Volunteering Newsletter Summer 2014

Summer 2014

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES JUNE 1

Knee-High Naturalists

SOUTH CHAGRIN RESERVATION

JUNE 7

Farm & Garden Day

JUNE 7

Healthy Planet, Healthy People Fair & 5K Run/Walk

GARFIELD PARK RESERVATION GARFIELD PARK NATURE CENTER

ROCKY RIVER RESERVATION

JUNE 14

Train Day

OHIO & ERIE CANAL RESERVATION – CANALWAY CENTER

JUNE 27 AUGUST 2

To date, Cleveland Metroparks and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have welcomed 220 new volunteers in 2014! Thanks to all current volunteers for extending a warm welcome and helping hand to these new individuals!

As a reminder, the Volunteer Connection is a monthly email update sent to all volunteers with an email address. This communication piece is intended to provide current information about volunteer opportunities, special projects, events, and happenings around town. If you do not currently receive this update, please contact Jackie Ashmun at 440-253-2144 to be added to the distribution list!

Summer Beach Party Bug City

On behalf of all Volunteer Services staff we thank you for your continued efforts and dedication! We wish you a happy and safe summer!

CLEVELAND METROPARKS ZOO

Euclid Beach Blast

HUNTINGTON RESERVATION – HUNTINGTON BEACH

AUGUST 9

I hope you were recognized in some form or another during the recent National Volunteer Appreciation Week! For those of you who received the 2014 coupons, I do hope that you will enjoy the opportunities shared with you!

The Park District and the Zoo have dozens of special events scheduled during the remainder of 2014. Please consider assisting at a couple events during the year as volunteer assistance is always needed for these opportunities. One-time opportunities are available for friends or family who may want to assist at an event but are not available for a longer volunteer commitment!

Dream Night

EUCLID CREEK RESERVATION – EUCLID BEACH

AUGUST 2

Happenings...

GARFIELD PARK RESERVATION

AUGUST 23

Snakes, Turtles and Fun

Dog Paddle and Pet-a-palooza

Volunteer Bus Tour

SOUTH CHAGRIN RESERVATION – SHELTERHOUSE

AUGUST 24

HINCKLEY RESERVATION

SEPTEMBER 7

SEPTEMBER 14

Backyard Biodiversity Bash WEST CREEK RESERVATION WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP CENTER

Cedar Valley Settlers Celebration ROCKY RIVER RESERVATION

SEPTEMBER 20

Ledges to Lake Adventure Race HINCKLEY RESERVATION

SEPTEMBER 20

Train Day

OHIO & ERIE CANAL RESERVATION

SEPTEMBER 28

FallFest

BRECKSVILLE RESERVATION – MEADOWS PICNIC AREA

A volunteer bus tour is being offered again this year on Tuesday, September 9. The theme is “Helping Hands: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) & Works Progress Administration (WPA). Stops will include Garfield Park, Euclid Creek, South Chagrin and Bedford Reservations. The tour is from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Heather Triplett Director of Volunteer Services

The volunteer bus tour and annual picnic are opportunities to educate and celebrate volunteers! Volunteer Anita Mooney participates in a “get close” opportunity during the 2013 district-wide volunteer picnic!

Please contact Millie at 440-253-2145 or Lisa at 440-253-2143 if you are interested in assisting at or attending any of these events.

Active volunteers with 15 or more cumulative hours are invited to consider attending the tour. Those volunteers who participated in this same bus tour in 2013 are not eligible to participate again this year.

Cleveland Metroparks Volunteer Services

Participants will be chosen by lottery. Only 25 spaces are available for this tour. If you are interested in participating, you must submit your name by Monday, July 7th to Millie Harnocz at volinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com or 440-253-2145. From the registration list, 25 names will be selected at random to participate. You will be notified whether or not you were selected by July 21st.

2277 West Ridgewood Drive Parma, OH 44134

ROCKY RIVER NATURE CENTER Rocky River Nature Center, with an annual attendance over 160,000, is busy all year round. Programs and events require much assistance. Please consider joining us – we would love to have you!

We look forward to a year of popular special events. Our third year of Healthy Planet, Healthy People 5K will be on June 7. Many volunteers are needed to help with registration, water distribution, time tracking and awards. Join us on September 14 for Cedar Valley Settlers Celebration where we connect people to the past with old time demonstrations and crafts. Last year, we had over 9,000 visitors! Mark your calendars for First Peoples Festival in November, The Quilt Show on November 1-2 and Inspired by Nature Arts and Craft Sale on November 29 and 30th.

GARFIELD PARK NATURE CENTER Spring is the season of renewal, and 2014 is bringing fresh changes to Garfield Park Nature Center. With a new focus on backyard sustainability, gardening, wellness, and local foods, Garfield Park Nature Center promises to be a regionally unique and dynamic facility.

While bigger renovations are on the horizon for 2015, staff has already been hard at work redesigning the existing center and gardens to embrace the new direction in programming for this year.

