contacting Volunteer Services. 

*Note: All tribute items will be endowed for a specific period of time and will be labeled with the volunteer's name, dates of volunteer service, and a thank you message. Limit 1 tribute item per volunteer.

Learn more about our new volunteer tributes and/or request your VIP items - shirts, hats, sweatshirt, milestone service pins, and now tribute items in our VIP Item Request Form here and on Get Connected. 

Thank you for volunteering with us!

Volunteer Brenda Dowdy shares her knowledge with a new gardener.

Conservation Tip: Think Gardening, Community Gardening

Gardening is an easy way to live more sustainably, and a community garden is a great way to grow your own food even when you don't have the green space for a garden where you live.

Community gardens are managed by collective groups of individuals in the community and each garden may have its own unique leadership structure. 

There are many reasons a community garden is created. Some gardens are organized to meet the fresh produce needs of individual gardeners. Others grow gardens for donations to tackle food insecurity. Some gardens are created to beautify a neighborhood, to educate, or simply to bring people together. Many gardens fill many of these roles all at once. 

Did you know? Here are some fun facts about community gardens:

• Community gardens increase surrounding property values up to 9.4%
  
• Average community gardens yield about 20.4 servings of fresh produce per 11sq ft. 
• Community gardens can lower household food insecurity by as much as 90%.
• Every $1 invested in a community garden yields around $6 worth of produce.
• Community gardens have a positive impact on neighborhood safety. 
• There are over 29,000 community gardens in the 100 largest U.S. cities.
• Community gardeners eat 37.5% more fruits and vegetables than non-gardeners.
• Common reasons for garden participation include access to fresh foods, health benefits, and enjoying nature.
• Women community gardeners are 46% less likely to be overweight than their non-gardening neighbors.

Learn more at Community Garden Statistics 2024. Or visit Five Rivers MetroParks community gardening page here. 

Interested in a community garden plot within your Five Rivers MetroParks? Garden plots are available to rent within Possum Creek and Wegerzyn Garden MetroParks. Learn more here.

Interested in starting a community garden? AARP offers a free toolkit for Creating Community Gardens for People of All Ages. You can download a copy here.

Have the space at home for a garden? Consider developing a Victory Garden this season! Victory Gardens were encouraged during WWII to support families and the larger community with access to nourishing foods during those hard times. Learn more here. 

Gardening, whether in your own garden, in a community garden, in a rented garden plot, or in a public garden is great exercise for your body, is good for your mind, and good for your soul. It can also be a great way to give back and make new friends. Consider volunteering in one of our beautiful MetroPark gardens as a short-term or long-term volunteer this season! Learn more here.

There are many amazing volunteers at Five Rivers MetroParks, and each month we take time to honor one. This month we're spotlighting Deb Kozar who has been volunteering with us since 2018. 

Deb moved to Dayton in the Spring of 2016 after living in Germany for 28 years. She found a job as a substitute teacher with a daycare center and, while developing a summer camp program, she discovered the many wonderful parks in the Dayton area, their programs and resources, especially those geared for educators. She began attending programs on composting, Project Wild and No Child Left Inside curriculum training, and Teacher's Night Out programs. It was at these programs that Deb discovered volunteer opportunities with MetroParks' school programs. These combined Deb's love for the outdoors, her passion for teaching, and the joy of bringing both together for children in nature.

Today, Deb continues to lead school programs throughout our MetroParks. Her Staff Lead Pam Lyons-Gromen says "Deb embodies our mission to connect students to nature through hands-on exploration. She has been called the "Swiss Army Knife" volunteer. Her backpack is always packed and ready with engaging props and activities. She is quick with fun facts and memorable rhymes: "Hairy vine, itchy friend of mine." I am so grateful for her contagious joy and energy!" 

She also helps mentor new volunteers and provides program support for a variety of high-quality MetroParks programs including Paint-a-Park and hiking programs. She has also volunteered as a judge for the local Outstanding Teacher Awards. Staff Lead Mary Beth Hobson shared, "Deb is a dedicated and kind person. She puts her whole heart into whatever task she is doing and it shows. She is creative and I can always depend on her to add great ideas and solutions to the program she volunteers for. I adore working with her."

Deb's reason for volunteering? To encourage and show people all the opportunities that can be experienced outdoors. She shares, "Outdoors is more than watching out for poison ivy - one of my favorite plants by the way. I want to share how we all have a part in maintaining the sustainability of the world around us."

Deb enjoys each of the MetroParks and likes that they each have their own distinct specialty. When she is not working or volunteering, she enjoys knitting, cooking, gardening, and "anything to get me outside." With so many great opportunities to experience the outdoors, Deb says she definitely needs more than 24 hours in a day to fit it all in! We're with you on that, Deb!



