Dear Volunteers,
We hope that you've been having a wonderful summer! We can't believe that August is already more than halfway over, and we are well on our way into the Fall season. If you traveled this summer and are returning, ready to start back up - welcome home! If you've been with us through our foggy, but also unexpectedly sunny, San Francisco summer - thank you! We can't wait for all the exciting opportunities we have coming up for you soon.
|
Flower Piano is our annual community music festival featuring pianos throughout San Francisco Botanical Garden. This year we will feature a special Opening Night on September 12 and ten days of festivities from September 13-22. In addition to open play and a schedule full of performances and programs, Flower Piano Lounge will also return this year.
We have volunteer opportunities each day of the event ranging from greeting to ushering, and everything in between.
In addition, if you gather up a group of 5 to 20 colleagues, classmates, or friends you'd like to volunteer with, please consider registering as a volunteer service group during Flower Piano. We feature special group volunteer opportunities during this time that allow teams to help during the event.
Learn more about volunteering at Flower Piano and register for a spot today >>
|
|
|
BonPOP
Saturday, August 31, 12-7pm
San Francisco Botanical Garden - Celebration Garden
5-6 Volunteers Requested: Two shifts available!
All volunteers are welcome to sign-up for this event, no training required. Join us as we celebrate the third annual BonPOP Obon festival, a reimagined Obon Odori event that welcomes everyone to experience the rich Japanese tradition of honoring ancestors through dance, song, and rituals. This inclusive event invites people of all religions, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds to join in the festivities.
The Obon Festival, which has its roots in the Chinese Ghost Festival of Buddhist and Taoist traditions, takes place in August. It is believed that during this time, rituals help the living connect with their ancestors. These rituals include enjoying ceremonial foods, family traditions, and celebratory dancing under festival lanterns, accompanied by the sounds of taiko drums and traditional songs.
Immerse yourself in an afternoon of honoring your ancestors, remembering your loved ones with lantern tags, engaging with vendors, and enjoying celebratory dancing and community activities.
Register here >>
|
Garden Guide Trainings
Tuesdays, September 24 through October 22, 9:30am- 12:30pm
Join us this Fall as we train a new cohort of Garden Guides!
Who are Garden Guides? Volunteers who help welcome and engage with children at the Gardens, typically K-3rd graders visiting on school trips.
You Are:
|
-
Excited to connect with visitors to the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, particularly children and youth.
- Curious to learn about and share in the wonders of plants, conservation and the natural world.
- Open to learning and employing techniques in natural history interpretation, visitor engagement and informal science education. No previous botanical experience is required!
- Courteous and calm, even on busy days. Comfortable standing, sitting, and walking through the Gardens either outdoors or inside a tropical greenhouse.
|
Time Commitment: Garden Guides are expected to participate in 2 programs per month for at least six months, and should have weekday morning availability.
We are hoping to train up a large cohort of volunteers to help us out with the upcoming school year. Reach out to Director of Education, Annette Huddle, with any questions.
Register here >>
|
Enrichments, Trainings, and Events |
Enrichment: Interpretive Gardens Walks - South Africa
Tuesday, August 27, 1:30-3pm
San Francisco Botanical Garden, Main Gate
All Gardens volunteers are invited to this series of walks - by volunteers, for volunteers. Use this opportunity to learn from each other about the Garden, to practice leading walks after one year hiatus of public tours, and of course, to reconnect with fellow volunteers in person!
Register here >>
|
Training: Roving in the Garden
Tuesday, August 27, 5-6:30pm
San Francisco Botanical Garden, Bookstore
Join Director of Education Annette Huddle for a late afternoon walk in the Botanical Garden and learn about the experience of being a Garden Rover. The Rover position at the Botanical Garden developed during the pandemic when gathering in groups was impossible, and now it has become a popular option for volunteers familiar with the Garden.
Rovers are typically volunteers who have trained to lead public walks, guide school groups, staff interpretation stations, or worked in other volunteer capacities that helped them develop familiarity with the Gardens. Pick up tips from current Rovers, learn how to access resources like Garden Explorer to share with visitors, and enjoy the company of other Garden volunteers.
Volunteers must complete at least four shifts in any role at the Gardens prior to roving solo.
Register here >>
|
|
|
This past weekend the Gardens hosted a booth within The Mission, the non-profit section of the popular Outside Lands Festival. Staff and volunteers educated visitors about our three gardens. As this year's theme was "Voting," festival goers were encouraged to vote for their favorite garden and take pictures with leaves from Phil, the Philodendron leaf. The Gardens staff engaged with 1,300+ people at our booth over the last three days. Thank you to everyone who helped make the booth happen again this year!
Let's give a big welcome to the newest group of SFSU Interns! Bennett led the beginning of the onboarding with an introduction highlighting the importance of the Gardens for community, biodiversity, and public health. Erick highlighted the Collections & Conservation team's work while Jenn, Jamie, Erick, and Bennett gave our interns a feel for what they will be doing with the Programs & Partnerships team. Ai explained bookstore operations and its importance for welcoming visitors to the garden. They rounded out the onboarding with a tour of the nursery with Jessica. We look forward to seeing the SFSU interns work with everyone in the Gardens and further improve visitor experience!
Last but certainly not least, Volunteer Manager Crystal Lee Stone reached out to let us know that on Monday, July 22 at 11:24pm, baby Celeste was safely welcomed into the world. Congratulations to Crystal and family!
|
|
|
Thank you for a wonderful summer season and everything you do! See you in the Gardens soon.
Warmly,
Jenn
Jenn Tapler | Interim Volunteer Program Manager
Gardens of Golden Gate Park
(415) 661-1316 Ext. 404
jtapler@gggp.org
P.S. Did you miss an update? Catch up by viewing past newsletters.
|
Give, join, renew, or upgrade your membership here |
|
|
Gardens of Golden Gate Park
1199 9th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
1199 9th Ave. Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, CA 94122 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
|
| |
|
|
