NEW Volunteer Orientation and Volunteer Handbook - We have revised our volunteer orientation video and volunteer handbook. Please take some time to review these here and contact Volunteer Services with any questions. You will be asked to sign off on the new handbook when you respond to a volunteer opportunity next month.

NEW Get Connected Kiosks coming to Carriage Hill MetroPark! Kiosks will be installed at the Carriage Hill Riding Center and Carriage Hill Visitor Center this month to make it even easier for you to check in to your volunteer shifts and sign up for volunteer opportunities. These kiosks are also great resources for new recruits interested in exploring volunteer opportunities with us and getting started as brand-new MetroParks volunteers. Look for these kiosks the next time you're at Carriage Hill MetroPark!

NEW Cause Connect - Your Get Connected App - is now "Causer"! Are you using the app for Get Connected? The app is a FREE easy way to respond, check-in, and sign up for your favorite volunteer opportunities with us. Recently, this name was changed to Causer. You can download it for free in the App Store and via Google Play. Learn more, download, and give this app a try today by clicking here. For those already using the app, this update will occur automatically, and you shouldn't experience any other changes.

NEW Volunteer Discounts - Last month, in celebration of National Volunteer Month, we announced the expansion of our VIP, Volunteer Incentive Program, to include volunteer discounts! Volunteers with 25 hours or more can now qualify for annual volunteer discounts towards great MetroParks programs and routine rentals. These discounts are awarded annually based on your prior year of service and are good all year long, so you can use them to book a campsite, shelter rental and attend MetroParks programs all year long!

Those volunteers who qualified for the volunteer discount this year based on their 2023 volunteer service have all been notified and are able to start utilizing these discounts right away. Note: You will be prompted to enter a discount code when checking out, please reference your most recent email for the discount code or contact Volunteer Services.

If you think you should qualify, but did not receive an email, or if you have any issues utilizing the discount, please contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org or give us a call at #937-275-7275.

We'd love to hear from you! If you have already started using your new volunteer discount, drop us an email and let us know what you used it for, how the registration process went, and if you can, include a photo of you enjoying this new benefit.

Did you know you can request your VIP items like t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, hats, and milestone service pins anytime through our new VIP Item Request Form? We have now expanded this incentive by offering up to 2 shirts and hats per year and including active accumulated service hours. Learn more by clicking this link and request your earned VIP items today! Have questions? Not sure if you qualify, contact Volunteer Services.

Colleen Girard, who started volunteering in 2023, has already given over 150 hours of service to Five Rivers MetroParks. She said she participated in the MetroParks Trails Challenge (now 4th year), and once she retired, she wanted to continue her outdoor activities and meet new people while giving back to the community. Colleen came to an open house to learn about the different ways she could volunteer and wanted to explore many different opportunities. She decided to start as a Visitor Center Ambassador at Cox Arboretum. She enjoys sharing with people all the interesting things they can see and do at Cox Arboretum, including which trails are the shadiest in the summer. When we asked her if Cox was her favorite park, she said she had many parks she enjoyed and highlighted the interesting things about each - a definite trait of a true MetroParks Ambassador!

Her interest in hiking, talking with people, and being outside made the Hike with Older Adults Program Support opportunity an obvious choice as she branched out her volunteer efforts. She said there are lots of opportunities in the community to volunteer, but what she enjoys about MetroParks is "there are so many choices, you can choose ones that interest you, you can pick things that fit into your schedule, and you can do something different each time you volunteer." She says there is something for everyone! She has supported many of our events, helped with several of the school field trips, and has even come inside to help with our administrative needs.  Staff leads that have worked with Colleen have all said, "Her quiet enthusiasm and excitement about MetroParks is contagious."

Although she continues to explore new opportunities as they are posted, she says we'll continue to find her on the trails supporting the outdoor recreation team or at Cox Arboretum helping visitors discover all that is new, fun, and unique about that park like the brand-new nature play feature. Colleen plans to spend some time enjoying this fun new feature, built by our very own Cox Woodworking volunteers, with her sons who happen to be engineers and her grandkids.     

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

Interested in volunteering to support MetroParks in our High Need Areas? Click here to find where volunteers are needed most.

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

Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities

There are so many ways for you to get outside and support your MetroParks this month as a volunteer including Service Saturdays, our public volunteer days, Native Planting, Gardening, a host of programs and several events. Check them out below and on Get Connected!

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.