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

Explore opportunities to support our school programs, garden tour guides, program support volunteer opportunities, and more here. 

Meet more AMAZING MetroParks Volunteers in our Volunteer Spotlights on the Get Connected Volunteer Blog here.

Celebrating our Newest Eagle Scout Projects

We're proud to recognize two outstanding Scouts who recently completed Eagle Scout projects that will make a lasting impact in our parks. 

Ethan Ehrhart partnered with the Carriage Hill Riding Center team to design and construct wooden display cases for the barn. These cases will help share program information, care instructions, photos, and policies - creating a welcoming, informative space for guests and volunteers alike. His thoughtful craftsmanship and collaboration with staff resulted in a project that will be appreciated for years to come. Carriage Hill Riding Center Equestrian Technician, Christina Northrup shared, "We are grateful for the wonderful cabinets that Ethan and his fellow Eagle Scouts built for inside and outside the Carriage Hill Riding Center. They are a beautiful addition to the space and give us a clean and protected place for Riding Center information."

Lucas Hartley worked alongside our staff biologist to support local wildlife by constructing 12 new bluebird boxes following specific conservation guidelines. These boxes will replace older units at Sugarcreek and Possum Creek MetroParks as part of our broader bluebird monitoring program. Our Biologist, Lisa Hill noted, "Lucas completed this project very quickly, turning in the boxes only a few weeks after initially reaching out. We're appreciative of his efforts to support our parks and wildlife monitoring."

Thank you, Ethan and Lucas, for your initiative, dedication, and meaningful contributions to conservation and education in our MetroParks. 

Know a Scout looking for a meaningful project? We'd love to help! Visit our Scout Service Projects page in Get Connected to learn more. 

Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities and training sessions abound in the springtime at MetroParks. Take a look to see how you can continue to support your Five Rivers MetroParks this season. 

See something that interests you, but have questions? Contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275 and as to speak with a Volunteer Coordinator. 

Looking for opportunities where we need the most help right now? View our high-priority volunteer opportunities here, or whenever you see this symbol below.

Don't forget to FAN the Volunteer Positions you are most interested in supporting to receive weekly updates of new opportunities posted! You can FAN Volunteer Positions easily by visiting the Volunteer Positions page available in the Main Navigation Menu on Get Connected.

Ambassador

Ambassador Volunteers share their enthusiasm for Five Rivers MetroParks with diverse audiences in our parks and at outreach booths, programs, and events throughout the Miami Valley. Ambassadors are of the first friendly faces a visitor sees welcoming them to the park and can be counted on to share helpful information and answer a variety of questions.

Visitor Center Ambassadors, Jin Sherman and Erica Blackford, helping visitors at Cox Arboretum MetroPark.

Visitor Center Ambassador Volunteer Training:

Spring has sprung and that means that visitors are going to be showing up at their favorite parks to see the newly bloomed flowers and active critters that come with the warmer weather. If you have a passion for Five Rivers MetroParks and love to chat with others, the Visitor Center Ambassador volunteer opportunity might be the perfect for you! Visitor Center Ambassadors enhance the visitor experience at Carriage Hill and Cox Arboretum MetroParks by engaging the public, answering questions, highlighting park features, and sharing information on upcoming programs, events, and volunteer opportunities.

Learn more and RSVP to an upcoming training by clicking the green RSVP button below. 

Conservation

Protecting open space and natural areas is a priority for Five Rivers MetroParks, which protects nearly 16,000 acres of land - 90 percent of it in its natural state. Conservation volunteers are a part of our regional conservation story by assisting in implementing a variety of natural area management plans.

Bat Box Monitors:

Are you looking for a COOL way to spend your summer evenings? We are looking for several small teams to monitor bat boxes during the summer. Volunteers will watch, count, and identify bats that exit the boxes. The purpose of this project is to determine the species of bat utilizing the box and the approximate side of the roosting populations. By tracking the difference in colony size across the season and across several years, we can start to understand where bats are living and how their populations are changing in our state.

Learn more and RSVP for an upcoming Bat Box Monitor Volunteer Training by clicking the green RSVP button below. 





Volunteers Mike Shade, Rex Miler, and Ellenmarie Wahlrab plan their route to collect data. 

Adventure Awaits: Join Cover Mapping!

