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   Volunteers make a difference!

                Volunteer Program

Thank for your interest in becoming a Howell Conference & Nature Center Volunteer. There are opportunities to suit your interest, availability, and skills. It only takes a few hours to make a meaningful contribution to the success of our programs.

We have positions for individuals, families, and high school students. Many of the positions are working behind the  scenes with or without interaction with our wildlife and others are working with our visitors during our special events. High school and college students can earn community service credit. Training is provided by the Nature Center staff as required by the specific assignment.

There are three steps in becoming a Nature Center volunteer:

       Complete and submit your application.
       Volunteer Coordinator will contact you for an interview either by telephone or in person.
       Schedule a training session, if special training is required.

Please note the minimum age is 18 for individuals working alone with the wildlife. Youths between the ages of 12 and 17  may volunteer with an adult partner. Families with children under 12 may volunteer to fill our many bird feeders.

Those wishing to help out at Special Events (fundraisers), please contact janeta@howellnaturecenter.org.
Jobs would include registration, parking, concession, set up and take down, selling tickets, seeking donors for auction items, seeking corporate sponsorships, decorations, etc. There is lots to do at any Special Event and folks are needed to help plan the event as well as work the day of. We do have lots of fun.

Volunteer Coordinator, Jan Adamski, at 517- 546 - 6104

Volunteers make a difference!

  IF YOU ARE AN ANIMAL PERSON OR A PEOPLE PERSON WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU.

General Office/Staff Aide – Clerical support is needed in both the main office and in the Wildlife Infirmary. Requires a commitment to work one day per week and it must be the same day each week. Volunteer would work approximately a four to six hour day. Person would be answering telephone calls, greeting and assisting visitors and doing light clerical work such as making copies and filing. Office experience is helpful but not necessary. Requires a commitment to volunteer once a week and on the same day each week.

Gift Shop Sales Associate – Staffing our beautiful new gift shop on weekends. This is a great position for a person who enjoys working with people. Requires a commitment to work one day per weekend and it must be the same day each weekend or alternate weekends. Assignment is during the afternoon. Hours will vary depending on season. Retail or banking field experience is helpful but not necessary. Person must be 17 years old or older.

Community Outreach – Promoting an awareness of the Howell Nature Center and its programs by speaking at community venues. Training and materials are provided by the Nature Center. Assignments vary with requests. They can be during week, weekends, daytime or evenings. Volunteer must provide their own transportation.

Special Events – Working behind the scenes with the event planning team or with the public on the day's) of the event. Events involve many different tasks such as fund raising, planning, set-up, clean up, greeting guests and staffing activities. Dates, times, and tasks will very with each event. For details contact janeta@howellnaturecenter.org.

Adopt-A-Garden – Working with our landscaping staff to plant and care for one of our many gardens. Requires a commitment to work one day per week but it does not have to be the same day each week. All tools and gardening materials are provided by the Nature Center. Person must have some knowledge and experience in gardening. Good position for a person over 16 years old or youth with adult partner.

Wildlife Department – Volunteer Positions

The Howell Conference & Nature Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation of wildlife in order to return physically and socially healthy birds, mammals, and other animals to their natural environment. Our permanent wildlife living in the Wild Wonders Wildlife Park have injuries that will not allow them to survive in the wild.

Wildlife in the Rehabilitation Infirmary and in the Wild Wonders Wildlife Park may not be treated as a pet. Working with our wildlife is not the same as working at an animal shelter. Our goal is to keep them wild and not imprinted.

Wildlife Rehabilitation

Wildlife Rehabilitation Infirmary Telephone Answering and Receptionist – A seasonal position from April through August. Telephone answering involves querying the caller with very specific questions and providing the appropriate information. Receptionist duties include greeting people who are bringing in an injured animal, asking a few preliminary questions, if appropriate getting them started on completing the in-take form and letting the rehabilitation supervisor, intern or volunteer know that there is an animal needing care. Requires a commitment to work one day per week and it must be the same day each week for one of the two shifts either 9:00 am to 1:00 pm or 3:00 to 7:00 pm.. It is helpful to have an existing knowledge of Michigan songbirds and mammals. Detailed training is provided by Wildlife Rehabilitation Supervisors.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Infirmary Assistants –Providing support to our wildlife care staff. Volunteers answer telephone, intake orphaned and injured wildlife, clean cages, prepare food, and help maintain the cleanliness of the infirmary. Person must not be squeamish. They will be handling dead mice and rats plus meal worms. Time commitment is approximately four to six hours a day depending on the season. Requires a commitment to work one day per week and it must be the same day each week. Person must be 18 years old or older. Training is provided by HCNC staff.
Volunteers are currently needed in the Infirmary on several days of the week!

