Blog

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - May 2026

With the return of warm weather and longer days, your calendar is likely already filling up with graduation parties, outdoor picnics, festivals and family gatherings. But these temperate days are also ideal for considering alternative ways to get from here to there! May is National Bike Month and it's a great time to explore all the wonderful benefits of bike riding. From boosting your mood and focus, to building confidence and helping you to manage stress, research shows that cycling can support your mental well-being. Regardless if you are new to biking or already a pro, you will find lots of ways to participate in this month-long celebration at Five Rivers MetroParks.

May Featured Volunteer Opportunities & Trainings - Bike to Work Day, Passport to MetroParks, the Return of Service Saturdays, and MORE!

Check out our featured volunteer opportunities this month, including Bike to Work Day, Passport to MetroParks, and the return of Service Saturdays! Click the blue VOLUNTEER button to learn more and RESPOND to get outside, enjoy some sunshine and fresh air while lending a hand to the parks that you love.  View all of our volunteer opportunities on Get Connected.  Need help signing up? 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: Add Your Profile Photo & Request a Volunteer Name Badge

Volunteer profile photos are visible to Five Rivers MetroParks staff within Get Connected, and may also be visible to the public on our volunteer impact pages. More importantly, profile photos are printed on the official name badges that volunteers wear during their service. This helps staff, other volunteers, and the public recognize you as a volunteer they can approach for assistance. It ensures that they can confidently identify you as a dedicated and reliable member of our team.

Volunteer Spotlight - Special Events at RiverScape MetroPark

"Volunteers are the breath of fresh air. In the event world at RiverScape MetroPark, by the time we get to the event itself, I can feel overwhelmed with managing logistics, materials, performers, promotion, etc. And then...the volunteer arrives. Suddenly, there's new energy.  A smiling face that's eager to help, and the load feels lighter. Sometimes the load is quite literally lighter! Their supportive presence is always such a positive boost that helps us keep going when we are in the thick of it; that helps us produce a great event or program for our community.

FEATURE: May is Bike Month at MetroParks

May is Bike Month at MetroParks With the return of warm weather and longer days, your calendar is likely already filling up with graduation parties, outdoor picnics, festivals and family gatherings. But these temperate days are also ideal for considering alternative ways to get from here to there! May is National Bike Month and it's a great time to explore all the wonderful benefits of bike riding. From boosting your mood and focus, to building confidence and helping you to manage stress, research shows that cycling can support your mental well-being. Regardless if you are new to biking or already a pro, you will find lots of ways to participate in this month-long celebration at Five Rivers MetroParks.

Volunteer Appreciation - Thank You from Karen Hesser, CEO

At MetroParks, we heart our volunteers! This month and every month we look for ways to show heartfelt appreciation to our most dedicated supporters - those that readily lend a hand in the gardens, on the trails, at our visitor centers, and at our programs and events. You make MetroParks possible - thank you for all you do! Enjoy this thank you from Volunteer Services and CEO, Karen Hesser.

Five Rivers MetroParks Volunteer Newsletter - April 2026

FEATURE: Thank You for Volunteering with MetroParks!

2025 was another remarkable year for volunteer service, thank to our generous volunteers, the dedicated staff who lead and support them, and the Volunteer Services team who work mostly behind the scenes to ensure meaningful and successful volunteer engagement throughout our MetroParks.

FEATURED April Volunteer Opportunities - Spring is Here and the Parks are Blooming - Join us to lend a hand!

Spring is here and the parks are blooming - That means we're going to need your help! Check out our featured volunteer opportunities for this month below and sign up to get outside, enjoy some sunshine and fresh air, while lending a hand to the parks you love. view all of our volunteer opportunities on Get Connected.  Need help signing up? 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: View OUR 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 2025. This report features volunteer data, stories, and the names of those volunteers who contributed to our mission and made a difference in 2025. Look for yours inside this year's report!

Volunteer Appreciation - April is National Volunteer Month

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.