Hannah Weilnau covers volunteering tips – Photo by John Metzler

For those of us at Legacy, warmer temperatures, tiny buds, and green sprouts popping from the ground aren’t just a sign of spring. It’s a sign that volunteer season is here too!

The bulk of our work happens outside and in the field. And it’s one of the reasons we chose to kick off our 2024 volunteer season just days after the start of spring.

In years past, we’ve only offered a spring training focused on photomonitoring. This year, we broadened our scope launching our first annual Volunteer Season & Training Kick-Off event. Under the leadership of newcomer Hannah Weilnau, Legacy’s Donor Outreach Coordinator, new and current volunteers gathered at the Legacy office to learn about a wide-range of opportunities we’re currently offering.

Attendees enjoyed coffee and bagels generously donated by Hyperion Coffee and Barry Bagels, while staff gave a brief presentation of Legacy’s history, photomonitoring basics with a hands-on demo, and preserve stewardship.

Hannah also used the expanded training agenda to highlight other opportunities not directly tied to seasonal photomonitoring or preserve maintenance. She encouraged attendees to think outside the box and brainstorm different skills like organizing, crafting, and marketing that can also help Legacy’s mission.

By bringing into focus unique skills that aren’t typically thought of when volunteering for a land trust, we’re flipping our old way of thinking on its head. We see value in volunteers “choosing their own adventure” no matter the skill, and we’re excited to see where this new way of thinking takes us!

>>>Check out our Event calendar for upcoming volunteer opportunities!

Are you interesting in volunteering, but missed the training? Hannah would love to hear from you! Contact her via email at hweilnau@legacylandconservancy.org.

Special thanks to Bivouac and Wetland Level Business Sponsor Underground Printing, who provided attendees with items like bug spray and hats to support their work in the upcoming months!