Ready to hike off the beaten path, learn awesome new skills, and leave your mark on nature? Cover Mapping is your chance to explore the outdoors, team up with fellow adventurers, and help map invasive species to protect our region's natural heritage. You'll learn how to identify and map plants, collect data in the field, and see your work come to life in real-time. It's science, adventure, and teamwork rolled into one unforgettable experience!
Training kicks off in April, with ongoing weekday opportunities at Twin Creek MetroPark. Don't just love nature - help preserve it! 

Learn more and RSVP to the upcoming training by clicking the green RSVP button below. 

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.

Volunteer Chris Vagedes helps remove invasive species at Aullwood Garden MetroPark. 

Join The Annual Big Pull at Aullwood Garden - April 15th!

Get ready to weed out invasive species and branch out in conservation at The Annual Big Pull April 15th! In partnership with Aullwood Audubon and the Garden Club of Dayton, this exciting event will help restore native habitat along the Stillwater River in honor of Ohio Native Plant Month.

Choose a morning or afternoon shift, or stay all day - bring your lunch and enjoy a midday break with the staff! You'll get your hands dirty as you work alongside staff to remove invasive species and support biodiversity in our region. It's a fun, hands-on way to make a real impact and enjoy the outdoors!

View more details and sign up by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

From prepping to planting, our gardens are in good hands! Volunteer Steve Houston adds blooms at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, staff Mary Andrick and Chris Vagedes tidy up Aullwood Garden, and staff Kaitlyn Lowry gets a head start on seedlings for the demonstration garden at Possum Creek MetroPark. 

Dig in and De-stress: Join our MetroParks Gardening Crew!

There's something special about getting your hands in the dirt - feeling the sun on your face, breathing in fresh air, and watching something beautiful grow. Whether you're an experienced gardener, or just love the idea of spending time in nature, we have the perfect spot for you!
From blooming gardens at Wegerzyn Gardens to the urban oases at RiverScape, our parks thrive thanks to volunteers like you. Join our friendly horticulture teams at Aullwood Garden, Cox Arboretum, Possum Creek, RiverScape, and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks and help keep these spaces vibrant and welcoming for all.
Not only will you make a visible impact, but you'll also enjoy a little stress relief, a chance to meet like-minded nature lovers, and the satisfaction of seeing your hard work flourish. No experience? No problem! We'll teach you everything you need to know. So grab your gloves, dig in, and let's grow something amazing together! 

Click the blue volunteer button below to learn more and sign up.

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 help with early season tasks such as mulching the trees and entrance beds at Hills & Dales. 

Join the Fun at Hills & Dales MetroPark!

NEW! Get ready to make a difference while enjoying the great outdoors at Hills & Dales MetroPark, a hidden gem in the heart of Dayton! Beginning in April, volunteers are needed to help with a variety of tasks like trimming trail corridors, weeding and planting beds, mulching playgrounds, and even sanding and staining picnic tables. With tasks changing based on the park's needs, you'll never get bored, and every visit will feel like a new adventure. 
This beautiful park, designed by the famed Olmsted Brothers, offers creeks, wooded trails, and unique Adirondack-style shelters tucked into a charming neighborhood. By volunteering, you'll play a key role in keeping this historic space vibrant and welcoming for the community. Ready to help? Sign up for a Hills and Dales Workday and be a part of something special! 

Click the blue volunteer button below to learn more and sign up.

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.

Providing health meals is a key element of the Adventure Central program and Mr. Anthony serves them up each evening Monday-Thursday!

Adventure Central Kitchen Support:

Do you enjoy kids? Know your way around a kitchen? Support Mr. Anthony in the Adventure Central kitchen preparing, serving, and cleaning up simple meals for the youth in the after-school program at Adventure Central. You'll not only help to provide healthy, nourishing meals, but you'll also build positive relationship with youth, staff, and other volunteers along the way! This is a very high impact, high reward volunteer opportunity. 

Learn more and sign up by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 




Garden Tour Guide Volunteers, Wendy DelRe and Kristen Twenwolde, take the TRAM out for practice navigating the gardens of Cox Arboretum MetroPark safely to prepare for seasonal tours.

Garden Tour Guides:

Share your passion for our MetroPark gardens as a Garden Tour Guide! If you have an enthusiasm for parks and plants that you can't wait to share with others, you may our next Garden Tour Guide. Support our Programming team by sharing your garden knowledge and passion with visitors through scheduled guided tours of our gardens from May through September at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Training is provided. This is a great seasonal opportunity for volunteers who can commit to regular service May through September and are able to complete virtual and in-person training to qualify.

Learn more about this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below and start your virtual training today!




Volunteer Jackie-Lynn Van Tillburg assists children in the garden. 

Program Support Volunteers Needed!