Ambassador

Ambassadors are often the first friendly face a visitor sees welcoming them to the park and can be counted on to share helpful information and answer a variety of questions. Are you a people person? Here is a great opportunity to share your enthusiasm for Five Rivers MetroParks, 2nd Street Market, and shopping local!

MetroParks Ambassadors are the face of MetroParks at MetroParks programs, events, visitor centers, and out in the community!

Bike to Work Day: MetroParks Booth Ambassadors:

MetroParks Booth Ambassadors help the Marketing team get the word out about all MetroParks has to offer. Ambassadors are the face of MetroParks and exhibit knowledge and enthusiasm for the parks, programs, events, and mission of Five Rivers MetroParks! Booth Ambassadors will help greet and welcome event participants to Riverscape, help with wayfinding, distribute marketing materials, promote upcoming events and programs, and assist the marketing team in setup and tear down of the booth. Learn more and sign up to help by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button.

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.

Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly on Chalone glabra (White Turtlehead).

"Enjoyed making a contribution and working with the Fiver Rivers team. Also enjoyed the exercise." - Spring Run Planting Volunteer

Spring Run Conservation Area Planting:

Do you want to help us create something special? Land once slated to become a landfill is one step further toward a long-term vision of becoming a new MetroPark. The 550-acre Spring Run Conservation Area is comprised of two land parcels: the 190-acre former Larch Tree Golf Course and the 360-acre Great Miami Wetland Mitigation Bank, the property once planned to become a landfill. This Wetlands Restoration Project will create approximately 22 acres of wetlands on the former golf course property. We're looking for volunteers to help us plant 400 Chalone glabra (White Turtlehead) plugs Thursday, May 2nd from 9am-11:30am. White turtlehead is the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly. This plant is very important to this species of butterfly to complete its lifecycle. Learn more and sign up to help by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button.

Some bat species have drastically declined over the last few years due to the cumulative effects of habitat loss, wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Volunteers help our conservation team monitor roosting patterns.

Bat Box Monitoring:

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 size 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. View the training details and RSVP by clicking the green RSVP button below.

This year's Adopt-A-Park volunteers removed tons of invasive species from many our parks -thank you! Join us to remove some invasive species at this season's Service Saturdays!

"Excellent leader was on time with the tools, instructions, and a pleasant attitude. Definitely plan on doing this again." - Service Saturday Volunteer

Service Saturdays:

Services Saturdays are BACK! Join us in the parks on the third Saturday of each month from 9 am-Noon, kicking off in May and concluding in September. These public volunteer service days are an easy and convenient way for community members to support our mission and make a difference at Five Rivers MetroParks! Look for projects at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, and MetroParks Mountain Biking Area. Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the project specific opportunity below or to view all Service Saturday opportunities, click the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

Cox Arboretum Invasive Species Removal

Cox Arboretum Gardening

Wegerzyn Gardens Gardening

Trail Maintenance at MoMBA

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.

Our gardening opportunities are GROWING at Adventure Central at Wesleyan MetroPark!

"It was fun. The staff was well organized and all the necessary tools and materials were ready. They made sure that they made the best use of our volunteer time." - Gardening Volunteer

Adventure Central Garden Education Support:

Are you ready to dig deep and make a difference in your community? Adventure Central is looking for some green-thumbed volunteers to help maintain their vegetable and flower gardens while also educating and involving youth. We need volunteers who are willing to sow the seeds of knowledge and cultivate a love for gardening in the next generation. We're looking for volunteers who already have some gardening skills, such as knowledge of planting, weed identification, and basic garden maintenance. But if you're a beginner, no worries - we'll still provide you with all the training you need to succeed! And the best part? You'll be working alongside a staff member and some amazing young individuals who are excited to learn and grow alongside you. So let's blossom together at Adventure Central and get our hands in the soil! Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

Adopt-A-Park volunteers helping our staff mulch throughout RiverScape MetroPark - Thank you!

"Always good to work with a committed group of volunteers and knowledgeable staff." - Gardening Volunteer

Gardening Volunteers: Riverscape & Urban Parks Garden Stewards, Cox Gardeners & other garden opportunities!

Looking for a way to support Metroparks' gardening efforts in our downtown parks? Do you enjoy promoting beautiful green spaces in an urban setting? Learn and apply effective horticulture techniques with plants chosen for their horticultural benefits, while fostering healthy biodiversity for pollinators. No experience is necessary! Grab your garden gloves and check out our other gardening volunteer opportunities available at Aullwood Garden, Cox Arboretum, COMING SOON: Carriage Hill, Possum Creek, Riverscape and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks.  Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity 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.

