Get Going And Volunteer A beginner's guide to pitching in by Mary Grady July 2006

	Volunteering for a local environmental group is a great way to get involved with your community, help out, and have fun. You will be welcomed with open arms. You don't need any special skills; often, you don't even have to be a member. You don't have to wait until you're retired; there are frequent opportunities to simply show up for a few hours and pitch in ... no long-term commitment needed. Once you get started though, you might find there is so much to be done, and it's so rewarding, that you'll want to do more. For some volunteer positions, training is available, which requires more of a commitment but can be very rewarding. Tree stewards, watershed monitors, zoo docents, master gardners, and master composters are just a few examples of the programs available. Next month, we'll write more about those. A good place to start looking for a place to volunteer is the Natural News Community Links page (this is still a work in progress ... check back often for design and content changes). Just browse till you find a group that's interesting to you. Many groups post volunteer needs on their Web sites, or in the Natural News Classifieds, but if you don't see anything listed, contact them and offer your time. Chances are they will find a job for you, or send you to somebody who will. Here's a sampling of some current opportunities. We'll update this page from time to time. Help restore the shore Save The Bay's next project this season is to plant salt-marsh grasses at the coastal habitat they're restoring at their headquarters. If you have time Thursday, July 20th, or Friday July 21st from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., you are welcome to join them (even if it is only for one or two hours). They will plant approximately 2,000 salt marsh plugs. If you'd like to help out, contact Marci Cole at 272-3540 ext. 113 or Wenley Ferguson at 272-3540 ext. 105. Lunch will be provided. Please wear old shoes that you don't mind getting wet or muddy (no sandals please). They will provide gloves and trowels. The STB Center is located at Fields Point, off Allens Avenue in Providence. The usual Harborside entrance is closed temporarily, so from Allens Avenue, take Ernest Street (three traffic lights north of the Harborside/Allens intersection). Follow for a quarter mile and take a right onto Shipyard. Shipyard ends at Harborside Blvd, past the repaving area. Take a left onto Harborside Blvd. and follow to Save The Bay Drive. Can't make it this week? Email Stephany Hessler or call 401-272-3540, ext. 130 to get on the volunteer email list, and they'll let you know when projects are coming up. Also, check out the online volunteer sign-up and more info at STB's Web site. Spend a day in the country Apeiron Institute, in rural Coventry, works to promote sustainable living practices. They welcome volunteers to serve on boards and committees, or to just pitch in for a day. Saturdays are work days for the house and grounds, and Apeiron provides lunch. Tour guides, Web site help, and volunteers for the annual Sustainable Living Fest also are welcome. Internships and work-study projects for students are abundant. Give the birds a hand The Audubon Society of Rhode Island welcomes volunteers, from high-school students through retirees, for weekly and monthly tasks as well as occasional efforts. You can help at special events, work in the education department, help maintain and preserve the natural environment, distribute mailings, be a part of a bird-monitoring project, design artwork ... it's an endless list. There are opportunities to work at the refuges or in the comfort of an indoor office at Audubon headquarters in Smithfield or the Environmental Education Center in Bristol. Some projects allow you to travel out to Audubon's properties, and some you can do from home. For more information, email volunteer coordinator Dot Mathurin, or call 949-5454 ext. 3009. If you're interested in volunteering at the Environmental Education Center in Bristol, call 245-7500, or email Cathy Corey. There's also a detailed form you can fill out online and more info at the Audubon Web site. Get Going! That should be enough to get you started. If you have a project that need volunteers, write and let us know about it, or send in a posting for our Free Classifieds. If you're a volunteer, write and tell us about your experience!

Photos courtesy of Save The Bay and Clean the Bay.

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