Opportunities From: Get Connected

Sat., Aug. 15, Mingo Park, starts at 4 p.m. 

The inaugural Lincoln Mile run will end at Mingo Park, so celebrate with the community!

Enjoy vendors, music, food trucks, face painting and more.

Volunteers needed for set-up, clean up and to help with activities. Email amy@unitycommunitycenter.org to volunteer. 

Looking to spend a Saturday morning doing something hands-on and meaningful? Join the team of knowledgeable staff and passionate volunteers at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. You’ll work alongside MetroParks staff and fellow volunteers on real, seasonal projects that help keep the gardens looking their best. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just curious to try something new, Service Saturdays are a fun, flexible way to give back, learn as you go, and be part of the work happening at Cox Arboretum.

Impact

Horticulture at Five Rivers MetroParks creates, maintains, and preserves green space and habitats for pollinators and native plants, as well as educates visitors on sustainable gardening practices and local food production.  Gardening volunteers support the Horticulture and Outdoor Connections staff in a variety of gardening tasks. 

Tasks  

Eligibility: This opportunity is open to individuals, groups, public, long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 14 and up.

Additional Notes:

Learn more about Gardening opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Do you like getting your hands dirty, learning new skills, and supporting a variety of parks and conservation efforts? Get ready to join in the fun at the Hills & Dales Volunteer Workdays! You'll have the chance to get involved in a range of exciting park and conservation projects, such as gardening, tree plantings, invasive species removal, and mulching. It's a great opportunity to make a positive impact and enjoy the outdoors with a fantastic group of volunteers!

Urban woodlands like those at Hills & Dales are critical to the health and quality of life within our cities. They are dynamic ecosystems that provide clean air and water. This historical urban forest has been a natural refuge for Daytonians since 1907. Our Park Maintenance volunteers help to manage and sustain Hills & Dales MetroPark for park visitors to safely enjoy.

This opportunity is open to individuals, long-term and short-term volunteers, ages 18 and up.

Learn more about Park Maintenance opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

Want to Branch Out?

Exploring multiple opportunities are a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:

Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP), or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. Our certified staff leads our paddling programs, and with the assistance of trained volunteers, are able to provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water for more of our community. Volunteers will support program safety by assisting on the water at a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. Prior paddling experience and completion of Five Rivers MetroParks Safety Boater 2026 Training and check-off are required.

Impact

Safety boater volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with various tasks, including set up, tear down, equipment fitting, and program education. This volunteer opportunity will support program safety by assisting on the water at the beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as Safety Boater. 

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: This location is a little off the beaten path, but close to southern portion of Englewood.  Doctor Bower Lake is part of the City of Englewood, and the parking lot is located at 811 Wenger Road, Englewood Ohio.  Click her to see location.  Volunteers should park, and staff lead will meet you in the parking area.   Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats and on rotation for breaks.  You can review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. This opportunity requires being on the water, possibly in the water, and paddling for a long period of time.  

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with a variety of tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This particular volunteer opportunity will support the fitting of life jackets and assist participants in and out of boats at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Possum Creek MetroPark. Volunteers should park and meet the staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program, and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats.  Please review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. 

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Love gardening and the beauty of ever-changing landscapes? Come be part of a dedicated team of volunteers who cultivate and care for the stunning gardens at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark! Each week brings something new—whether it’s planting vibrant annuals and perennials, weeding, edging, mulching, pruning, or simply enjoying the seasonal transformations.
You'll have the opportunity to explore and support a variety of unique garden spaces, including the Federal, English, Victorian, and Woodland Gardens. Whether you volunteer regularly or drop in when you can, your efforts help make Wegerzyn a breathtaking place for all to enjoy.
Come dig in, get inspired, and make an impact—our gardens wouldn’t be the same without you!

Horticulture at Five Rivers MetroParks creates, maintains, and preserves green space and habitats for pollinators and native plants, as well as educates visitors on sustainable gardening practices and local food production.  Gardening volunteers support the Horticulture and Outdoor Connections staff in a variety of gardening tasks. 

Under the supervision of the Staff Lead, support and assist with the following tasks:

This Mud Day event aims to allow everyone to play in the mud!  Volunteers will be using their creative and artistic side to paint one of 3 simple designs on those interested participants to mark the day!  Program Support Volunteers should plan to get dirty, have fun, and encourage guests to enjoy a day celebrating MUD!

Face Painting— Volunteers will paint the faces of kids and adults using one of three SIMPLE designs. Face paint brushes, paint, and mud will be used to create the designs.   

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, safety, and FUN into our programs for all interested in learning!  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual Short-term, Long-Term , and youth volunteers, ages 14 and up. 

Additional Notes:

Learn more about the Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page!   Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this opportunity:

Program Support at Wegerzyn Gardens

Be a part of the Annual TVT Challenge! This fun, non-competitive hiking endurance event challenges participants to see how far they can hike in one day. Various routes will be marked along the Twin Valley Trail, with hiking options ranging from 1 to 27 miles. Support staff with recording participant's hike completion and celebrate their accomplishments!

Impact

Volunteers enable more individualized support for first-time participants and help create excitement and energy at outdoor recreation events. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility 

This opportunity is open to individual, public, long-term, and short term volunteers, ages 16 and up.  Simply click the blue RESPOND button to sign up or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Additional Notes 

Learn more about Special Events opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider trying this opportunity:

Possum Creek Garden Maintenance 

Be a part of the Annual TVT Challenge! This fun, non-competitive hiking endurance event challenges participants to see how far they can hike in one day. Various routes will be marked along the Twin Valley Trail, with hiking options ranging from 1 to 27 miles. Support staff with registering participants for the event, so hikers can get out on the trails!

Impact

Volunteers enable more individualized support for first-time participants and help create excitement and energy at outdoor recreation events. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility 

This opportunity is open to individual, public, long-term, and short term volunteers, ages 16 and up.  Simply click the blue RESPOND button to sign up or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Additional Notes 

Learn more about Special Events opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider trying this opportunity:

Possum Creek Garden Maintenance 

Swim on over to W.W. Knight to assist with our Jr. Explorers: Fish program! You'll help program participants learn about the fish that call the Maumee river home, assist children with fishing when needed, and build up their confidence and skills!

It is preferred that volunteers have previous experience fishing, including but not limited to: tying knots, baiting a rod, taking fish off hooks, and basic fish ID skills.

Please arrive at 9:30 am to help finish setting up for the program and become familiar with the gear and location. The program will start at 10 am with a maximum of 15 participants. At the program, we will do a short class on fishing basics and the fish of the Maumee River upstairs in the Friends’ Green Room. Then, we will either go outside or to the Hankison Great Room where the children will have the opportunity to practice casting with a fake fishing set. We will finish off the program by fishing outside at the W.W. Knight Nature Preserve pond shelter until 11:30 am. Please stay afterwards to help clean up, snacks will be provided!

VITAS invites friendly and well-behaved pets to join the Paw PalsSM program, in which animals and their humans learn how to visit patients at the end of their life. A registered VITAS Paw PalsSM visitor can offer comfort, bring back memories, encourage activity and provide unconditional love to VITAS patients. Your visits leave behind memories of you and your pet, and rekindle thoughts of other pets.
Pet visits can sometimes reach a patient when no one else can. Our Paw PalsSM brightens the day for everyone when they visit.
All kinds of pets are invited to join the VITAS Paw Pals Club.
Paw PalsSM must be well-groomed, at least one- year old, and have up-to-date health records.
For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services visit: https://www.vitas.com/volunteer.

