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Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Program Mission Statement:Volunteers painting bench
Louisville Parks and Recreation’s volunteer programs support our local communities and park system through continued dedication to clean, green, safe and inclusive spaces. The volunteer program serves as a point of access for community members to park lands, civic engagement, education, and empowerment.

 

Dara Ricketts, Jefferson Memorial Forest, Public Education Program Assistant, October 2017 Dara is a Public Education Program Assistant from western Kentucky. She works primarily in Jefferson Memorial Forest in order create opportunities to connect people with Louisville’s natural areas and provide environmental education. She hopes that those opportunities will allow people to find harmony with nature and appreciate all the wonderful greenspace Louisville has to offer. After service, she hopes to continue to work in outdoor recreation and environmental education. In her free time, Dara likes to spend time outdoors. She likes hiking, backpacking, camping, climbing, biking, etc. In addition, she also enjoys playing board games with friends and watching The Office or Parks and Rec with her fiancé and their pets. A fun fact about Dara is that she did a marine biology field study on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

 
Savannah Krusiewicz, LMPR Administrative Building, Volunteer Program Office Assistant, January 2018 Savannah is the Volunteer Program Office Assistant from Detroit, Michigan. She works in the Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation Administrative Building in order to coordinate and organize the groups for various projects for all of the Louisville Parks. She plays a big role in connecting the community members seeking to serve and the various divisions within Louisville Parks who need help keeping our parks in tip top shape so we can all enjoy it and each other. By providing this service not only does she serve our parks, but she also helps those community members achieve their goals of service. At this time she is still trying to figure out what she wants to do after her time with AmeriCorps, but she hopes to continue her career by working with communities and the environment. A big goal for her is to get her Project Management Certification, and her dream is to be an Environmental Project Manager. She has always been passionate about volunteering and serving her community; she thinks it’s important to take care of one another in the form of volunteering- the easiest and most fun way. Savannah also enjoys the experiences she gets through volunteering and that she gets to meet so many new and amazing people she wouldn’t have known otherwise. A fun fact about Savannah is that she once accidentally played with some live wires that were on the ground at a baseball field, and she was electrocuted. However, the lawyers said that her injuries weren’t “extensive enough” that her family would be able to sue the baseball park.
 
Myra Owen, Natural Areas/JMF, Land Management Technician, January 2018 Myra is a Land Management Technician from Shreveport, Louisiana. She works at Natural Areas in Jefferson Memorial Forest in order to reach out to community volunteers and share things she’s learned with them. She doesn’t have a plan after AmeriCorps, but she is always thinking about it. She knows she wants to keep learning and stay active in her local community. She likes to be outside in her free time. She loves being around people and being active, and she thinks bicycle touring is fun. She is always interested in exploring and traveling, especially with public transportation- she is always happy sitting on a bus or train. She really enjoys playing group games; and she is passionate about family, health, and the natural world. A fun fact about Myra is that she’s biked across the country and wants everyone to bike with her.


Steps to becoming a volunteer:
 
1. Look at the chart below and determine the "Type of Service" in which you are interested.

Type of Service

One Day Groups

Set one or two day service projects: Mulching young trees, litter pick-up or painting a small structure.

Seasonal Groups

Set group project over the span of several days or throughout a season: Spring cleaning of a community center, capital park improvements, painting a large structure or special events.

Adopt-A-Park Partner

Volunteers perform a minimum of three to four approved maintenance projects per year at specified park location. Volunteers may also engage in monetary contributions: Routinely approved activities such as mulching, litter pick-up, etc. Other projects can be submitted for review and approval beyond routine activities. Click Here

Seasonal Individual

Service less than four times per calendar year: Special events such as the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Iroquois Amphitheater or the Annual Ice Cream Social at Riverside; Winter Basketball Tournaments, etc.

Long-Term Individual

Ongoing service throughout the calendar year: Community Center receptionist, tutor, dance teacher, park stewardship, trail maintenance at Jefferson Memorial Forest.

*After creating a new volunteer application, you will be asked to select a specific volunteer opportunity.
 
2. Look at the chart below and determine the "Type of Service Location" you are most interested.  

Type of Service Location

Athletics

Coaching, chaperoning field trips, game preparation activities, maintaining equipment, assisting with clinics, etc.

Aquatics

Special events (e.g. Back to School Party, Trunk or Treat, and more).

Art Centers

Art/music/class instruction, assisting with camps, special events, etc.

Iroquois Amphitheater

Special events, ushering, etc.

Community Centers

Coaching, serving meals, chaperoning field trips, facility clean-up and maintenance, class instruction, tutoring, mentoring, special events, assisting with camps, etc.

Forestry and Landscaping

Tree planting, watering, pruning, mulching, etc.

Historic Property

Gardening, special events, tour guides, assisting with children’s programming, re-enactment, gift shop, etc.

Senior Centers

Arts and crafts, assisting with field trips, class instruction, serving meals, attending social events at sites, etc.

Operations and Maintenance

Park clean-ups, painting, mulching, edging walkways, playground maintenance, etc.

Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Center

Leading classes, coaching, field trips, special events, (e.g. National Wheelchair Basketball Association), internships, arts and crafts, etc.


3. Take a look at our current volunteer opportunities. You’ll need to select from these opportunities on the last step of the volunteer application. (Note: if you cannot find a volunteer activity that fits your interests, explore our partner organizations –listed to the right –and complete their application process instead.)

4. Create a volunteer account and complete our application.

5. Once you have completed the application, stay tuned for more information regarding our worker’s compensation form, background check request, and additional information from our volunteer program staff.
 
OUR VOLUNTEER PARTNERS:
Jefferson Memorial Forest                                             Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Louisville Parks Foundation
 
QUESTIONS:
If you have any questions or you're ready to begin your journey as a volunteer, contact us