U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region

Volunteers at the front desk. Credit Marco Sánchez, SNHA Intern.

Volunteer

The Flickr site is brought to you courtesy of Seney Natural History Association.

Volunteer logo. Credit Marco Sánchez, SNHA Intern.

Volunteer preparing to drive the bus in a parade. Credit: USFWS.

Volunteers staffing a booth. Credit: USFWS.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge annually relies on the contributions of over 40 volunteers. Many volunteers staff the Visitor Center Information Desk and help visitors plan their day. They also staff activity booths during special events, lead school and nature programs, conduct wildlife surveys, assist with maintenance projects and a variety of other tasks. Volunteers make a huge difference at Seney National Wildlife Refuge!

Seney's volunteer program works in cooperation with the local RSVP program. RSVP is the Retired Senior Volunteer Program that provides seniors sixty and over an opportunity to share a lifetime of experience through volunteer service in Delta, Menominee, Schoolcraft & Marinette counties.

Volunteers normally serve on a regular basis, such as one weekly four-hour shift at the visitor center and typically commute from the local area and nearby towns, in addition occasional volunteers are welcome for special projects. Trailer pads with hook-ups may be available for volunteers interested in working 20-40 hours weekly. Interested RV applicants need to be relatively self-sufficient and able to take care of their own facility maintenance.

During the summer, monthly training opportunities or social gatherings are a chance for volunteers, interns and staff to get to know one another.

Volunteer Information

Volunteer Orientation May 2011
Help us connect people with wildlife! General orientation will be on Wednesday May 11, 2011 with a volunteer bus tour on Thursday May 12, 2011. If you are interested in volunteering at the refuge you can register for the 2011 orientation, call Jennifer McDonough, Volunteer Coordinator (April to November) at 906-586-9851, ext. 16, or email Jennifer_McDonough@fws.gov or Sara Hollerich, Visitor Services Manager (December to March) at 906-586-9851 ext. 10 or email Sara_Hollerich@fws.gov.

Volunteers of the Year - 2010

Jim and Ethel Wells, 2010 volunteers of the year. Credit: Jennifer McDonough, USFWS.

Jim and Ethel Wells

Jim and Ethel Wells have been volunteering for the Refuge since 2003. They always seem to be available and willing to fill in for a variety of tasks and have taken the initiative to carry out several projects on their own. Jim and Ethel work a weekly, four hour shift at the visitor center desk where they enthusiastically greet visitors, answer questions, and encourage appropriate enjoyment of the Refuge. Besides their weekly shift they often fill in during other vacant desk shifts and have volunteered for the following list of tasks:

regularly distribute brochures to area businesses, Ethel created a distribution list;
assist with programming for school groups;
assist with special event including presenting at Scout Days;
Jim maintains all the fishing line collection containers;
Jim drives the bus for Wildlife Wednesdays and morning tours;
Ethel assisted with tallying volunteer information for an annual refuge report;
Ethel initiated a discussion and brought ideas to the board regarding upgrading our donation box;
they host all of the interns for dinner at their house;
they attended last years Harbor Island CCP open house.

Jim and Ethel are a pleasure to work with and we thank them for their time and efforts.

Volunteer Position Descriptions

Current Volunteer Needs

Archive, photo, and Library Organization
Proofreader
Winter Recycling
Media
Flier distribution (February)

Visitor Center Front Desk and Bookstore Volunteer

Purpose: Front Desk and Bookstore volunteers represent Seney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to the public who visit the Refuge's Visitor Center May 15th to mid-October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Volunteers answer the public's questions and assist them in the Bookstore.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
Key Responsibilities:

Greet visitor.
Answer visitors' questions about Seney NWR, animals, plants, and general information about the area.
Assists visitors with finding items in the bookstore and checks them out using a computerized cash register.
Starts the Refuge orientation film.
Restocks and organizes the bookstore.
Counts the number of visitors.
Checks in and out binoculars, GPS units, and backpacks.
May perform some administrative duties which can be done at the front desk.
Other duties as assigned.

Reports to: The Visitor Services Manager and/or Volunteer Coordinator.
Time Commitment: One day per week for four hours (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 to 5 p.m.) for a maximum of 6 months per year. We also need people who can fill in on short notice who may not be willing to commit to a work schedule.
Qualifications: Pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, dependability, a general knowledge of the area wildlife and habitats. Basic knowledge of a computer.
Support: Training for the position will be provided. In addition the volunteer always have the support of staff to help answer difficult questions and provide assistance. There is CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and First Aid training available for those interested, the Refuge has an AED.
Age Requirement: None
Dress Code: A uniform shirt will be provided.
Current Needs: Many of these slots are filled, however, we will be looking for volunteers to fill open slots starting in May.

Proofreader

Purpose: The proofreader would find grammatical and factual errors in various Refuge publications.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge or from home.
Key Responsibilities:

Proofread newsletters, fliers, webpages, newspaper articles, etc.