VITAS is looking for kind and caring volunteers to help terminally ill patients and their families. When you make friendly visits, run simple errands, provide a listening ear, and offer the gift of friendship at a crucial time, you can make a real difference in another's life. Yours, too!
Take advantage of numerous volunteer opportunities, including:
• Sitting with a patient while the caregiver takes a break
• Making friendly visits to patients and their families at home or in a nursing home
• Driving a patient to appointments
• Accompanying a patient to a church function, wedding, beauty shop, play, or ballgame
• Running errands to the grocery store, drug store, or post office
• Assisting with programs and special events
VITAS provides free training and orientation for volunteers to help learn the skills required to be an outstanding hospice volunteer. Volunteering also strengthens your resume for a post-college career.
For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services, visit: https://www.vitas.com/volunteer

VITAS is looking for caring individuals to share their voice and time as Proactive Caller Volunteers to help terminally ill patients and their families.
If you enjoy talking on the phone and have time to make check-in calls, you may be a perfect ProActive Caller Volunteer.
Our Proactive volunteers make “check-in” phone calls to our hospice patients and their family members.
You can work from your dorm room, apartment, home, or the VITAS office. You’ll call patients at home, asking how they are doing, checking on needed supplies, listening, and identifying any service concerns.
VITAS provides free volunteer orientation to help you learn the skills required to be an outstanding volunteer caller. Volunteering can strengthen your resume for post-college job interviews and careers.
For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services, visit: https://www.vitas.com/volunteer.

VITAS invites friendly and well-behaved pets to join the Paw PalsSM program, in which animals and their humans learn how to visit patients at the end of their life. A registered VITAS Paw PalsSM visitor can offer comfort, bring back memories, encourage activity and provide unconditional love to VITAS patients. Your visits leave behind memories of you and your pet, and rekindle thoughts of other pets.
Pet visits can sometimes reach a patient when no one else can. Our Paw PalsSM brightens the day for everyone when they visit.
All kinds of pets are invited to join the VITAS Paw Pals Club.
Paw PalsSM must be well-groomed, at least one- year old, and have up-to-date health records.
For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services, visit: https://www.vitas.com/volunteer.

VITAS is looking for kind and caring volunteers to help terminally ill patients and their families. When you make friendly visits, run simple errands, provide a listening ear, and offer the gift of friendship at a crucial time, you can make a real difference in another's life. Yours, too!
Take advantage of numerous volunteer opportunities, including:
• Sitting with a patient while the caregiver takes a break
• Making friendly visits to patients and their families at home or in a nursing home
• Driving a patient to appointments
• Accompanying a patient to a church function, wedding, beauty shop, play, or ballgame
• Running errands to the grocery store, drug store, or post office
• Assisting with programs and special events
VITAS provides free training and orientation for volunteers to help learn the skills required to be an outstanding hospice volunteer. Volunteering also strengthens your resume for a post-college career.

VITAS is looking for caring individuals to share their voice and time as Proactive Caller Volunteers to help terminally ill patients and their families.
If you enjoy talking on the phone and have time to make check-in calls, you may be a perfect ProActive Caller Volunteer.
Our Proactive volunteers make “check-in” phone calls to our hospice patients and their family members.
You can work from your dorm room, apartment, home, or the VITAS office. You’ll call patients at home, asking how they are doing, checking on needed supplies, listening, and identifying any service concerns.
VITAS provides free volunteer orientation to help you learn the skills required to be an outstanding volunteer caller. Volunteering can strengthen your resume for post-college job interviews and careers.
For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services, visit: https://www.vitas.com/volunteer.

Building Hope at United Missionary Baptist Church is a ServeOhio Day initiative focused on improving and expanding the church’s childcare and pantry spaces to better serve families throughout the Dayton View and West Dayton communities. Volunteers will assist with painting, organizing, flooring installation, hauling materials, labeling pantry inventory, and building small furnishings to create welcoming, functional spaces for community support services.

Building Hope at United Missionary Baptist Church is a ServeOhio Day initiative focused on improving and expanding the church’s childcare and pantry spaces to better serve families throughout the Dayton View and West Dayton communities. Volunteers will assist with painting, organizing, flooring installation, hauling materials, labeling pantry inventory, and building small furnishings to create welcoming, functional spaces for community support services.

The United Missionary Baptist Church Community Renewal Project is a ServeOhio Day initiative focused on improving and expanding the church’s childcare and pantry spaces to better serve families throughout the Dayton View and West Dayton communities. Volunteers will assist with painting, organizing, flooring installation, hauling materials, labeling pantry inventory, and building small furnishings to create welcoming, functional spaces for community support services.

Volunteers are needed for the Junction City ServeOhio Day 2026 Community Beautification Project. This volunteer-driven project focuses on improving and enhancing public community spaces through painting, cleanup, light construction, landscaping, and general beautification efforts.

The goal of this project is to bring community members together through service while strengthening local pride and creating welcoming spaces for residents and visitors alike. 

Can't decide which you love more -- enjoying the Summer Music Series at RiverScape or supporting the Five Rivers MetroParks?!  Good news, you don't have to choose!  Beer and Wine Sales volunteers, age 21 and over, can do both when they assist staff by pouring and serving beer and wine for event participants. Staff members take the guess work out of the equation and will be on site to check identification to approve or deny service. Volunteers may be stationed inside the RiverScape Cafe, the Rentals Office or outside under a 10' x 10' tent. 

Proceeds from alcohol sales will further our mission of protecting the region's natural heritage and providing outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term, or short term volunteers, ages 21 and up who have qualified in Beer and Wine Sales Training.  Simply click the blue RESPOND button to sign up.

 Learn more about Special Events opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Fly Fishing 1 introduces participants to the fundamentals of the sport, and your involvement is key to helping them progress confidently on the water. This program focuses on teaching essential techniques for fishing in currents, so previous experience with fly fishing or water safety is an asset. Our Outdoor Recreation team, including our volunteers, is dedicated to creating an encouraging, skill-building atmosphere where participants can thrive. As a program assistant volunteer, you'll work closely with staff during interactive sessions, guiding beginners and promoting a welcoming, safe environment. You don't need to be an expert fly fisher, but hands-on fishing experience is necessary for this rewarding opportunity.

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment to test/hone casting skills and safety in moving waters. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Task

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 18 and up. This program is a 2nd level, and volunteers will need to be experienced with wading in waters and have fishing experience.

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

The Discovery Shop is in need of volunteers to work the front register on select days of the week. The job involves ringing up customers, collecting phone numbers and emails for the Discovery Rewards program, and keeping the area tidy. We are especially in need of volunteers in this role at the following times:

Monday: 10am-12pm

Wednesday: 10am-5pm

Thursday: 10am-12pm

Friday: 10am-5pm

Saturday: 3pm-5pm

Volunteers should be available for a minimum of two hours, but can stay as long as they like beyond that. Commitment to a consistent schedule is necessary. If you like people and getting to know their stories, this is the role for you!

The Discovery Shop is in need of volunteers to process and price donated clothing on select days of the week. The job involves sorting donations for acceptable items, pricing clothing (including vintage and designer items), and hanging clothing out on the floor. We are especially in need of volunteers in this role at the following times:

Wednesday: 3pm-5pm

Thursday: 12pm-5pm

Friday: 10am-5pm

Saturday: 8am-5pm

Volunteers should be available for a minimum of two hours, but can stay as long as they like beyond that. Commitment to a consistent schedule is necessary. If you like fashion, organization, and learning about special items, this is the role for you!