Volunteer Sandra Worley enjoys showing young gardens how to plant a seed for her home garden.

"Super great time. First time volunteering with the metro parks, everyone was super friendly and helpful." - Program Support Volunteer

Program Support Volunteers:

Do you enjoy helping others learn? Are you looking for an opportunity to learn while helping others enjoy the many programs offered through MetroParks? Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide the public with high-quality, engaging programming like "try it" activities, skill building in beginning textile classes and workdays, and more individualized attention in youth and family activities to the public by supporting basic tasks like program set up, tear down, passing out equipment and supplies, and assisting with registration. Program Support Volunteers can assist with a variety of program opportunities without needing to be the expert, and bonus! You get to learn from the programs you support!  Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

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.

Join Historic Woodworker Volunteers Frank and Steve in the woodshop at Carriage Hill MetroPark!

"It was a great time. I really enjoyed talking to the kids." Historic Blacksmith Volunteer

Historic Blacksmiths and Woodworkers:

Did you know the historic craft shop volunteers, blacksmiths and woodworkers, are part of the historic interpretation team at Carriage Hill MetroParks Historic Farm? We are looking for new volunteers to join this team and help us bring the Arnold farm to life for visitors this season. No experience is required. We will teach you! Learn more about becoming a Historic Blacksmith or Historic Woodworker on the farm by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

Notes: Historic Blacksmith and Historic Woodworkers must complete a training series to qualify for these opportunities. You will be prompted to complete all required qualifications including the training series when you click the blue RESPOND button for each opportunity. You can also go directly to the required training in our Volunteer Training Library:

Historic Interpreter Training (Required for Historic Interpreters, Historic Blacksmiths and Historic Woodworkers)

Historic Blacksmith Training (Required for Historic Blacksmiths)

Historic Woodworker Training (Required for Historic Woodworkers)

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact yvonne.dunphe@metroparks.org, or join us at an upcoming Volunteer Open House. We'll be glad to help you!

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.

Volunteers make it happen! Bike to Work Day volunteers from 2023 -thank you!

"Great event. Wonderful coworkers, nice crowd, good music, fun morning." -Bike to Work Day Volunteer

Bike to Work Day:

Five Rivers MetroParks celebrates National Bike Month with our annual Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast on Friday, May 18th from 7 am to 9 am at RiverScape MetroPark featuring live music, a fun photo booth, an expo of cycling-related businesses and clubs, and, of course, a FREE pancake breakfast! Join us! Volunteers like YOU make events like these possible! Learn more and sign up to support by clicking the quick opportunity links below or view all event opportunities by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

Exhibitor Support

Bike Parking Team

Breakfast Server

Food Prep Team

Pancake Catcher

Set Up Team

Sustainability Team

Sustainability Volunteer Ann Wallace with Experiential Learning Program volunteer Clay Rosso at last year's Passport to MetroParks - thank you!

"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:

Join us Friday, May 24th at RiverScape MetroParks for this year's Passport to MetroParks! This event 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. Volunteers are needed before, after, and during the event. Learn more and sign up to support by clicking the quick opportunity links below or view all opportunities for this event by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.

Sustainability Tip

You can do more than you think you can to help preserve and protect your MetroParks!

All of us are stewards of the natural heritage of our MetroParks. As a volunteer, you already are helping us in protecting that heritage, and supporting the opportunity for others to enjoy our parks and participate in our programs. Sustainability goes beyond just recycling and can be done in the parks, in your home, and by being an ambassador of good information to others. Here are a few key points for what can be done in the parks:

-Love Your MetroPark!

-Leave No Trace.

-Don't feed the animals.

-Stay on trails and boardwalks.

-Pack out your trash and recycle.

-Don't bring in firewood.

-Invite a friend to volunteer.

Learn more in the full article: In the Parks - Five Rivers MetroParks.

Click here for some sustainability tips for at home.

Get Connected Tech Tip: FAQS

Your most frequently asked questions, answered by your Volunteer Services Team, is available on Get Connected! Here are just a few examples:

"I forgot to check in to my volunteer opportunity, how do I record my volunteer hours? "

 No problem! Just click "Add Hours" at the top of your screen, or "Track Hours" from your right drop-down volunteer account menu. From here you can easily add hours to any opportunity you have already responded to.  For more information on tracking hours, visit our Get Connected Site Training available in the Volunteer Training Library here.

"The system keeps asking me to "Submit Qualifications".