We're getting ready for the busy spring and summer programming seasons and we're going to need YOUR help! Program Support volunteers assist our staff with routine program tasks like set up, tear down, welcome and check-in of participants, supply inventory and distribution and more. No experience is necessary, and many hands are needed to ensure our many high-quality programs are a success. These opportunities are open to short-term/seasonal and ongoing long-term volunteers typically ages 14 and up. 

View all of our available program support opportunities and sign up to lend a hand by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. Check back as more opportunities will be added through the seasons.





School Program Volunteer, Joe Gerstle, helps kids and their adult chaperones get excited about new discoveries in nature together.

School Program Volunteers:

Be a part of a child's first experiences of nature!  Help them make new discoveries and connect to our parks and our mission. School Program Volunteers are needed to support scheduled school field trips throughout the year at Cox Arboretum, Sugarcreek, and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks. Volunteers should enjoy working with youth, be comfortable in nature, and excited to share with others. Training is provided. Contact yvonne.dunphe@metroparks.org to learn more. 

Special Events

Five Rivers MetroParks provides an array of outdoor events and large programs throughout the year for residents of the Miami Valley to get connected to recreation, music, history, family, and most of all nature. Special Event volunteers serve a critical role in ensuring that each special event or large-scale program runs smoothly from set-up to tear down.

Adopt-A-Park

Adopt-A-Park is back Saturday, April 26 - and there's still time to MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 

Each year Five Rivers MetroParks celebrates Earth Day with Adopt-A-Park, a community-wide volunteer event that invites community members of all ages, accessibility levels, and backgrounds to come together and care for our region's natural spaces. Whether you're pulling invasive species, planting natives, or maintaining habitats, your efforts help protect our environment for generations to come.

We still need volunteers at sites across the region including: 

• Eastwood, Hills & Dales, Sugarcreek and Taylorsville MetroParks for invasive species removal and habitat restoration.
• Island MetroPark for the Black-Crowned Night Heron habitat maintenance.
• Aullwood Garden MetroPark for invasive species removal and native planting. 
• Medlar Conservation Area for tree tube collection.
• Carriage Hill Historic Farm at Carriage Hill MetroPark for fencing maintenance. 
• And, Possum Creek MetroPark for a demonstration garden re-vamp.

Explore all of our available projects and sign up by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. 

Want to help, but prefer to help on your own time? Our Adopt-A-Park Litter Pick-Up Service Kits are available - a perfect option for groups, families, and scout troops looking to give back together at a date and time that is more convenient for them. Volunteers who register for our service kits will receive our Love the Earth seed balls as a thank you for their support.

Adopt-A-Park is generously supported by these sponsors: Montgomery County Environmental Services, Keep Montgomery County Beautiful, and QEI Engineers, Inc.

Volunteer Bruce Guindon enjoys the early morning opportunity at the Bike to Work Day Pancake Celebration.

Bike to Work Day Pancake Celebration:

Help Five Rivers MetroParks celebration National Bike Month by volunteering at our annual Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast at RiverScape MetroPark Friday, May 16th! Volunteers are needed to support this fun morning event featuring live entertainment, cycling related businesses and clubs, and, of course, PANCAKES! From set up, to registration, to bike parking, to serving breakfast - A variety of fun, engaging volunteer opportunities are available. Most of these volunteer opportunities are open to public/single day volunteers.

Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up! The pancakes are on us.

Volunteers Tonia Watkins and Carl Henderson help close off the road to prepare for Passport to MetroParks.

Passport to MetroParks:

Five Rivers MetroParks staff are excited to host another year of Passport to MetroParks on Friday, June 30th at RiverScape MetroPark! This event aims to build community awareness of all that our MetroParks have to offer including our parks, programs, events, and volunteer opportunities! Volunteers are needed before, during, and after the event to help with set up, tear down, and booth activities. Most of these opportunities are open to public/single day volunteers. Join us!

Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and sign up to lend a hand.

Support our Partners

MayFair Plant Sale:

Do you enjoy talking about and working with plants? Join the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation volunteers at the annual MayFair Plant Sale happening at the 2nd Street Market May 2nd - May 4th. Cashiers and plant helpers are needed to make this event a success. Basic knowledge about annuals, perennials and vegetables will be helpful, plus an ability to lift and move plant containers. All proceeds from the MayFair Plant Sale go towards programs and projects benefiting Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Click here to learn more. Contact the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation to sign up.

Note: This is a Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation opportunity and not a Five Rivers MetroParks opportunity.

Get Connected Tech Tip: View YOUR Volunteer Impact

Our Volunteer Impact Report is available now showcasing the dedicated service of our many volunteers across the agency and across our volunteer positions in 2024. This report features volunteer data, stories, and the names of those volunteers who contributed to our mission and made a difference in 2024. Look for yours inside this year's report!