Many great programs have been planned for the summer, including a “Dancing Under the Stars” and “How To Grow It” series of programs. Much-loved special events BugCity and Farm & Garden Day will be back for another fun-filled year.

The excitement and changes at Garfield Park Nature Center bring with them a bevy of volunteer opportunities. Help design and plant a pumpkin patch, assist with a Zumba class, show kids how to vermicompost, assist guests at the front desk… no matter your experience or interests, this centrally-located nature center needs your energy and passion for a variety of volunteer shifts! Flexible days and hours may be available for some projects.

who could assist with evening Full Moon Paddles at Hinckley Lake from May through October. The individual(s) would paddle in the stern position in the 34’ Voyageur Canoe. Volunteers must be very proficient at steering a canoe in less than optimal conditions wind and gentle rains. Paddles are offered once a month, twice an evening, 9pm and 10pm. No need to dress in historic attire. This program is a natural and cultural history program not based on Fur Trade history.

NATURAL RESOURCES Natural Resources volunteers allow staff to accomplish goals that simply would not get done without their help. Volunteers have contributed significant hours for tree planting, native seed collecting, stream assessment, wildlife telemetry, and invasive plant removal.

Over 2,500 shrubs, trees, and other plants were installed during 2013 to help with forest, stream and wetland restoration, and the volunteer assistance doesn’t end when the shovels are put away.

The crews also placed fencing around the trees to protect them from deer browsing and others have gone back to plantings established in previous years to make sure the fencing remains in place.

Watershed Volunteer Program participants not only helped with stewardship projects such as rain garden maintenance and invasive plant pulls, they spent time learning about watershed ecology in classroom and field tour events. A total of 428 volunteers completed 1,900 hours of combined service. Thirty-five volunteers received their Watershed Volunteer Certification in 2013 by completing a core group of program activities.

We continue to rely heavily on our volunteers for the fawn survival and deer movement study. Over 30 volunteers are active tracking deer using radio telemetry to triangulate positions during all hours of the day in all weather conditions.

NATURETRACKS/ECO EXPLORERS

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION We are seeking volunteers to help out with the Voyageur Canoe Paddle program. This program is a living history presentation that offers the public a chance to step back in time to experience the “Life of the Voyageur.” If you have a flare for acting, interested in fur trade history and or have a love for canoeing, this is a unique opportunity to share your talents, knowledge and skills. Volunteers can be an educational character on land at the encampment sharing outdoor skills and history, be a canoe character helping with paddling and sharing information or you can help steer the canoe as we paddle this program across Lake Hinckley. Setting up and tearing down the encampment is another integral part of this program.

Historical Interpretation is also seeking experienced canoeists

Volunteers Chris Spisak and Judy Malasky inform visitors about NatureTracks during two different community events.

NatureTracks and Eco Explorers are educational, promotional, and discovery vehicles that travel throughout Cuyahoga County representing Cleveland Metroparks. Our target audience is primarily urban communities in the City of Cleveland. NatureTracks is a mobile classroom that presents a variety of habitat programs for

K-5 students. Summer programming efforts takes us to various community festivals, Cleveland Metroparks special events, active living facilities and recreation centers. We also combine outreach efforts with Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s program, Get Up, Get Out, & Go that provides outdoor experiences for 11-14 year olds and their families.

Eco Explorers powered by PNC is our pre-K to kindergarten vehicle that focuses on getting young children to get outside to explore the natural world. Eco Explorers also attends special events like Touch-a-Truck and Bug City. In February, Eco Explorers started a new Discovery Days program at Garfield Park. Once a month, in-

Staff Highlights In recognition of their efforts and to introduce you to various Cleveland Metroparks staff, some individuals will be highlighted in this and future newsletter issues. I hope you enjoy learning more about these individuals who were each asked to share the following responses: 1. How long and in what capacity (capacities) have you worked for Cleveland Metroparks?

2. What do you enjoy most about working with volunteers?

3. Share a personal note about yourself.

Min Keung

Rocky River Nature Center

Min has been with Cleveland Metroparks for 15 years. During that time she has worked as a naturalist in every nature center with the exception of the Watershed Stewardship Center! Early in her career, Min was the on-site volunteer coordinator at CanalWay Center. Currently, Min works as a Naturalist 1 and On-site volunteer coordinator at Rocky River Nature Center.

home day cares have the opportunity to bring their 3-6 year olds to discover the natural world through music and games while being in the park!

Getting out into the community is what we do best and we need enthusiastic volunteers who enjoy being around diverse audiences.

Both programs cater to small groups or large event settings where hundreds of visitors will come to play games, watch videos and learn about our local resources. Volunteers talk with visitors about Cleveland Metroparks, prepare materials, and assist staff with educational and recreational programming while being in a fun filled environment.

Brad Shawhan North Chagrin Reservation

Brad has worked for Cleveland Metroparks since 2007 as a park manager. His first assignment was at Brookside Reservation and then was assigned to South Chagrin Reservation followed by his current position as park manager at North Chagrin Reservation.