Adopt-the-Mouse House – Keep the mouse shed in order. Sweep the floor clean any empty the aquariums organize and sweep off the shelves. Take out the trash and requires a weekly commitment but does not have to be the same day each week. But it can be anytime during daylight hours. Some of the habitats can be adopted by a family or adult with youth who is over 12 years old. Training is provided by HCNC staff.

Wildlife Baby Fostering – Wildlife foster parents take baby mammals and/or birds home to care for them until they can be released. The person filling this position works from home and is responsible for all cost incurred. This work is done on an as-need basis. Training is provided by HCNC staff. Training sessions are scheduled in the beginning of April. Person must be 18 years old or older.

Wildlife Rescue – Working with the wildlife rehabilitation staff in responding to calls regarding injured wildlife. Person must be 18 years old or older and provide their own transportation. Training is provided by the HCNC staff.

Wild Wonders Wildlife Park

Adopt-A-Wildlife Cage - Doing a thorough cleaning of the assigned animal’s habitat, cleaning up left over food, feces, and replacing bedding materials. Requires a weekly commitment but does not have to be the same day each week. But it can be anytime during daylight hours. Some of the habitats can be adopted by a family or adult with youth who is over 12 years old. Training is provided by HCNC staff.
Several cages in the Wild Wonders Wildlife Park are available for adoption.

Wild Wonders Park Wildlife Feeder - Feeding the mammals and/or birds in the wildlife park. Person must not be squeamish. They will be handling dead mice and rats. Requires a commitment to work one day per week and it must be the same day each week before 3:00 pm. Time commitment is approximately four hours a day depending on if they do both mammals and birds. Person must be 18 years old or older. Training is provided by HCNC staff.

Wild Wonders Park Owl Feeder - Requires a commitment to work one day per week and must be the same day each week. But the owls must be feed after 3:00 pm and before dark. Person must not be squeamish. They will be handling dead mice and rats. Time commitment is approximately two hours a day. Person must be 18 years old or older. Training is provided by HCNC staff.

Mice and Rats Team - Volunteers are needed one night a month to prepare the wildlife’s special diet of mice and rats. Yes, I said mice and rats. And no, you do not need to euthanize them; that task is done by the laboratory who donates them to nature centers and zoos. Volunteers sort and bag them into daily portions and then place them in our food storage freezers.

Filling Bird Feeders – Filling the many bird feeders in the nature center with bird seed. This opportunity requires a commitment to work one day per week for approximately one to two hours. It must be the same day each week. This is also a good opportunity for families or a youth with an adult partner. Training is provided by HCNC staff.

Infirmary volunteers are currently needed on several days of the week!

HOW DOES ONE SIGN UP?
VolunteerApplication.pdf
E-mail janeta@howellnaturecenter.org
Call our Volunteer Coordinator, Jan Adamski, at 517- 546 - 6104

                                          Our Volunteers           

Diane, Deer Lady
cares for orphaned and injured deer and is a wonderful help at special events
and in the infirmary.

Bora Family keeping our feeders filled.

Pat Steinhelper and Carolyn Hettenhouse
Infirmary Volunteers
 

Dan Zalewski
Park Volunteer

Jan Adamski works in the Wildlife Park

Kathy Frantz during a Mice & Rat Day

Diane Cole with an Opossum

Jan, Wild Wonders volunteer,
having a chat with one of the
White-tailed Deer.

Maryann, Wildlife Handler and Infirmary & Special Events Volunteer, checking in on one of the Eastern Screech Owls.

Megan Shaara - Wild Wonders Intern
 

Nancy Tratechaud
Infirmary Volunteer

Kendra & Lindley Barker - Infirmary

Pat and Max with owl in Infirmary