VolunteerNews
Merry Lea to hold Fall Volunteer Training Day
posted 8/18/09
In preparation for the fall environmental education season, Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center will conduct a volunteer training on Wednesday, September 9, from 9:00 to 2:30. All teaching/guide volunteers are encouraged to attend.
The schedule for the day is as follows:
9:00 Introductions and general orientation information
9:45
Autumn Adventures program orientation
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Farmcraft program orientation
2:30 Adjourn
We’ll meet at the Learning Center building for the morning activities; lunch will be served at the Farmstead Barn. The afternoon orientation will take place at the Farmstead. Directions to these locations are available here. Please contact Roberta Miller by September 4 to RSVP.
Volunteers will get a first look at the new Autumn Adventures curriculum that will be introduced for school groups this fall. It promises to be a fun program with great experiential activities.
The Volunteer Training Day is an excellent time for new volunteers to receive orientation to Merry Lea’s environmental education program. You can help make a school field trip to Merry Lea a memorable experience for the more than 2000 children who come every fall. Volunteer registration forms are available online. For more information about working with the program, please contact Roberta Miller.
Getting ready for Sugar Bush 2009
Posted 2/2009
“Tis winter now . . . but maple sugar season will come! At Merry Lea, we are in the midst of planning for the visit of hundreds of school children to the Yoder Sugar Bush.
Already the program days are fully scheduled, and Larry Yoder has begun the important background work of splitting wood and other preparation at the sugar bush farm. So it’s also time to get ready on the volunteer front.
Volunteers are needed to help with teaching, program support, and production support to make the Sugar Bush program successful. A special training day is scheduled for Monday, February 16, 9 to 1 at the Yoder Farm. Lunch will be served We encourage all volunteers to attend. Please RSVP to Roberta [email link] by February 6.
- Read more about the 2009 Sugar Bush program including a timeline and volunteer job descriptions
- Let us know when you are available to help out. Download this Sugar Bush volunteer scheduling form
- Sign up to be on an email list to find out about pre season preparation work days at the sugar bush farm.
For more information, contact Roberta Miller, volunteer coordinator, (260) 799-5869
New Volunteer Coordinator
In September, Merry Lea welcomed Roberta Miller, Lagrange County, IN, to the front desk position at the Learning Center. Miller replaces Jenny Spitler, who has taken a position teaching science at West Noble High School. Miller will wear many hats in her new role. Like Spitler before her, Miller will serve as volunteer coordinator, receive visitors and handle a variety of administrative tasks. In addition, she has also been appointed Merry Lea’s first farm manager. As farm manager, she will provide support to the agroecology program, especially for portions of the growing season when students are not present.
“I’m looking forward to working with Merry Lea's volunteers and learning from them, too,” Miller says. “It will be fun to see the contributions they make.” “I think having a farm manager who is also volunteer coordinator is a real plus,” says Dale Hess, Merry Lea’s agroecologist. “We would welcome more volunteer help in our gardens.”
Farmcraft
Our volunteers have been helping elementary students from Northern Indiana learn about farming before electricity. This fall, volunteers will help teach about 2,000 students. Our programs would not be successful without our teaching volunteers. We are still in need of good volunteers who would be willing to help with this program!