The Discovery Shop is in need of volunteers to help keep the store tidy and a pleasant place to shop for our customers. The job involves regular vacuuming and dusting, keeping the bathrooms clean, and cleaning up display glass. We are especially in need of volunteers in this role at the following times:

Tuesday: 8am-10am

Thursday: 4pm-7pm

Friday: 8am-10am

Volunteers should be available for a minimum of two hours, but can stay as long as they like beyond that. Commitment to a consistent schedule is necessary. If you take pride in keeping a space tidy and creating a warm and welcoming environment, this is the role for you!

The Discovery Shop is in need of volunteers to join our housewares team. The job involves sorting or pricing housewares (such as glassware, home goods, and decorations), identifying vintage items, setting merchandise on the floor in an appealing way, and accepting donations at the back door. We are especially in need of volunteers in this role at the following times:

Thursday: 2pm-5pm

Friday: 8am-5pm

Saturday: 8am-5pm

Sunday: 12pm-4pm

Volunteers should be available for a minimum of two hours, but can stay as long as they like beyond that. Commitment to a consistent schedule is necessary. If you like sorting and organizing, investigating unique items, or merchandising, this is the role for you!

Our students and staff will participate in two primary service activities focused on supporting food access in our community. On the first day, students will volunteer at the Freestore Foodbank warehouse, where they will assist with sorting, packing, and organizing food donations. During this experience, participants will also learn more about how the Freestore Foodbank serves the region and addresses food insecurity. On the second day, our students and staff will work together to pack food and donations purchased through this grant. These items will then be donated to the Freestore Foodbank to support their ongoing distribution efforts. This project is especially meaningful because of our longstanding partnership with the Freestore Foodbank, which consistently supports GRAD Cincinnati and our schools by providing food for our pantries and meals for our after-school programs. Through this initiative, volunteers will not only give their time and service but also contribute tangible resources, allowing us to give back to an organization that has had a significant impact on our students and community.

Where we will need additional volunteers is delivering the boxes to the Freestore Foodbank and this is where your help comes in.

The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes (NCSL) is continually increasing our community tree canopy.  We plant trees for habitat restoration - we remove invasive trees and plant native trees.  This major project will plant 25 trees at one time with volunteer help.  NCSL instructors will spend time with each volunteer to train them in the proper steps for planting trees.

Volunteer activities will include the following: planting the native trees, constructing and securing protective cages around the trees using wire fencing, and mulching trees afterwards for moisture retention.  Volunteers will gain valuable skills and firsthand experience in proper tree planting, as well as a sense of accomplishment in participating in an important and lasting habitat restoration project at the Nature Center. 

What is a Heirloom Garden? Do you enjoy working outside while learning about our local history, particularly as it pertains to growing food? The heirloom kitchen garden and flower beds at the Carriage Hill MetroPark Historic Farm tell important stories that celebrate our agricultural heritage in the Miami Valley. This includes a significant portion of our local landscape, shaped by generations of farmers growing a variety of heirloom crops commonly found on farms in the 1880s. So let's grow together at Carriage Hill and get our hands in the soil!

Horticulture at Five Rivers MetroParks creates, maintains, and preserves green space and habitats for pollinators and native plants, as well as educates visitors on sustainable gardening practices and local food production. Gardening volunteers support the Horticulture and Outdoor Connections staff in a variety of gardening tasks.  

Under the supervision of the assigned staff, volunteers will support and assist with the following:

typical garden maintenance, including soil preparation, laying out beds, planting both seeds and plants, weeding and cultivation, and harvesting. This position is open to gardeners of all skill levels, from beginner to expert. In addition, some landscape gardening in flower beds may be included.

Volunteers will share their textile skills and support staff in leading a fun program inspired by historical quilt block patterns. By the end of the series, participants will create a small quilt made up of all the blocks they have completed. In each session, volunteers will help students construct a 12-inch block using templates and a few modern techniques. To assist with these sessions, volunteers should have a textile qualification and be capable of guiding participants in using sewing machines, laying out patterns, and developing basic sewing skills.

Volunteers for this opportunity will be supporting the staff during a public program, and it DOES NOT REQUIRE PERIOD APPAREL! 

The individuals who volunteer their time and talents in the textile area help make it possible for others to experience these 19th-century skills that are still relevant today, create interest in these skills, enhance a more personalized experience in a program, and allow us to create beautiful items that have a function at the farm. Volunteers allow the interpretive teams to help visitors make a stronger connection to the history of Carriage Hill and experience life on an 1880s working farm.   

This opportunity is open to the following volunteers: Short-term and Long-term. Learn more about our types of service here. 

Look for Additional Details about this opportunity at the bottom of this listing!  See the Skilled Trades and Programming Volunteer Positions for more information on volunteer opportunities with us.  

Visit the Historic Interpreter page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Historic Interpreter volunteers. 

We need people willing to commit to a 4 or 5 hour shift to monitor our guests while they are in the building. Monitors will answer the office phone, distribute bed linens, make coffee, run the dishwasher, light cleaning as needed, open tote rooms for guests to obtain their personal items, and other miscellaneous tasks. Depending on the shift hours, bed linens may also need to be laundered.

Our monitors are people willing to help the less fortunate in non-judgmental ways. We provide professional social services when requested so you do not need to be a counselor or professional social worker in order to volunteer. We do train and we are flexible with scheduling.

These are our current shifts that need additional people:

     4:00pm-9:00pm     Tuesdays

     4:00pm-9:00pm     Fridays

     4:00pm-9:00pm     Saturdays

     4:00pm-9:00pm     Sundays

We can also use people who cannot commit to a regular schedule but would be willing to fill in when someone cannot fill in on their regular shift due to illness or vacation time. 

Let us know which day works into your schedule and we can set up a tour at your earliest convenience!

Share your gardening and park passion and introduce visitors to Cox Arboretum MetroPark!  Garden Guides have an enthusiasm for plants and MetroParks which is infectious and gets visitors excited about all the things they are seeing in the park.  Connecting and educating visitors to a diverse landscape of plants through a tour of our gardens is what a Garden Guide does. You do not need to know the name of every plant, but a "what's in bloom" highlight will be shared at the beginning of each tour.  May through September, Garden Tour Guides support our education team in providing this unique experience to visitors mainly at Cox Arboretum. 

Program Support volunteers help build access, comfort, and safety for all interested in learning about the natural world.  Volunteers provide support for first-time learners and help participants build subject-specific skills.   Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it accessible (via the TRAMS) and easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities. Nature is a respite for many, and Garden Tour Guides support our education team in providing this service to park visitors. 

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as Garden Guide Volunteer and and successfully checked off on the TRAMs.  This opportunity is available for OSUE Master Gardener service hours.

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275, or join us at a Volunteer Open House

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support

Do you love history and have skills in farming, historic restoration, and farm animal care you want to share? Would you like to discover what life would have been like living on a farm in the 1880s? Make an impact by helping staff in the fields, in the barns, and around the farm at the Daniel Arnold Historic Farm at Carriage Hill MetroPark. 

The Historical Farm at Carriage Hill MetroPark tells important stories that celebrate our agricultural heritage in the Miami Valley. This heritage includes a significant portion of our local landscape shaped by generations of farmers who groomed and cared for the land. Visitors to Carriage Hill Historical Farm will be immersed in 19th-century farm life, a time when the sustainable farm, home and craft practices we see today were simply practical. Within the preserved house and farm buildings there are demonstrations of heritage skills and crafts by living-history interpreters, both staff and volunteers. Caring for the animals and maintaining historical integrity is imperative to connecting visitors with its history.

Under the supervision of the assigned staff, volunteers will support and assist with the following:

A variety of farm chores including Barn and Animal Care including feeding, watering, stall cleaning. Animals include drafts horses, hogs, sheep, chickens, cows, and donkeys. 