Reports to: The Visitor Services Manager and/or Volunteer Coordinator.
Time Commitment: As needed.
Qualifications: Excellent writing and grammar skills. An annual computer security class is needed to access government computers.
Support: The person requesting help with proofreading will be available to answer questions.
Age Requirement: None
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: Assistance could be used immediately.

Archive, Photo and Library Organization

Purpose: The volunteer would be responsible for finishing a photo archival process with hard and electronic copies of historical and current photographs, as well as assist with the reorganization of the Refuge library. Work hours would be restricted to staff hours. Mid-October to May 14th, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or May 15th to Mid-October 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. any day.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center or the Refuge office.
Key Responsibilities:

Rename electronic photos.
Scan hard copy photos.
Organize image use permission forms.
Record metadata (metadata is the basic information about where a photo was taken, who took the photo, and a description of the photo, etc.)
Send electronic photos to the National Image Library and Region 3 headquarters.
Input information to an electronic database regarding photos and books.
Organize the Refuge's library.

Reports to: The Visitor Services Manager and/or Volunteer Coordinator.
Time Commitment: As the volunteer has time.
Qualifications: An annual computer security class is needed to access government computers. The volunteer must have basic knowledge of computers.
Support: Refuge staff will be available to answer questions.
Age Requirement: None
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: Assistance could be used immediately.

Maintenance Volunteer

Purpose: Maintenance volunteers duties will vary greatly at Seney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Volunteers may be needed anytime from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Projects may include but are not limited to: lawn care, grounds maintenance, clearing trees, building and maintenance of structures, trail building, construction projects, etc.

Reports to: Maintenance Staff, Assistant Refuge Manager, Refuge Manager, or requesting staff member.
Time Commitment: As needed.
Qualifications: General maintenance knowledge is needed. Specific training may be needed to operate certain machines. If a Refuge vehicle is used to you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge.
Support: Training will be provided if it is needed to operate specific machines. There is CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and First Aid training available for those interested, the Refuge has an AED.
Age Requirement: For some maintenance projects you may need to be 18 years old.
Dress Code: Appropriate dress for the situation, closed toed shoes. Some safety equipment may be required and will be provided.
Current Needs: Currently we have no projects as most projects are completed in late spring, summer, and early fall.

Winter Recycling

Purpose: Volunteers are needed to shuttle recycling to various recycling centers from Germfask to Manistique, MI.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Volunteers sort and deliver recyclables to Germfask, Waste Not Inc., and reusable packing materials to the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Manistique.

Reports to: Visitor Services Manager.
Time Commitment: Once every two to four weeks from October to May.
Qualifications: If a Refuge vehicle is used to deliver the recyclables you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge.
Support: A brief orientation about the requirements of each recycling facility will be provided.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: We have an immediate need for a volunteer.

Administrative Volunteer

Purpose: Serves as a receptionist at the Seney NWR office. The volunteer will help with administrative duties one to two days per week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Greets guests and directs them to the appropriate office or location.
Perform administrative duties such as: typing, faxing, responding to emails, distributing mail, preparing correspondence, helping to prepare bulk mailing, etc.
Other duties as assigned.

Reports to: Administrative Technician.
Time Commitment: Once or twice a week, or when large projects require additional assistance.
Qualifications: An annual computer security class is needed to access government computers.
Support: Training will be provided by the Administrative Technician.
Age Requirement: None.
Dress Code: Business casual, a volunteer shirt will be provided.
Current Needs: We have a volunteer currently fulfilling this position.

Biological Volunteer

Purpose: Biological volunteers help the biology and forestry programs meet their goals.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Assist with the completion of wildlife and plant surveys.
Participate in exotic species management.
Transplant saplings from one area to the Refuge to forest rehabilitation sites.

Reports to: Refuge Forester.
Time Commitment: Assistance with surveys may have to be conducted at specified times, assistance with tree transplantation and exotic species control may occur in the spring, summer and fall.
Qualifications: Plant/wildlife identification skills or specific requirements may be necessary to participate in surveys. A chemical applicators license is needed to spray exotic species. If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge.
Support: Some training may be provided before you begin work.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: For exotic species management all needed safety equipment will be provided.
Current Needs: Volunteers will be needed in the spring, summer, and fall.

Herbarium

Purpose: The Seney NWR Herbarium houses the voucher plant specimens which help with plant identification and provide a historic record of plants found on the Refuge.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Properly collect and identify plant specimens.
Maintains the plants in the Herbarium and the Herbarium records in the established method.

Reports to: Visitor Services Specialist.
Time Commitment: As the volunteer's time permits.
Qualifications: The volunteer must be able to correctly identify plants using a plant key and maintain work of the highest quality.
Support: The volunteer will work closely with the Visitor Services Specialist.
Age Requirement: None.
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: Assistance will be welcomed in the spring, summer, and fall.

