Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.
Impact
Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with a variety of tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This particular volunteer opportunity will support the fitting of life jackets and assist participants in and out of boats at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks.
Tasks
- Greet participants.
- Assist staff lead in distributing and fitting life jackets on participants.
- Assist participants in getting in and out of boats.
- Help set up and tear down as needed.
- You are the face of MetroParks at this event...smile, be enthusiastic, and enjoy the event!
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual, long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 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.
Additional Notes
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Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Eastwood MetroPark. Volunteers should park and meet the staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program. The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program, and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats. Please review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket. Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift.
Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors. Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear their MetroParks name badge and apparel, and closed-toe shoes, and have their favorite work water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Learn more about 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 inv
olved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:
