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Volunteer Appreciation

April is National Volunteer Month and we're celebrating all of our dedicated volunteers! You can read about the many ways volunteers supported our parks and made a difference in 2025 in this year's Volunteer Impact Report.

Volunteer Spotlight: Cox Woodworkers Shine in 2025

Our Cox Woodworking volunteers continued to shine in 2025. This group of 14 dedicated long-term volunteers served over 1,331 hours in 2025 contributing to a number of high impact projects. This team of volunteers is featured multiple times in this year's Volunteer Impact Report with projects that supported a variety of parks including restoring and installing garden gates at Aullwood Garden MetroPark, crafting and installing new barn doors at the Carriage Hill Riding Center, and partnering with Conservation to create bat condos. Learn more below and view more stories of volunteer impact in this year's Volunteer Impact Report.

Volunteer Appreciation - Thank you TAS Volunteers!

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - March 2026

Featured Volunteer March Volunteer Opportunities & Training

Bloom with us with these featured volunteer opportunities including Gardening Ambassador Volunteer Training, Historic Interpreter Volunteer Training, Backcountry Camping Volunteer Training, Fishing Programs Season Kick off and more! Plus Adopt-A-Park! Check out our featured volunteer opportunities below, and view all of our volunteer opportunities on Get Connected.  Want to learn more? Meet with a volunteer coordinator during a Volunteer Open House or join us for an informative volunteer info session. View upcoming opportunities and RSVP today!

Staff Lead Highlight: Todd Strong, Horticulturalist at Cox Arboretum

Staff 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're excited to highlight Todd Strong, Horticulturalist at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, whose passion for plants, food production, and community impact is evident in everything he does.

FEATURE: Bloom With Us This Spring

After months of cold days and gray skies, spring has a way of waking something up in all of us. Longer days stretch into the evening. Warmer air slowly replaces the winter chill. The first hints of green begin to appear in places that felt quiet just weeks ago. With the change in season comes a familiar feeling. The urge to get outside. To move. To gather. To reconnect with the world around us.

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - February 2026

February is the month of love in all its forms, and what better way to celebrate than by sharing that love with your community? Whether your season includes Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or simply more intentional time with someone special, volunteering together offers a chance to connect in a way that makes a difference.

Volunteer Spotlight: Linda McGuire, Jo Seiter, and Bill Seiter - Giving Back Together

It doesn't get much better than giving back with those you love. This is something volunteers Linda McGuire, Jo Seiter, and Bill Seiter know all too well. With these three, volunteering is truly a family affair with Linda encouraging her sister Jo to join her in service, and Jo encouraging her husband Bill to get involved as well. Together this trio has contributed over 1,500 hours of service.

Featured Volunteer Opportunities and Trainings: Lend Your Hands and Your Heart to Service this Month!

Lend your hands and your heart to service this month! We have some great opportunities for you to get out in the parks individually or with a partner this month and coming up yet this season. Check out our featured volunteer opportunities below, and view all of our volunteer opportunities on Get Connected.  Want to learn more? Meet with a volunteer coordinator during a Volunteer Open House or join us for an informative volunteer info session. View upcoming opportunities and RSVP today!

Get Connected Tech Tip: You Made A Difference - View Your Volunteer Impact! Plus a New Volunteer Log-In Process Coming in February!

As we welcome 2026, we take a moment to celebrate the remarkable achievements of 2025 - Volunteers served an incredible 30,246.58 hours! Our volunteers have created a meaningful impact on everything MetroParks accomplishes. While numbers can be impressive, it's the positive experiences cultivated for our community and volunteers that truly resonate. What a remarkable year it has been!

Feature: February Is for Love, in All its Forms

February is the month of love in all its forms, and what better way to celebrate than by sharing that love with your community? Whether your season includes Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or simply more intentional time with someone special, volunteering together offers a chance to connect in a way that makes a difference.