The Village of Lakemore is working with SuperLearning Center to build a greenhouse where native aquatic plants will be grown.  These plants will be used to create more floating wetlands to place in Springfield Lake.  These floating wetlands will absorb high nutrient stormwater to reduce harmful runoff entering Springfield Lake.

Help us share our conservation message with the next generation while providing routine animal care for our most important ambassadors! Five Rivers MetroParks Wildlife Ambassadors assist our education team in sharing our conservation message with community members of all ages at a variety of programs, events, and outreach opportunities year-round. Wildlife Ambassador Animal Care Volunteers provide daily care for these important animal ambassadors year-round at the Twin Valley Welcome Center so that they can continue sharing our message. 

Impact

Volunteers like YOU provide hands-on daily care including monitoring, feeding, and cleaning to promote the health and well-being of our Wildlife Ambassadors so that they can share our conservation mission and the importance of healthy habitat for animals like them and people like us to a variety of audiences throughout our community.

Tasks

Eligibility: This is an opportunity for individual Long-Term volunteers who are 18 and older and is also open to family-friendly volunteers with adult volunteers (18 and up) with children ages 9 and up who would like to volunteer regularly together. Learn more about our types of service here. 

Additional Notes

Look for additional details about this opportunity at the bottom of this listing! See the Animal Care Volunteer Position Description for more information.  

Get Started! Visit the Wildlife Ambassador Training Page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Wildlife Ambassador Volunteers.

Help community members enjoy our parks on horseback by supporting our Trail Rides at the Carriage Hill Riding Center as a volunteer Equestrian Trail Guide!

Equestrian Trail Guides assist with grooming and saddling the horses, help customers while they get on and off their horses, and untack and clean up once the trail riders return. In addition to these tasks, Trail Guides will join the trail ride on horseback while giving instructions, keeping a watch on spacing and behavior, and answering questions. Trail rides are often a customers’ first exposure to horses, and their experience with us creates a lasting memory and a deep connection to nature through this experience. 

Impact

Volunteers help ensure a safe experience and provide personal attention to each rider.  This extra support allows us to offer a direct connection to large animals and nature through programming.

This opportunity is open to individual Long-Term, Short-Term and Youth Volunteers ages 16 and up who have qualified as Barn Aides and completed the Equestrian Trail Guide Training Series.

See the Programming Volunteer Position Description for more detailed information. Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

**This opportunity is a SHADOW Experience open to volunteers in training to be qualified Equestrian Trail Guides at the Carriage Hill Riding Center. These volunteers have qualified as Barn Aides and completed the Equestrian Trail Guide volunteer training. Now, they will shadow qualified volunteers and Carriage Hill Riding Center staff to practice the skills needed to become a qualified Equestrian Trail Guide volunteer. **

Help community members enjoy our parks on horseback by supporting our Trail Rides at the Carriage Hill Riding Center as a volunteer Equestrian Trail Guide! Equestrian Trail Guides assist with grooming and saddling the horses, help customers while they get on and off their horses, and untack and clean up once the trail riders return.

In addition to these tasks, Trail Guides will learn to ride on horseback while giving instructions, keeping a watch on spacing and behavior, and answering questions. 

Impact

Trail rides are often a customers’ first exposure to horses, and their experience with us creates a lasting memory and a deep connection to nature through this experience. Volunteers help ensure a safe experience and provide personal attention to each rider.  This extra support allows us to offer a direct connection to large animals and nature through programming.

Tasks

Working alongside qualified volunteers and staff, volunteers in training will do and learn the following at this shadow experience:

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual Long-Term, Short-Term and Youth Volunteers ages 16 and up who have qualified as Barn Aides and are in training to serve as Equestrian Trail Guides.

Additional Notes

See the Programming Volunteer Position Description for more detailed information. Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

Be a part of the magic! Volunteering as a Pony Ride Assistant is a fun way to support the Carriage Hill Riding Center on the weekends. For many of our riders, a Pony Ride is their first experience with a horse or pony, and that experience creates a lasting memory.

Pony Ride Assistants support the pony ride programming at the Carriage Hill Riding Center leading ponies by hand while the children ride, serving as a spotter, or walking alongside the pony during the ride.

Impact

Volunteers help ensure a safe experience and provide personal attention to each rider and their family. This support allows us to offer a direct connection to large animals and nature through programming.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual Long-Term, Short-Term and Youth Volunteers ages 14 and up who have qualified as Barn Aides and have qualified as Pony Ride Assistant Volunteers.

Additional Notes

See the Programming Volunteer Position Description for more detailed information. Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

We are searching for volunteers who are willing to deep clean our facility in the kitchen, dorms, bathrooms, common areas and the laundry room.

Single volunteers or groups are welcomed. We are looking for volunteers to do a 1 to 1.5 hour shift between the hours of:

     9am-3pm on Tuesdays and Fridays

Times are flexible based on your schedule. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you are interested!

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with a variety of tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This particular volunteer opportunity will support program registration and check-in at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Possum Creek MetroPark.Volunteers should park and meet staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program, and review safety information. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be mindful of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. 

Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear their MetroParks name badge and apparel,  and closed-toe shoes, and have their favorite water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Tasks include: answering phones, preparing documents, helping with mailings, and other miscellaneous tasks as needed. No prior office experience is needed and we will train.

We are looking for extra office help from:

     9-1pm on Monday

     9-1pm and 1-4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with a variety of tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This particular volunteer opportunity will support the fitting of life jackets and assist participants in and out of boats at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Eastwood MetroPark. Volunteers should park and meet the staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program, and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats.  Please review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. 

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with a variety of tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This particular volunteer opportunity will support program registration and check-in at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks. 

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Eastwood MetroPark.Volunteers should park and meet staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program, and review safety information. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be mindful of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. 

Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear their MetroParks name badge and apparel,  and closed-toe shoes, and have their favorite water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.  Prior paddling experience and completion of Five Rivers MetroParks Safety Boater 2025 Training and check-off is required.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with various tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This volunteer opportunity will support program safety by assisting on the water at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks.

Tasks

Eligibilit

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as Safety Boater. 

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Eastwood MetroPark.Volunteers should park and meet staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats and on rotation for breaks.  You can review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. This opportunity requires being on the water, possibly in the water, and paddling for a long period of time.  

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. The 185-acre Eastwood Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds in the Miami Valley are home to many great paddling opportunities. Paddling a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or other paddle craft is a great way to explore nature and enjoy the region's various water features. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways. Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.  Prior paddling experience and completion of Five Rivers MetroParks Safety Boater 2025 Training and check-off is required.

Impact

Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with various tasks including set up, tear down, registration, and program education. This volunteer opportunity will support program safety by assisting on the water at Try Paddlesports, a beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks.

Tasks

Eligibilit

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as Safety Boater. 

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Possum Creek MetroPark.Volunteers should park and meet staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats and on rotation for breaks.  You can review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. This opportunity requires being on the water, possibly in the water, and paddling for a long period of time.  

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Of the 265 miles of water trail our region offers, Five Rivers MetroParks manages nearly 39 miles. Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of paddling programs to help the public connect to our region's many waterways.  Led by expert staff, these programs provide an opportunity to learn basic paddling skills and safety while on the water.  Prior paddling experience and completion of Five Rivers MetroParks Safety Boater 2026 Training and check-off are required.

Impact

Safety boater volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide high-quality, engaging programming like these to the public. These volunteers assist with various tasks, including set up, tear down, equipment fitting, and program education. This volunteer opportunity will support program safety by assisting on the water at the beginning-level paddling program offered on calm waters within our Five Rivers MetroParks.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up, who have qualified as Safety Boater. 

