Gardens can be vibrant, hands-on spaces where children can explore, learn, and grow! They provide an exciting opportunity for kids to build essential skills, boost their confidence, and make meaningful connections. At Skeeter's garden, volunteers are the heart of our community, playing a vital role in engaging in gardening activities that transform our garden into a lively classroom.
If you love working with children and want to inspire the next generation, we invite you to join us! As a volunteer, you'll have the chance to guide kids in hands-on activities that teach them how to grow their own food, spark their curiosity about the fascinating creatures in the garden, and connect gardening tasks with fun physical activities. Program Support volunteers do not need to be experts in the activities, but for this opportunity, should have some gardening knowledge, be enthusiastic about finding discoveries in the garden, and enjoy working with children and families.
Impact
Participating in our gardening programs helps youth make significant strides in their academic, physical, social-emotional, and environmental development. These benefits are especially impactful for children facing barriers related to food security, health, and access to engaging learning experiences. Together, we can cultivate not just plants, but also a brighter future for our young learners! Join us in making a lasting difference.
Tasks
- Assist with the setup and teardown of the program.
- Welcome and greet participants to the garden.
- Distribute materials as needed
- Assist with simple but essential tasks to support the various activities.
- Engage the kids in the gardening activity.
- May assist with documenting the event through photos.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual Short-term and Long-Term volunteers, ages 18 and up.
- GET STARTED: This opportunity requires Volunteer Onboarding (Profile, Volunteer Handbook Signature, and for those 18 and up, an eligible background check). Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications, or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.
- This opportunity is available for OSUE Master Gardener service hours.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive an hour before the start of the program. Staff leads will orient volunteers to the day's agenda and other important information.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors. Volunteers may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects to 10 lbs or more. Volunteers may be standing or walking for the majority of their shift.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, and wear their MetroParks name badge and t-shirt.
Learn more about the Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.
Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts
of the parks! Consider this opportunity:
Adventure Central Program Assistant 2026