Special Events

Purpose: Seney NWR hosts a variety of special events throughout the year varying in themes and needs.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge or the surrounding area.
Key Responsibilities:

Volunteers man booths ranging from registration to environmental education and interpretation.
Conducting environmental education and interpretation programs.
Answering participant questions.
Cooking and serving food.
Set-up and take-down.
Transporting items such as tables and chairs from place to place.
Shopping before the event.
Distribution of fliers before the event.

Reports to: Visitor Services Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, or an intern.
Time Commitment: The day of the special event or a few hours a prior to the event.
Qualifications: If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge. Basic knowledge of nature and the environment. Good public speaking skills. A pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, and dependability.
Support: A brief orientation and instructions will be provided before the event.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: We will need volunteers as special events approach.

Media

Purpose: As Seney NWR explores new media options volunteers willing to assist with these projects will prove a great attribute.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

New media may include but not limited to: creating podcasts, videos, working on the website, etc.

Reports to: Visitor Services Manager or the Volunteer Coordinator.
Time Commitment: As the volunteer's time permits.
Qualifications: An annual computer security class is needed to access government computers.
Support: The Visitor Services Manager will work closely with the media volunteer.
Age Requirement: None.
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: We have an immediate need for a volunteer.

Environmental Education/Interpretation

Purpose: From time to time the Visitor Services Staff may need help with Environmental Education (EE) and Interpretation programs.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Lead or assist with Environmental Education and/or Interpretation programs.
Weekly morning "Photo Tours" and the "Painting Seney" program are led by volunteers.

Reports to: Visitor Services Staff.
Time Commitment: Up to once a week June - September.
Qualifications: If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge. Basic knowledge of nature and the environment. Good public speaking skills. A pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, and dependability.
Support: Training for this position will be provided. In addition, the Visitor Services Staff will be available for questions and assistance.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: A volunteer shirt will be provided.
Current Needs: We may need assistance at various times through the year. If you are interested in assisting with the "Painting Seney" program please contact the Refuge.

Tour Bus Driver

Purpose: Tour bus drivers drive the bus or van during Wildlife Wednesdays, the Secretive Marsh Bird Tour, fall morning bus tours, and at other specified times.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Safely drive the 14 passenger tour bus or the 8 passenger van during tours.
Help spot wildlife and bring it to the attention of the tour guide.
Answer questions from visitors about the Refuge, wildlife, and the area when appropriate.

Reports to: Visitor Services Staff.
Time Commitment: Three to four hours as needed.
Qualifications: If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge. Basic knowledge of nature and the environment. Good public speaking skills. A pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, and dependability.
Support: Training will be provided.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: A volunteer shirt will be provided.
Current Needs: We currently have several drivers but may need a substitute from time to time.

Brochure, Flier, and Publication Distribution

Purpose: To help Seney NWR spread its mission and help educate the public volunteers will help distribute information pertaining to the Refuge and Special Events.
Location: The Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Key Responsibilities:

Visit welcome centers and local businesses to distribute brochures, fliers, and/or publications.

Reports to: Visitor Services Staff.
Time Commitment: As needed.
Qualifications: You must have a valid drivers license. If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge.
Support: The Visitor Services Staff will provide assistance.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: None.
Current Needs: A volunteer is needed to help distribute fliers in early February.

RV Volunteers

Purpose: The RV Volunteers wear many hats while working at the Refuge over the summer. Volunteers are expected to work 20 to 40 hours each week in exchange for a place to park their RV at one of the RV pads for the summer.
Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
Key Responsibilities:

Volunteers sort and deliver recyclables to Germfask, Waste Not Inc., and reusable packing materials to the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Manistique.
Work one to two shifts at the Visitor Center Front Desk per week.
Assists with maintenance.
Works to fill other areas (listed above) where volunteers are needed.

Reports to: Refuge staff.
Time Commitment: 20 to 40 hours per week.
Qualifications: If a Refuge vehicle is used, you must take Defensive Driving Training available at the Refuge free of charge. Basic knowledge of nature and the environment. A pleasant manner, ability to get along with many different personalities, patience, problem-solving ability, and dependability. General maintenance knowledge is needed. Specific training may be needed to operate certain machines. An annual computer security class is needed to access government computers.
Support: An orientation to the Refuge and training will be provided as needed.
Age Requirement: To drive a Refuge vehicle you must be at least 18 years old.
Dress Code: Volunteer shirts will be provided.
Current Needs: The 2011 RV volunteers have been selected. If you would like to apply for 2012 send your application (PDF file size 559 KB) to Jennifer_McDonough@fws.gov or mail it to Seney National Wildlife Refuge, ATTN: Jennifer McDonough, 1674 Refuge Entrance Road, Seney, MI 49883.

Last updated: December 8, 2011