Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 118

Athens, GA205 Old Commerce RoadAthens, GA 30607

www.volunteernaturallyathens.com

Volunteer Pathways

Chili Cook-offFriday Dec. 4th

6-8pmMemorial Park,

Be there!Friends and

family welcome!

Volunteer Spotlight! Deanna Geiger Many thanks to Deanna and her more than 500 volunteer hours of service at Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail! Deanna started volunteering in August of 2007 and has provided many hours of hard animal care work at the zoo since then. An Athens, GA native, Deanna has been going to the zoo since she was a little girl and has fond memories of seeing the animals there. Like many children, Deanna always dreamed of working with animals in some capacity and a couple of years ago after some big life changes, she took the first step to make that a reality. Deanna has worked as a bookkeeper in the past and is exploring new job options right now. Deanna finds her work with the animals therapeutic and a great stress-reliever. Deanna spends anywhere from 4-7 hours at the zoo every Tuesday on various types of caretaking for animals including: the bears, red-tail hawks, oppossum, turkey, deer

and more . She prepares their food, cleans their areas, monitors their health and notes any abnormal behav-ior. As part of her animal care duties, she fills out daily reports which the zoo coordinator reads to ensure that the animals are comfortable and healthy. As the seasons change, so do the animals and Deanna takes particular note of how the animals are responding to these changes, and how they can be stressful for the an-imal. Deanna is amazed by the animals and finds that even as an adult, she has retained her ‘sense of wonder’ by being around the creatures. She would not profess to liking any particular animal more than another, but did say that she is not so interested in the snakes. She finds volunteering at the zoo a great way to give back. She especially enjoys interacting with zoo patrons and loves it when people and especially kids, watch her do her work and follow her from animal to animal. Deanna likes answering their questions and telling them about the animals. Berkeley Boone, Zoo Coordinator, stated that “Deanna has been an asset to the Zoo’s volunteer program, she is passionate about providing the best possible care to the animals and continuously enthusiastic about working with the animals.”

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or Current Resident

VOLUNTEERNEWSLETTER

Volume 22, Issue 4, December 2009

WILDLIFE TRAIL

www.VolunteerNaturallyAthens.comP A T H W A Y S

ACCLeisure Services

Natural Resources Athens, GA

w w w . v o l u n t e e r n a t u r a l l y a t h e n s . c o m

New Zoo Volunteer Training in FebruraryWe are changing our zoo volunteer program and will be adding more volunteer positions. These positions will be in animal care as well as in what is called the “Open Classroom.” The animal care program will be subdivided into three categories: reptiles, mammals and birds. Train-ing will include an initial 2-3 hour session followed by at least three supervised ‘apprentice’ sessions. Finally, the volunteer will be assigned to a specific time slot and day based on our needs and the volunteer’s schedule. Animal care is a popular volunteer activity and we have to be selective about our volunteers. Due to this popular-ity, we have established minimum volunteer time periods and an additional application. Volunteers must be able and willing to commit to at least six months of work.

Our ‘Open Classroom’ program is basically opening up the reptile house at the zoo for visitors. As we are have limited staff available, we can not open it every day. However, we cur-rently open it on Sunday afternoons and would like to extend the hours to other afternoons. Volunteers interest-ed in learning about snake handling and/or just hanging out there and do-ing crafts would be appreciated. See inside for more details! Contact Leslie if you are interested!

Are you looking for something fun to do on a Sat-urday Morning? Do you have some stress to burn off? Want to skip the gym? Try our Ongoing Invasive Plant Species Removal days!Pull out Privet!Yank out English Ivy! Kill off Kudzu!

Exercising and Volunteering in one.Every Saturday at Memorial Park or on the Greenway. See inside for more details! Find us on Facebook at Memorial Park Weed Warriors. Supervised children are welcome. (Kids love hands on hard work.) Great project for big groups.

9 am- 12 pm, Saturday Mornings

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More Invasions of the Forest Snatchers!

C H I L I D I N N E R

2009 Volunteer Hours ServedSandy Creek Park- 558

North Oconee Rivers Greenway- 340Bear Hollow/Memorial Park- 2,300Sandy Creek Nature Center- 3,892

Invasive Crafts!Thurs. Jan. 7th, 10am-12pm, The Greenway

This is truly a trash to treasures event. Take invasive plant spe-cies harvested on the greenway and make beautiful holiday

crafts out of them!

New Volunteer OrientationSat. Jan. 23rd, 1-2 pm, Sandy Creek Nature Center

For new volunteers to learn about volunteer opportunities! Please tell your friends!

Family Program, “Log House, Tales from the Past”Sat. Jan. 23rd, 1:30-4:30pm, Sandy Creek Nature Center

We need 2 volunteers to help with storytelling, games and cooking over an open fire!

Tikes, Trikes and StrollersWed. Jan. 26th, 12:30-2:30 pm, Greenway

Help pre-school aged children decorate and race their bikes along an obtacle course!

Geocaching Adventures on the GreenwaySat. Jan. 30th, 12:30-3:00pm, Greenway

1-2 volunteers needed to help teach participants how to use a GPS and find some geocached material.