You also can also view your individual volunteer impact and your volunteer group impact through your volunteer resumes on Get Connected. We'll show you how! Just follow these steps:

1. Login to Get Connected and click "Volunteer Resume" on the right side of your volunteer dashboard. You can also find this on your volunteer profile.

2. Look for the blue "Volunteer Resume" button and adjust the dates to reflect January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

3. Click "Go". This will download your individual volunteer resume showing your 2024 volunteer impact!

To view your volunteer group impact, follow these steps:

1. Login to Get Connected and click "My User Groups" from your volunteer user menu at the top right of your screen (next to your profile picture or initials).

2. This will bring up a list of any user groups you belong to. Click "View Resume".

3. Adjust your dates for January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. 

4. Click "Go" to view your volunteer user group's collective impact for 2024. Choose "Export PDF" to download and save a copy if you'd like. 

View more helpful Get Connected Tech Tips on our Volunteer Blog here. 

Volunteer Open Houses

Attending a Volunteer Open House is the perfect opportunity for the new or ongoing volunteer to learn about volunteer opportunities with us, receive assistance with their Get Connected volunteer account, and/or complete or renew volunteer qualifications*. 

Volunteer Services offers monthly in-person opportunities for you to drop in and get to know us better at our Volunteer Open Houses. We're here to help you with all your volunteer needs, questions, and interests. All sessions are drop-in style and first come-first-served. We do ask for an RSVP so we can plan to accommodate volunteer needs. Stay for just a few minutes or longer - we'll have the time needed to help you.

Learn more and RSVP to an upcoming Volunteer Open House by clicking the green RSVP button below. Need assistance signing up or need an alternative time? Contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org.



*Note: Volunteers may need to renew certain qualifications seasonally, annually, or for volunteer onboarding - every 3 years.

Staff Lead Highlight: Dan Spaugy

Park Manager, Wesleyan MetroPark

Staff Lead Highlights are a great way for volunteers to get to know our staff and for staff to share their work with volunteers. This month we are pleased to feature Dan Spaugy, Park Manager at Wesleyan MetroPark.

Dan joined Five Rivers MetroParks nearly three years ago, bringing a background in aviation and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors to his role in park management. 

Before joining MetroParks, Dan spent a decade working in Airport Operations and Maintenance and holds a degree in Aviation Management from Bowling Green State University. While his career began on the tarmac, his heart has always been in the parks. "A few years ago, I wanted a change of pace," he shares, " and the main aspect that drew me to this field is my lifelong love for our MetroParks."
Now, as Park Manager at Wesleyan, Dan finds the most rewarding part of his role is seeing the results of hard work reflected in the visitor experience. "When a park patron provides positive feedback on the condition of the park," he says, "it reflects the efforts put in by my staff."

As a Staff Lead of volunteers, Dan believes clear communication and preparation are keys to a positive experience. "The most important aspect of being a Staff Lead is being organized and having a plan with clear directions," he explains. "I find that both have a positive impact on the project and the volunteer experience."

Dan sees volunteers as an essential part of achieving the MetroParks mission, making a noticeable difference at Wesleyan MetroParks. "Throughout the last few years, we have had volunteers on Adopt-A-Park and Make A Difference Day come out to do projects such as spread playground mulch, repair split rail fences, cut down invasive species, and plant native species," Dan says. "They have had a very positive impact on our work." He also gives a special shoutout to Wesleyan's dedicated MVP volunteer, who regularly helps with trash cleanup and trail patrols - Frank Beitel.

We're grateful for Dan's leadership and support of volunteers. His thoughtful approach and appreciation for their efforts help create a welcoming and productive experience for all who lend a hand at Wesleyan MetroPark.

Thank you, Dan, for your outstanding leadership and support of volunteers at MetroParks!

Want to support Wesleyan MetroPark through volunteering? Check out our Park Maintenance and Adventure Central volunteer opportunities or join us at an upcoming Volunteer Open House to learn more about how you can get involved. Click here to RSVP!

Thank you for volunteering with us!

Volunteer Services

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.

Your Volunteer Services Team (from left to right)

Allie 

Parks & Conservation # (937) 274-3176

Amanda

Ambassador & Special Events, Interim Administration # (937) 277-4109

Yvonne

Outdoor Connections Programming # (937) 277-4147

Jenny

Human Resources Manager of Volunteer Services

Interim: Animal Care & Animal Programming and Court Appointed Volunteer Service # (937) 567-1413