Brad works mostly with community service volunteer groups who assist with various park management tasks. He enjoys working with these groups because they expose him to the great enthusiasm that they bring as they complete projects essential to the quality of the reservation.

During his time away from work, Brad is a volunteer in his community with the Lake Soil & Water Conservation District.

Ken Morgan Brecksville Reservation

Ken just celebrated his second anniversary with the Park District. He was hired as a Park Manager Trainee where he trained at Big Creek, Brookside and Ohio & Erie Canal When asked what Min enjoys the most about working with Reservations. In December 2012, he was volunteers, she shares, “I love the enthusiasm of our volunteers. promoted to his current position of Senior Their drive to make a difference inspires me every day! I enjoy Park Manager of Brecksville Reservation. working together to make connections with the public.”

Enthusiasm! That is what Ken enjoys most about working with On a personal note, Min studied biology in college and diversity community service groups. He shares, “No matter what the management at Cleveland State University. She notes, task, they are willing to make a difference and give back. Their “Diversity management was one of the best course loads I have dedication to the community in an era where its “me first” is just taken because it taught me how to manage conflict effectively.” awesome!”

For more information or to get involved in any of the activities mentioned in this publication, please contact Millie Harnocz, Volunteer Services Assistant, at 440-253-2145 or mah1@clevelandmetroparks.com or Lisa Fellows, Volunteer Services Specialist, at 440-253-2143 or lef@clevelandmetroparks.com.

Ken feels that one of the best quotes that sums up Cleveland Metroparks volunteers is by Sherry Anderson, “Volunteers are not paid- not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”

PRSRTS TD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Cleveland, Ohio Permit No. 2911

4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, OH 44144 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL DO NOT DELAY

Barbara Clemens

VOLUNTEER SITES Administration (Human Resources, Strategic Initiatives) Garfield Park Nature Center NatureTracks Outdoor Recreation Rocky River Nature Center

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH CLEVELAND METROPARKS? Barbara shares, “In the early 1990’s I saw an ad for the Zoo Volunteer Safari and decided to try out volunteering. I became a docent and volunteered for five years. From that point I was hooked on volunteering and assisted at both Cleveland Metroparks and Lorain County Metro Parks.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY With six different volunteer sites, Barbara has the opportunity to assist with various activities and interact with many staff.

Even so, she shares, “I have no favorites, I love all that I do!” Cleveland Metroparks is where you can find a different job you love each day of the week. The staff and volunteers are all very special; they know how to enjoy nature and life. You cannot do a great job if you don’t love what you do!

Volunteer Vista The Volunteer Vista section provides an opportunity to get to know fellow Cleveland Metroparks volunteers. On-site volunteer coordinators submit suggestions for which volunteer to highlight. From those suggestions, volunteer names are selected at random.

MOST MEMORABLE VOLUNTEER MOMENTS As a long-term volunteer, Barbara has experienced many volunteer moments. Among her most memorable are the Eco Explorers’ Family Fairs and Events. She feels they are the most memorable since the events are nonstop activity with kids, which is somewhat out of Barbara’s comfort zone. Even so, Barbara shares, “At the end of the event I’m exhausted but very satisfied. I tell the staff never again, but I will continue to help, it is really fun and a great learning experience.” One part of these events that Barbara really loves is preparing the teacher kits. She shares, “Life is always in high gear, so it is nice sometimes to do something simple, just counting, sorting and gathering.”

WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER? In addition to her other favorite activity, roller skating, Barbara stays busy with volunteering.

She states, “I need to be busy seven days a week and volunteering helps fill my week. I have volunteered at over 10 different organizations and Cleveland Metroparks is the only place where you can be at a different location and do something fascinating each day.” Most importantly, Barbara shares that she is always learning and that being a volunteer with so many activities is quite an education!

COMMENTS FROM PROGRAM/SITE STAFF Barbara has had an opportunity to volunteer

with a variety of staff at various sites. The following staff contributed their thoughts about working with Barbara: Demetrius Falconer (Garfield Park Nature Center/Mobile Outreach Education), Min Keung (Rocky River Nature Center), Terri Gasser and staff (Human Resources), Jen McAnlisHarvey and colleagues (Strategic Initiatives), Rachel Nagle (Outdoor Recreation) and Laura Trivison (Outdoor Recreation). These site representatives share the following: “Barbara has been invaluable to the Mobile Outreach staff! She has assisted our operations in many ways from planning of programs to presenting at special events.” “Barbara is a friendly, extremely dependable front desk person.” “Barbara hit the ground running in Human Resources! She is no-nonsense, friendly, personable and witty and we enjoy her company. She is an inspiration and never ceases to amaze us with all the volunteering and activities she does in her spare time!” “Barbara is tremendously helpful in the office. One of her strengths is that she loves to learn new things. In addition, her positive approach to her volunteer work, combined with her outstanding reliability and attention to detail, have made her a valuable volunteer.” “Barbara truly is a joy to work with and she supports every aspect of Outdoor Recreation from volunteering at programs to assisting with races and events.”