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Eastwood MetroPark.Volunteers should park and meet staff at the grassy spot by Blue Lake. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program.  The staff lead will orient volunteers to the program and review how to safely and efficiently assist participants in and out of the boats and on rotation for breaks.  You can review this video on fitting a life jacket before coming to your shift: Appropriate fitting of a Life Jacket.  Staff will review the correct life jacket fitting at the beginning of each shift. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors.  Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and will participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. This opportunity requires being on the water, possibly in the water, and paddling for a long period of time.  

Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear their MetroParks name badge and apparel, and appropriate water friendly shoes, a full water bottle, and sunscreen.

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.  

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support for Outdoor Recreation

Join our Outdoor Recreation team and help create an enjoyable experience for participants exploring new MetroParks and outdoor activities in a supportive and safe environment! Our Hiking for Older Adults program is designed to equip individuals with the essential knowledge and skills they need to embark on day hikes with confidence and ease. Volunteers will assist participants in discovering the benefits of using trekking poles, which will be available for everyone to try. With the guidance of our staff, volunteers will enhance the hiking experience as participants explore the beauty of nature, increase their physical activity, and uncover new trails.
Embrace this opportunity to improve both your physical and mental well-being while supporting others in the stunning surroundings of MetroParks!   This opportunity will be at Hills and Dales MetroPark, and hiking the Adirondack Trail.  Participants will be hiking an easy-to-moderate trail, and the Adirondack trail is 1.46 miles (one way), and this hike doubles back on itself.  

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

 Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Join our Outdoor Recreation team and help create an enjoyable experience for participants exploring new MetroParks and outdoor activities in a supportive and safe environment! Our Hiking for Older Adults program is designed to equip individuals with the essential knowledge and skills they need to embark on day hikes with confidence and ease. Volunteers will assist participants in discovering the benefits of using trekking poles, which will be available for everyone to try. With the guidance of our staff, volunteers will enhance the hiking experience as participants explore the beauty of nature, increase their physical activity, and uncover new trails.

Embrace this opportunity to improve both your physical and mental well-being while supporting others in the stunning surroundings of MetroParks!  

This opportunity will be at Possum Creek MetroPark, and hiking the purple trail, an easy-to-moderate trail.  The purple trail itself is 1.4 miles and is located in the natural areas of the park.

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Join our Outdoor Recreation team and help create an enjoyable experience for participants exploring new MetroParks and outdoor activities in a supportive and safe environment! Our Hiking for Older Adults program is designed to equip individuals with the essential knowledge and skills they need to embark on day hikes with confidence and ease. Volunteers will assist participants in discovering the benefits of using trekking poles, which will be available for everyone to try. With the guidance of our staff, volunteers will enhance the hiking experience as participants explore the beauty of nature, increase their physical activity, and uncover new trails.

Embrace this opportunity to improve both your physical and mental well-being while supporting others in the stunning surroundings of MetroParks!  

This opportunity will be at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, and hiking the blue trail, an easy-to-moderate trail.  The blue trail itself is 1.1 miles and is located in the natural areas of the park.

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Our Outdoor Recreation team creates a learning environment that helps individuals enjoy the outdoors through fun and safe activities. The MetroParks Trails Challenge is a great way to explore the region's trails while staying active outdoors. Participants can complete the challenge on their own schedule and at their own pace, choosing the trails they prefer. Are you a volunteer who enjoys exploring MetroParks and a variety of trails?  Our recreation team, along with the support of volunteers, provides personalized attention during scheduled hikes, enhancing the experience for everyone involved. Volunteers help individuals seeking to enhance their physical and mental well-being while connecting with nature and embracing an active outdoor lifestyle. Join us as a program support volunteer to help connect participants with nature, embrace an active outdoor lifestyle, and meet others with similar interests. This opportunity will be at Germantown MetroPark, and hiking the green trail (1.4 miles).  

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Join our Outdoor Recreation team and help create an enjoyable experience for participants exploring new MetroParks and outdoor activities in a supportive and safe environment! Our Hiking for Older Adults program is designed to equip individuals with the essential knowledge and skills they need to embark on day hikes with confidence and ease. Volunteers will assist participants in discovering the benefits of using trekking poles, which will be available for everyone to try. With the guidance of our staff, volunteers will enhance the hiking experience as participants explore the beauty of nature, increase their physical activity, and uncover new trails.

Embrace this opportunity to improve both your physical and mental well-being while supporting others in the stunning surroundings of MetroParks!   This opportunity will be at Aullwood Garden MetroPark, and hiking the garden trail.  Participants will be hiking an easy-to-moderate trail while enjoying the beauty of this historic estate site.  

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

 Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Our Outdoor Recreation team creates a learning environment that helps individuals enjoy the outdoors through fun and safe activities. The MetroParks Trails Challenge is a great way to explore the region's trails while staying active outdoors. Participants can complete the challenge on their own schedule and at their own pace, choosing the trails they prefer. Are you a volunteer who enjoys exploring MetroParks and a variety of trails?  Our recreation team, along with the support of volunteers, provides personalized attention during scheduled hikes, enhancing the experience for everyone involved. Volunteers help individuals seeking to enhance their physical and mental well-being while connecting with nature and embracing an active outdoor lifestyle. Join us as a program support volunteer to help connect participants with nature, embrace an active outdoor lifestyle, and meet others with similar interests. This opportunity will be at Englewood MetroPark, and hiking the Stillwater River trail (3.1 miles).  

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Be a part of the Annual TVT Challenge! This fun, non-competitive hiking endurance event challenges participants to see how far they can hike in one day. Various routes will be marked along the Twin Valley Trail, with hiking options ranging from 1 to 27 miles.  Aid Station volunteers help provide support to hiker participants by serving refreshments, checking for safety concerns, and alerting staff of any participants who need additional support or a ride back to the starting point.

Impact

Five Rivers MetroParks provides an array of outdoor events and large programs throughout the year for residents of the Miami Valley to get connected to recreation, music, history, family, and most of all, nature. Program support volunteers serve a critical role in ensuring participants at special event or large-scale programs learn more about MetroParks and our program and volunteer opportunities, as well as, help the event run smoothly from set-up to teardown.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Our Outdoor Recreation team creates a learning environment that helps individuals enjoy the outdoors through fun and safe activities. The MetroParks Trails Challenge is a great way to explore the region's trails while staying active outdoors. Participants can complete the challenge on their own schedule and at their own pace, choosing the trails they prefer. Are you a volunteer who enjoys exploring MetroParks and a variety of trails?  Our recreation team, along with the support of volunteers, provides personalized attention during scheduled hikes, enhancing the experience for everyone involved. Volunteers help individuals seeking to enhance their physical and mental well-being while connecting with nature and embracing an active outdoor lifestyle. Join us as a program support volunteer to help connect participants with nature, embrace an active outdoor lifestyle, and meet others with similar interests. This opportunity will be at Medlar Conservation Area, located in Miami Township, where we protect 416 acres containing mature woods, fields, shrub-scrub habitat, a pond, and a number of created wetlands, preserving some of the last quality open space in this part of Montgomery County.  This hike is along the bikeway, and the Great Little Trail is paved. (2.3miles).  

Impact

Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning.  They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual,  long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these opportunities:  

Program Support

Hi! We are looking for additional kayaking and cycling volutneers for this summer. We host kayaking on Tuesday evenings, Thursday evenings, Wednesday morning, Saturday Mornings at our property in Powell, Ohio. We have cycling on Thursday mornings, Friday mornings, and on the weekends.

Please view our calendar here and create a account and sign up - https://adaptivesportsconnection.org/volunteer/current-volunteer-opportunities/

We need an instructor for a for a class on the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, Access). This is designed for people to re-enter the job force. May become a paid position if grant funding can be secured. The program has to be up and running first.