You can view all of your "Incomplete Qualifications" and "Completed Qualifications" under Qualifications in your Get Connected volunteer account menu. If the site is asking you to submit a qualification when responding to an opportunity, it most likely means that one or more of the required qualifications for that opportunity is incomplete or expired. Contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275 for assistance with your qualifications.

"Are there opportunities for scouts? "

Yes! Learn more about completing your Scout project with Five Rivers MetroParks and get started here.  Interested in a group project for your scout group? Learn more and request a private volunteer opportunity for your group here.

"How do I know if the park is open or if there has been a delay in opening or park closure? "

For the most up to date information on our parks and trails, please visit  https://www.metroparks.org/park-alerts/.  

Follow this link to review all the Questions: Get Connected FAQs

Have a question you'd like to see answered and added to this list? Contact us at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or give us a call at #937-275-7275.  

Wegerzyn Garden Angels volunteers got a special treat when they got their cards in April, Elisabeth shared her artistic talent and created personalized art for each of them!

Staff Highlight: Elisabeth Bacon, Horticulture Technician

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

Elisabeth Bacon has been working with Five Rivers MetroParks for three years as a Horticulture Technician at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark Her primary responsibility is to maintain visually appealing displays, gardens, and landscapes within the park. Her duties include watering, planting, pruning, mulching, mowing, edging, trimming, weeding, and seasonal tasks. As a staff lead, she trains and educates volunteers to assist her in these horticultural activities.  Elisabeth shares, "I enjoy working at Wegerzyn because of the variety of work, every month is something different.  We do a little bit of everything at Wegerzyn from designing & databases to pulling weeds and spreading mulch. I also have the privilege of working with a great team, that I've learned a lot from. What I find most rewarding though, is to see the plants I tend to thrive and grow." 

Elisabeth's love for plants began when she worked in a garden center during high school. She pursued this passion by obtaining a degree in plant biology from Ohio University. After completing her degree, we were lucky to have her join our team. Elisabeth shared, "A few weeks after graduation I got a callback about an application I'd submitted, and I've been working at Wegerzyn Gardens ever since." 

As a staff lead, Elisabeth supports and oversees a variety of projects and opportunities, including the Wegerzyn Gardening Angels volunteers, which engage the support of dedicated volunteers. One volunteer said, "Elizabeth was easy to work with. She appreciated all the work we offered." Elisabeth truly understands the importance of connecting with volunteers and how crucial their support is in accomplishing meaningful work. Elisabeth shared, "I think listening and learning about the people who've decided to dedicate their time to your park is a really important part of being a staff lead. We wouldn't be able to keep Wegerzyn maintained to the standard that we do without their help."  

Join Elisabeth at the Wegerzyn Gardening Angels opportunities! View Wegerzyn Gardening Angels 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, Elisabeth, for being a true supporter of volunteers and volunteerism at MetroParks! 

Adopt-A-Park was a Success! Thank YOU!

287 volunteers joined us in person for this year's Adopt-A-Park! Volunteers helped us with a variety of high-impact projects that made a difference in our parks including native tree, shrub, and flower plantings, mulching, trail maintenance, invasive species removal, fence repair, and more! In addition to these in-person projects, volunteers also supported litter pick up with our Adopt-A-Park Service Kits picking up litter in our parks, along our trails and waterways, and in their community greenspaces.

More than 60 service kits went out into the community, each with enough gloves and trash bags for up to 5 individuals to safely and independently collect litter. We have asked all of these volunteers to report back on their litter collection efforts and we will share that data with you in next month's volunteer newsletter.

There are many ways to carry this service forward. If you volunteered at this year's event, you received some wildflower seed paper as a thank-you gift. We hope that you will plant those at home, watch them grow, and remember the difference that an individual can make while also supporting our local pollinators. We also hope you will consider joining us again at next year's Adopt-A-Park, making a commitment to this annual day of service.

Consider joining us for upcoming public volunteer days! Service Saturdays begin in May and run from 9 am-Noon on the third Saturday of each month through September. You can view May's Service Saturday opportunities here and sign up to volunteer. We hope you'll also consider joining us for Make A Difference Day, Saturday, October 28th from 9 am-Noon.

Thank you for volunteering and supporting your MetroParks at this year's Adopt-A-Park!

Adopt-A-Park is Five Rivers MetroParks' annual Earth Day service event and is generously supported by these sponsors: Montgomery County Environmental Services, Keep Montgomery County Beautiful, and QEI Engineers--Thank you!

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