Put Yourself Into The Picture

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens
can change the world... Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
-- Margaret Mead, a noted anthropologist.

Come change your part of the world! Put your time, talents, and enthusiasm to work at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Volunteerism is a tradition at John Heinz, indeed it was a small group of dedicated volunteers who saved this Refuge. But the refuge still needs people like you to continue the tradition. Volunteers play a crucial role in many of the refuge's programs.

There are so many opportunities to get involved with the refuge, and not too surprisingly, most can easily matched up with a person's natural inclinations. Read on to find the "Perfect" opportunity for you!

Do you like to work with children?
Become an Environmental Education Field Trip Assistant and work directly with students visiting the refuge. The refuge is frequently visited by students ranging in age from Kindergarten through college. Your work with them will enrich their visit to the refuge.

If you are a Mr. or Mrs. Fixit, then,
We need your help as a Maintenance Assistant to keep the refuge shining. Build boardwalks or benches, and help maintain our green building, the Cusano Environmental Education Center.

Are you a natural-born naturalist?
Join our ranks as a Walk Leader. For over 20 years naturalist volunteers have been leading walks that are free and open to the public every weekend. Thousands of local citizens have been turned on to birding, butterflies, trees, and all manner of wild things through these walks. We need new trainees to help carry on this tremendous public service, perhaps extending them also to weekdays.

Do you like photography? Parties? Picture yourself
As a Photo Group Member, working with students who are learning about the environment "Through the Eye of the Lens", or helping to document refuge events, or contributing to photographic data base of flora and fauna found on the Refuge.

As a Special Events Aide. Help with our annual banquet, and/or special members events, or help with Refuge events such as National Public Lands Day, Darby Creek Clean-up Day, or National Wildlife Refuge Week.

Don't mind getting dirty?
Become a Trail Tamer and you can help to maintain hiking and biking trails, help to plan and develop native species habitat "theme gardens", or lend your expertise as we plan and develop our handicapped access trail.

Join our Water Quality Team. On and off-site, you can help set up water testing in the Darby-Cobbs Creeks watershed(s), work on stream clean-ups, or coordinate educational efforts with projects such as "storm drain stenciling."

Are you a born sales person? We need you!
As a Sales Clerk in "Tinicum Treasures", our nature store for about 4 hours, one day a week. Sales support refuge projects such as furnishing the library, and/or the handicapped access trail.

If you like to talk to people, then picture yourself
As a Front Desk Volunteer, where, for a few hours, one day a week, you can greet visitors, and answer their questions.

Working our information table at Public Events, such as International Migratory Bird Day, or Pathways to Fishing.

Helping to develop our Speaker's Bureau. We have a wonderful slide presentation about the Friends and the Refuge, as well as an excellent video. We need to develop an audience.

Do you like to work in an office setting? Then we could use you:
As a Grant Writer, working with the Friends Board of Directors to solicit grants for Refuge improvements and educational programs, such as Earth Stewards.

As an Administrative Assistant, working on web-site updates, and/or newsletter publication, and occasional letter writing campaigns.

As a Library Aide, Helping visitors find and check out books or videos from the Resource Room at the Cusano Environmental Education Center (CEEC).

If you don't have a lot of time but would like to help out:
You could make a donation to our Endowment Fund, which will help to fund special Refuge projects; or

You could make a donation to our General Fund, which helps the Friends organization to meet our operating expenses.

Your donation of time or money keeps the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum running. Last year over 200 volunteers donated over 6000 hours of their time.

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