Seattle Parks press release:

Seattle Parks is calling all volunteers! Come to one of two volunteer open houses at Discovery Park, Camp Long

Start the year off right by making a difference in your community - volunteer! Come and discover the many opportunities that await you, including volunteer naturalist, park steward, data entry volunteer, and much, much more.

Seattle Parks and Recreation could not do what they do without the invaluable volunteers – some 43,000 people put in 360,000 hours in 2010 - and will hold two open houses to provide information and answer questions about volunteer opportunities:

Discovery Park Volunteer Open House, Discovery Park Visitor Center, 3801 Discovery Park Blvd. – Wednesday January 11, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Camp Long Volunteer Open House, Camp Long Lodge, 5200 35th Ave. SW – Saturday January 14, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

About the Seattle Volunteer Naturalist Program

Do you love sharing nature with others? Are you interested in learning more about the flora and fauna of the Seattle’s many parks? Then you might be the perfect candidate for the Seattle Volunteer Naturalist program.

Volunteer Naturalists participate in 10 weeks of training and commit to at least one year of volunteering at Environmental Learning Centers and parklands near schools throughout Seattle. Volunteer naturalists provide hands-on learning opportunities for school groups and nature programs for families and adults and discovery stations throughout the city. Volunteers’ backgrounds are as varied as the students they teach - the common thread is their desire to share nature with the greater Seattle community.

The goal of the Seattle Volunteer Naturalist Program is to enhance, promote and foster appreciation of nature by connecting citizens and students with their Seattle park lands, by providing educational opportunities for all. Training for Volunteer Naturalists begins in March of 2012. The deadline for applications is February 10, 2012. For additional information, please email Penny Rose at penny.rose@seattle.gov or call her at 206-386-4250.