We had landscaping done in May to the front of the building (North) and will need help in landscaping on the sides (East and West). We will provide the flowers, mulch, paint, gloves, and lunch. Planned on 6/20 with rain date 6/27

Skeels has a raised community garden that will need weeded and maintained. 

Learn, grow, and give back to the trails you love with this exciting Service Saturday trail maintenance volunteer opportunity! Led by our knowledgeable staff, these trail maintenance opportunities will focus on revitalizing the trail systems at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Learn alongside like-minded individuals on the whys and hows of building and maintaining a sustainable trail system on these hands-on workdays.

Impact

Volunteers who support Trail Maintenance help MetroParks provide safe, consistent, and high-quality trail experiences for visitors with varied interests and levels of abilities in a manner that protects and sustains the natural resources and habitats at each park.

Tasks  

Eligibility: This opportunity is open to individuals, groups, public, long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 14 and up.

Additional Notes

Learn more about Park Maintenance opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Do you enjoy gardening in a variety of settings? Would you like to discover gardening design ideas and unique plants for the home landscape? Make an impact by helping staff in the Federal, English, Victorian, and Woodland Gardens, among other great horticulture features at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.

Impact

Horticulture at Five Rivers MetroParks creates, maintains, and preserves green space and habitats for pollinators and native plants, as well as educates visitors on sustainable gardening practices and local food production.  Gardening volunteers support the Horticulture and Outdoor Connections staff in a variety of gardening tasks. 

Tasks

Under the supervision of the Staff Lead, support and assist with the following tasks:

Eligibility

Additional Notes:

​ Learn more about Garden opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

There are many opportunities to help. Volunteers prepare, deliver, and serve meals; wash dishes; play games with children; help with homework; fold brochures; pack lunches; assemble fundraising baskets; and spend time with guests.

Shifts in the adult shelter are daily 5:30am-7am or 7pm-11pm; in the Family Shelter daily 4pm-7pm and various times for administrative, professional, labor or special events help.

Contact volunteer coordinator, Missy for more information.

For this project, volunteers will assemble summer activity kits by organizing, sorting, and packing items such as jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, books, and other play materials into individual take-home bags. This project is important because children experiencing food insecurity may lack access to summer activities that promote physical, mental, and developmental health. For many low-income families with young children, the summer months create added hardship. As the school year ends, households lose access to free and reduced meal programs, structured learning environments, and dependable full-day childcare, increasing both financial strain and caregiving challenges. Volunteers will work collaboratively to create a list of possible games and activities that can be performed with the kit contents. The kits and activity lists will be distributed to the Pantry's youngest neighbors during the first week of June. 

Please help us with inside renovations (including painting) and outside cleanup at the Resurrection Center!

We are looking for volunteers to prep the site for a new inclusive playground at Alexander Elementary School. This will involve removing old equipment, shoveling dirt, filling holes with dirt, hauling equipment and lots of fun!

The TVT Challenge, a fun, non-competitive hiking endurance event, gives participants the chance to test their limits and to see how far they can hike in one day. Various routes will be marked along the Twin Valley Trail, with hiking options ranging from 1 to 27 miles. 

Sustainability Volunteers are needed to help educate the community about sustainability and direct them on how to sort and dispose of compostables, recyclables, and other waste at this fun event.  This is a vital role supporting our goal of hosting waste free events. This is a great opportunity for Master Recycler Volunteers!

Special Event volunteers serve a critical role in ensuring events and large-scale programs run smoothly. 

Under the supervision of staff, support and assist with the following tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual public, short-term, or long-term volunteers, ages 16 and up. Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Learn more about Special Events opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House. 

Garden to Go kits are take-home program kits that allow families to experience nature on their own time while learning new things and developing new skills. Each kit has seeds, plants, and educational resources to help give people the opportunity to grow a vegetable garden on their own. There are benefits of being outside in nature while planting and caring for plants, and harvesting produce and flowers adds that extra level of benefit. The main goal is to provide tools for empowerment in food choice and increased access to healthy produce in areas struggling with food insecurity.    Volunteers will support the program team to distribute the kits for individuals and families to pick up at the outreach location.  These outreach opportunities are community partner food pantries.  The programming team is looking for volunteers who are enthusiastic, personable, and able to compassionately assist people from many different backgrounds and walks of life without judgment.

Impact

Each year, we aim to assemble and distribute 750 or more kits to families and individuals in our community who live in areas designated as food deserts or who struggle with access to fresh produce. By volunteering to assist with this program, you’re making a BIG impact and helping empower people with food choices and increased access to healthy produce in our community!

Tasks

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up.   

Additional Notes

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275, or join us at a Volunteer Open House

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support

Wesley Chapel Mission Center is a community-centered ministry serving children, youth, and families in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The Mission Center provides a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment where students from kindergarten through high school can grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

Through after-school programs, tutoring, mentoring, meals, recreation, and enrichment activities, Wesley Chapel helps young people build confidence, develop life skills, and succeed in school and beyond. The organization is committed to fostering meaningful relationships, strengthening families, and creating opportunities for hope and growth within the community.

Wesley Chapel also relies on dedicated volunteers and community partners who help create a caring atmosphere where every student feels valued, encouraged, and empowered to thrive.

We are looking for volunteers who would like to commit a few hours weekly to help out at the United Way office with various clerical needs.

4 volunteers needed to Clean up trash and litter around the PCHD grounds and woods

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is currently seeking volunteers to help with their 2026 Season Launch event!

The event takes place on Friday, August 14th from 5 - 9pm at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, and is a big open-house for the community!

Volunteer tasks include greeting guests at the front door, assisting office staff with directing guests, gallery guide help, and more!

This is an indoor event, and snacks, water, coffee, and pop will be provided for all volunteers in a volunteer break room. Volunteers do not need to volunteer for the entire event, they are scheduled in 1-hour shifts, so you can choose to do just one hour, the whole event, or anything in between!

Weed and spread mulch at our Ravenna offices along with our staff to beautify the property for our clients.

Safer Futures is seeking volunteer support to repaint our advocate office spaces during Day of Caring. This project will help transform our work environment into a more welcoming, calming, and professional space for both staff and the survivors we serve.

Why This Project Matters:

By investing time into improving our physical space, volunteers directly contribute to creating a trauma informed and welcoming environment. This project is more than painting walls—it’s about strengthening the foundation of healing and hope.

Seasonal Reset and Repack

We don't just pack supply bags - we make sure every coach starts the season strong, with what they need to create a safe space where girls can learn, grow, and feel confident.

We’re looking for 2-4 dedicated volunteers to support a hands-on project preparing for our Fall 2026 season.

What you'll do:

What's In Each Bag:

Packing lists and guidance will be provided on-site.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is seeking volunteers to help prep and paint our Program Manager’s office as part of United Way’s Day of Caring. This office serves as a central space where we host staff, meet with board members, welcome supporters, and hold site visits with funders. It is also a place where we connect with the youth and families we serve. Creating a clean, updated, and calming environment helps us make a strong and positive first impression.

What this project will do for Big Brothers Big Sisters: A freshly painted office will create a welcoming, professional space for everyone who walks through our doors. It shows pride in our work and respect for the youth, families, and community partners we serve. This simple update will also boost staff morale by creating an environment that feels cared for, positive, and ready for meaningful connection.

Project details: Volunteers will assist with prepping and painting one office space.

Shepherd's House is seeking volunteers to help deep clean our facility as a part of United Way's Day of Caring. Your time and effort will help create a refreshed and welcoming enviornment for the individuals and families that we serve. 