Volunteeer opportunities

December 2009 January 2010Christmas Bird Count for Kids

Saturday Dec. 5, at Sandy Creek Nature Center, 9am-NoonWe need 2-3 bird-loving volunteers to help our young bird-

watchers join the annual Xmas bird count.

Geocaching Adventures on the GreenwaySat. Dec. 5, 12:30-3:00pm, Greenway

1-2 volunteers needed to help teach participants how to use a GPS and find some geocached material.

Breakfast with SantaDec. 12, 8-11:30 am, Sandy Creek Nature Center

Help out with crafts, breakfast and pictures as kids come to see; and have breakfast with Kris Kringle. We need 5-6 volunteers!

Elves WorkshopFri. Dec. 18, 3:00-6:30 pm, Sandy Creek Park

Help kids make holiday gifts and crafts at this fun session, two volunteers needed.

Archery for BeginnersSat. Dec. 12th, 12:30-3 pm or 2:30-5pm, Sandy Creek Park

Two volunteers needed for each of two sessions to assist as kids learn archery skills.

Tikes, Trikes and StrollersThursday, Dec. 17th, 9:30-11:30 am, Greenway

Help pre-school aged children decorate and race their bikes along an obtacle course!

Wilderness SkillsSat. Dec. 19th, 8:30-11:00, Sandy Creek Park

1 volunteer needed to assist with this program.

Breakfast with Santa! Memorial ParkSat. Dec. 19th, 8:30-11:15am

Eight or nine volunteers needed to assist with this Christmas craft, activity and breakfast!

Invasive Crafts!Tues. Dec. 22, 10am-12pm, The Greenway

Take invasive plant species harvested on the greenway and make beautiful holiday crafts out of them!

Mini-Camp- “Gifts from Nature”Dec. 29, 30 and 31 Sandy Creek Nature Center, 9am-1pm

We need 2-4 volunteers each day to help with this camp for 4-12 year olds. Crafts, games and more!

Call Leslie at (706)613-3615 ext 227 or

email at leslieboby@co.clarke.ga.usto sign up or for more

information!

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Naturalist Assistant Program Training

Sat. January 30th, 1-5 pm Sandy Creek Nature CenterThis training is to start high-school aged kids as volunteers and members of SCNC’s NAP program. Teens can volunteer by themselves,

attend meetings and trips.

Prairie Work Day!Saturday December 5th

1-5pmSandy Creek Nature Center

Help us clear out the prairie and make it beautiful.

Hot Chocolate and cookies provided,Children are welcome

Please let me know if you will make it.

Volunteeer opportunities

February 2010 Ongoing Volunteer ActivitiesGroundhog Day at the Zoo!

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 9-11:00 am, Memorial Park/ZooGroundhogs abound! Live feeding, crafts, games and more.

Three or four volunteers are needed to assist in this program.

Invasive Crafts!Thurs. Feb. 11th, 10am-12pm, The Greenway

This is truly a trash to treasures event, take invasive plant species harvested on the greenway and make beautiful holiday crafts

out of them!

Tikes, Trikes and StrollersTues. Feb. 16th, 12:30-2:30 pm, Greenway

Help pre-school aged children decorate and race their bikes along an obtacle course!

Starwatch, Winter Night WatchFri. Feb. 19th, 6:30-9 pm

One or two volunteers needed for this night time program. See the night sky!

Geocaching Adventures on the GreenwaySat. Feb. 20th, 12:30-3:00pm, Greenway

1-2 volunteers needed to help teach participants how to use GPS’s and find some geocached material.

Find us on From your facebook page, search for Volunteer Naturally Athens

and become a FAN

Zoo Open Classrooms SundaysBear Hollow Wildlife Trail/Memorial Park

Sundays, 1-3 pm.Hang out in the reptile house and interact with the public. Do crafts if you like and learn a little about handling snakes and reptiles. We have information on the animals that you can use to educate yourself

and visitors!

Habitat restoration & Invasives Control! Memorial Park:

1st and 4th saturdays, 9-NoonDec. 5, 19th, Jan. 2, 16th, Feb. 6, 20th

Greenway2nd and 4th Saturdays, 9:00 am- Noon

Dec. 12, Jan. 9, 23, Feb. 13, 27

Get your hands dirty remov-ing invasive plant species and

planting native vegetation. Our goal is to begin restoring the

natural vegetation at Memori-al Park and the Greenway and

we need your help! Great project for groups as well!

Training Dates at Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail

Each training program is linked to specific volunteer times and is independent of the others. Please con-

tact Leslie for more details on how to sign upOpen Classroom, Feb. 6th 10-11:30am Reptile Care, Feb. 6th 12-2pmMammal Care, Feb. 20th 9am-12pm

Bird Care, Feb. 20th 12:30pm-3pm

TRAIL GUIDE TRAINING AT SANDY CREEK NATURE CENTERDo you have time on any weekday mornings: Tuesday-Friday?

Do you like working with kids? Do you like to spend time outside? No experience necessary, we will train you! TRAINING BEGINS:Thursday, February 25Friday, February 26Saturday, February 27

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We have many opportunities to take a leadership role in volunteering! 1. Working on Newsletters2. Intern Positions for school credit!3. Educational signs for Invasive Species

Looking for Leadership Roles?