What you'll do:

Why this project matters:

A clean space is more than just appearance, it directly impacts the health, safety, and well-being of our guests. Your help will allow us to:

With volunteers painting walls and cabinets, the environment becomes more welcoming, cleaner, and more dignified for everyone who walks through the doors.  When people come into shop, they should feel seen, respected, and valued.

At the same time, volunteers supporting donation drop-offs, receiving, hanging, and sorting clothing help the center run more smoothly and efficiently. It means families in need can access clothing more quickly, with better organization and care. It also allows staff to focus more on serving people rather than just managing inventory.

Beyond the physical work, this day builds connection. It brings the community into the mission. Volunteers don’t just complete tasks—they become part of the story. They see firsthand the impact, and that often leads to continued support, advocacy, and even long-term involvement.

The Nature Play Space needs weeding, pruning, mulching, cleaning up branches, leaves, etc., and rearranging logs so children can better use the area.

This Shadow Experience opportunity is for those volunteers in training to serve as a Historic Interpreter Volunteer. You will be partnered with a qualified and experienced volunteer and/or Staff Lead during this shadow experience to observe, learn, and practice the skills needed to fully qualify as a Historic Interpreter.

Through oral history, letters, diaries, government records, and other primary and secondary sources, a picture of a lifestyle emerges that Carriage Hill interpreters can bring to life for the public. Volunteers represent what living in the 1880s might have been like, and help visitors make a stronger connection to the history of Carriage Hill and the experience of life on an 1880s working farm.  Historic interpreter volunteers allow people to enjoy an experience at the historic farm, see demonstrations of simple everyday farm tasks, and get a personal introduction to life on the farm. 

The interpretative purpose of the farm is to use the Arnold Family, who once lived at Carriage Hill Farm, as a guide to how a real conservative farm family is in real-time at a real place. Volunteers represent what living in the 1880s might have been like, and help visitors make a stronger connection to the history of Carriage Hill and experience life on an 1880s working farm.  

Under the supervision of the historic farm staff, volunteers assist and support with the following:

This opportunity is open to individual, long-term, short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up who have completed the Historic Interpreter virtual training.  

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Carriage Hill Farm Chores

Program Support

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts will be taking part in the Liberty Township Fall Festival with a free craft!

We will be setting up a booth at the festival to offer guests a free fall themed craft, and are currently seeking volunteers to help run the booth.

Volunteer duties include handing out supplies, helping guests with questions, assisting guests with the craft, and keeping the are tidy. Fitton Center staff members will be present during the whole event, so will train volunteers on the craft, and help volunteers during the event.

Volunteers do not need to sign up for the whole event, they can work any hours they would like, from just 1 hour to the entire event.

Water will be provided, as well as chairs for volunteers, but it is an outdoor event, so please dress according to the weather!

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is taking part in Operation Pumpkin in 2026 with a free craft and pumpkin racing booth!

The Fitton Center will have a free activity for guests to take part in, where they will decorate a mini-pumpkin and then have the chance to race it in a mini derby race, and is seeking volunteers to help run the craft portion of the activity!

Volunteer duties include handing out supplies, helping guests with questions, assisting guests with making the craft, and keeping the area tidy. Fitton Center staff members will always be present, to show volunteers how to make the craft itself, and working along side volunteers.

The event itself is from 11am - 5pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but volunteers will be scheduled in hourly shifts, so you don't have to work the whole event if you don't want to! You can sign up for as many hours as you'd like.

Water will be provided at the booth for volunteers, as well as chairs, but it is an outdoor event so volunteers will need to dress for the weather!

The Fitton Center is taking part in the 2026 Hamilton Pride event, and is currently seeking volunteers to help with their free craft booth!

We will be putting on a free make-your-own headband booth from 12 - 4pm during Hamilton Pride on June 6th.

Volunteers will help hand out supplies, assist guests with questions, keep the area tidy, and help guests with the craft itself. Fitton Center staff will also be on site, to train volunteers on how to do the craft, and to answer any questions.

We will have water at our booth for volunteers, as well as chairs!

NorthStar Home Hospice is locally owned and operated and we are committed to providing compassionate, personalized care to our patients who are living in their own homes or long-term care facilities throughout the Greater Cincinnati area, including Butler County. We currently have opportuinities to share companionship and comfort to patients throughout Butler County.

At NorthStar Home Hospice, we believe in neighbors helping neighbors. If you're a senior with a caring heart, your presence can mean the world to another senior on their final journey. Being a hospice volunteer is profoundly rewarding and there is no previous experience needed or personal care involved.

Some of the ways YOU can make a difference when visiting patients:

We provide volunteers with:

You can complete the volunteer application at the following link:

https://www.volgistics.com/appform/2124156212

NorthStar Home Hospice is locally owned and operated, serving Butler County and throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. We are dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized care that honors the dignity and wishes of our patients and their families.

We are looking for pet therapy teams to visit our patients living in their own homes and in long-term care facilities throughout Butler County. Visits from dogs and their human counterparts can lift hospice patients' spirits, be a calming presence, and make them smile at a time when they need it most.

If you're already a certified/registered pet therapy team we want to hear from you now! If your dog is not certified/registered yet, check out one of the organizations below for details how to make it happen:

We provide the human member of the team with ongoing support, comprehensive orientation/training, and screenings at no cost to you. Once you complete your orientation and screenings, we will strive to assign you and your dog close to home, and based on your schedule and availability.

Your dog must have:

Become part of something special and make a difference in the lives of local hospice patients!

Complete the volunteer application at this link:

https://www.volgistics.com/appform/2124156212

Lend a hand behind the scenes to make our annual gala a success! Volunteers will help with assembling auction and raffle items, clerical tasks, and other event prep—no experience needed!

Be part of our biggest night of the year! Volunteers will assist with guest check-in, raffle and auction tables, greeting guests, and general event support throughout the evening.

Help us create a fun, welcoming event for youth and families! Volunteers are needed for setup, clean-up, kids' activities, and running booths—no experience needed, just a willing heart!

Join us as a childcare volunteer during our monthly foster parent meetings! You'll help supervise and engage children in fun activities while caregivers attend training.

Join us as a childcare volunteer during our monthly foster parent meetings! You'll help supervise and engage children in fun activities while caregivers attend training.

M.A.S.H. is a non-profit organization that supports the veterans across central Ohio that is moving to a new site opening on May 1st at 540 Sunbury Rd. (east of the 36/37 merge behind the bowling alley - go into the bowling alley parking lot and follow to the building behind it). We provide food to active duty, veterans & their families and surviving spouses. We also provide a place for them to interact for camaraderie, building model planes, boats, trains, play cards, quilting, sewing, etc. We also provide greenhouses for veterans to grow food that will get handed out at the pantries. In addition, we host Potluck Breakfasts for various holidays and provide training on benefits for veterans. We are in need of personnel to help us receive, stock, pack and hand-out food to veterans, as well as greeters and people interested in aiding the veterans at the site.

This role is for someone to greet veterans when they arrive at the site.
Volunteers will need to sign up at our website - https://www.mashpantry.org/volunteers

M.A.S.H. is a non-profit organization that supports the veterans across central Ohio that is moving to a new site opening on May 1st at 540 Sunbury Rd. (east of the 36/37 merge behind the bowling alley - go into the bowling alley parking lot and follow to the building behind it). We provide food to active duty, veterans & their families and surviving spouses. We also provide a place for them to interact for camaraderie, building model planes, boats, trains, play cards, quilting, sewing, etc. We also provide greenhouses for veterans to grow food that will get handed out at the pantries. In addition, we host Potluck Breakfasts for various holidays and provide training on benefits for veterans. We are in need of personnel to help us receive, stock, pack and hand-out food to veterans, as well as greeters and people interested in aiding the veterans at the site.

This role is for someone to greet veterans when they arrive at the site.
Volunteers will need to sign up at our website - https://www.mashpantry.org/volunteers

M.A.S.H. is a non-profit organization that supports the veterans across central Ohio that is moving to a new site opening on May 1st at 540 Sunbury Rd. (east of the 36/37 merge behind the bowling alley - go into the bowling alley parking lot and follow to the building behind it). We provide food to active duty, veterans & their families and surviving spouses. We also provide a place for them to interact for camaraderie, building model planes, boats, trains, play cards, quilting, sewing, etc. We also provide greenhouses for veterans to grow food that will get handed out at the pantries. In addition, we host Potluck Breakfasts for various holidays and provide training on benefits for veterans. We are in need of personnel to help us receive, stock, pack and hand-out food to veterans, as well as greeters and people interested in aiding the veterans at the site.

This role is for someone to greet veterans when they arrive at the site.
Volunteers will need to sign up at our website - https://www.mashpantry.org/volunteers

Join our programming team for a series of canning classes designed to teach participants how to preserve fruits and vegetables affordably and efficiently. The timeless technique of hot water bath canning was used in the 19th century for preserving jams, jellies, syrups, and pickled items. Each week, we will utilize both period recipes and their modern equivalents, offering a variety of recipes. Our program support volunteers are there to support both staff and participants, ensuring everyone learns the essential skills needed to safely create beautifully sealed jars of goodness to take home. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with others, learn a valuable skill, and enjoy delicious homemade preserves!

Program Support Volunteers are welcome and can participate in various entry-level opportunities to support our programs—typically, no expert knowledge is required. However, volunteers who support the cookery programs should have some culinary experience.

Volunteers enable us to accomplish so much more by lending a hand in simple activities, allowing demonstrators to take a break, or talking with the visitors about the activities while allowing the tasks to be completed.

This opportunity is open to the following volunteers: Long-term and Short-term. Learn more about our types of service here. 

Look for additional details about this opportunity at the bottom of this listing! See the Programming Volunteer Position for more information on programming opportunities with us.  

Visit the Historic Interpreter page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Historic Interpreter volunteers. 

We're looking for enthusiastic, driven individuals aged 16 and older to help make our BT5K Breakthrough for Brain Tumors event a huge success. Lend a hand out on the course, at the event site, with pre- or post-event activities, as part of the planning committee, or in one of many other ways.

*Children under 18 will need a signed parental consent form.

To register as a volunteer and see all the volunteer roles for the event go to https://abta.volunteerhub.com/vv2/

School Program volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our school field trips. Those who support the school program field trips allow staff to extend the opportunities for school groups to get outside into a living classroom and connect STEM standards to real situations. Some of these field trips are also offered to Scouts and other groups who want to learn about nature.   Volunteers enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create an inclusive skill-building environment. Volunteers help make it possible for kids and teachers to develop a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.  

This Shadow Experience opportunity is for those volunteers in training to serve as a School Program Volunteer. You will be partnered with a qualified and experienced volunteer and/or Staff Lead during this shadow experience to observe, learn, and practice the skills needed to successfully lead an activity station or school group.

School group size:  Gloria Dei Montessori

30 K - 5 grade students with 3 chaperones  

Discovering Soils is an interactive school field trip throughout the season at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, engaging young learners in a variety of activities and topics relating to soil science, and composting. Students will get their hands dirty digging and examining soil, learning what makes it so important, and how composting is a great way to keep our soil thriving.  Volunteers will help with groups of children in sensory exploration in nature and be a part of inspiring future generations of gardeners!

Eligibility: This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as School Program Volunteer.  This opportunity is available for OSUE Master Gardener service hours.

***If you missed the training session but are interested in responding to this opportunity, email volunteer.services@metroparks.org to review the training materials and schedule shadow experiences.

Additional Notes

Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Volunteers should park and meet staff at Skeeter's Garden.  Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 1/2 hour before the school arrives for a brief orientation, review of stations and to gather supplies needed. 

Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors - Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. Volunteers may lead a group over uneven terrain and may be walking (1-to 3-mile hikes) during this opportunity.

Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275, or join us at a Volunteer Open House

Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this/these opportunities:

Program Support

Your volunteer service helps protect our region’s natural heritage and keeps our parks and river corridors healthy and beautiful.

To receive your kit, you must RSVP for a Drive-Thru Adopt-A-Park Service Kit Pick-up. Kits will be available for pick-up in the morning at Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark on Saturday, April 25.

Service kits are intended to be used during April and May as part of our Adopt-A-Park efforts. Cleanups completed outside of this timeframe will not be eligible for volunteer hour tracking in Get Connected.

If you're registering as an individual, click Respond.
If you're planning to participate with a small team, select Respond as a Team to register your group.

As a Team Leader, you will:

For a step-by-step guide, click here to watch a short video walkthrough of the team registration process.

For registration assistance, contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call 937-275-PARK.

If this is your first time using a service kit or you'd like a refresher, please review the service kit instructions. These instructions will be included in your kit. You may clean up any green space of your choosing, or use the list provided in your kit to find high-priority areas within MetroParks.

Trash Disposal:
Please take your bagged trash with you or place it in the nearest park trash receptacle if working outside of a Five Rivers MetroPark.

Log Your Impact:
After your cleanup, please:

We appreciate our volunteers, staff, and generous community sponsors for supporting this effort:

Montgomery County Environmental Services

Keep Montgomery County Beautiful

QEI Engineers Inc.

Join us for these additional Public Volunteer Days: 

Interested in other volunteer opportunities with MetroParks? Learn more about our types of volunteer service and how to get started as a volunteer with us. 

We provide Hospice Services to Residents at home and in facilities, throughout Portage, Summit, Stark, and Medina Counties. Our volunteers have opportunities to serve in many capacities: Administrative Volunteers assist with administrative needs in our office, including filing, photocopying, assembling information packets, assistance with mailings, making phone calls, etc. Direct Care Volunteers visit our patients in their homes or in nursing facilities, providing companionship, emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families. They may provide respite care, and may also make “tuck-In calls” to our patients on a regular basis, particularly prior to weekends or holidays, to ensure that they have adequate supplies, in an effort to avoid any emergencies. Bereavement Volunteers are advised by the Bereavement Coordinator and serve as an additional support to the bereavement program, which provides services to grieving families and caregivers during the 13-month period following the death of the hospice patient. Support by the volunteer may include assistance with administrative tasks (such as standard mailings), assistance with a Bereavement Support Group and/or assistance with the Annual Memorial Service. These volunteers must undergo some additional training.

We provide Hospice Services to Residents at home and in facilities, throughout Portage, Summit, Stark, and Medina Counties. Our volunteers have opportunities to serve in many capacities: Administrative Volunteers assist with administrative needs in our office, including filing, photocopying, assembling information packets, assistance with mailings, making phone calls, etc. Direct Care Volunteers visit our patients in their homes or in nursing facilities, providing companionship, emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families. They may provide respite care, and may also make “tuck-In calls” to our patients on a regular basis, particularly prior to weekends or holidays, to ensure that they have adequate supplies, in an effort to avoid any emergencies. Bereavement Volunteers are advised by the Bereavement Coordinator and serve as an additional support to the bereavement program, which provides services to grieving families and caregivers during the 13-month period following the death of the hospice patient. Support by the volunteer may include assistance with administrative tasks (such as standard mailings), assistance with a Bereavement Support Group and/or assistance with the Annual Memorial Service. These volunteers must undergo some additional training.