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April 2021
Dear Volunteers,
I want to start this month's newsletter with a huge THANK YOU! It's been more than a year since the Garden closed due to the pandemic, and yet the spirit of the volunteer community has remained strong. We've even added many enthusiastic new volunteers during this time!
We appreciate you deeply, and look forward to continuing to rebuild the volunteer community as things continue to evolve.
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| Volunteer Appreciation Day
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Musical Moments for Volunteers
The San Francisco Symphony has been leading a series of "Musical Moments" in the Garden of Fragrance this spring, on Mondays. In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we've reserved Monday, April 26, as a date for volunteers to attend this special event.
Performances are 20 minutes each, starting at 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm and 3:30pm. Attendance at each performance is currently limited to 3 households, with up to 4 participants per household; we will do our best to accommodate as many volunteers as possible.
Volunteers must sign up by Friday, April 16. Click here to sign up, or RSVP to Chloe. Be sure to include the number of people attending in your household and whether you have a timing preference.
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Building a New Nursery
Construction fencing has gone up around the site where the new nursery will be constructed. In preparation of vegetation clearing, volunteer Tim Wong removed the swallowtail butterfly chrysalises from the area, relocating them, and performed a nest survey.
Please be aware that there may be noise in this area between 8am and 3pm on weekdays. Also note that the paved path around the southern edge of the redwood grove will be closed during construction.
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New Plants in Australia
Some exciting renovations were recently completed across from the Waterfowl Pond in the Australian collection. Five large Livistona australis have been planted, echoing the Nikau palm grove across the path, and an opening has been created to accommodate more seating in this busy intersection.
Livistona austalis, also known as the cabbage-fan palm is native to the moist rainforest of Eastern Australia from Queensland, New South Wales, and touching into Victoria. As a representative of cool climate rainforests, it is a great addition to our registered high elevation and cool climate palm collection.
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Bean Sprouts- Now on Saturdays!
Starting April 10, we are excited to offer Bean Sprouts Family Days presented by Kaiser Permanente, on Saturdays! Shifts are scheduled for 11:30am-2pm and 2-4:30pm.
With spring here, this program is more popular than ever, and we need your help. If you have already been trained for Bean Sprouts, you can sign up below. If you have not received training but want to join us, please let me know.
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Community Volunteer Day
If you'd like to get your hands in the Garden but can't commit to a regular Green Team shift, join us for a Community Volunteer Day. You'll get to meet and work with some of our talented horticulturists, and get a new perspective on what it takes to maintain the Garden.
No experience required, but please sign up in advance. Guests welcome, must be over 16 years of age.
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Event Hosts
We are pleased to be able to continue hosting small events in the Garden, and are looking for volunteer support. The role involves greeting guests at the Main Gate and helping guide them to the event site.
The time commitment would be 2-3 hours, primarily on weekends. If interested, please contact Chloe for more information.
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Expanded Plant Offerings
Saturday & Sunday, April 10 & 11, 10am-4pm
Saturday & Sunday, May 8 & 9, 10am-4pm
If you have previous experience volunteering in the nursery, arbor, or at plant sales, please help us for these upcoming extended plant offerings, or consider a regular shift at the arbor.
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Virtual Enrichment: Native and Endemic Flora of Central Chile
Tuesday, May 12, 11am
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Noelle (Noe) Katz Iturregui, was born in Santiago, the beautiful capital city of Chile located at the foot of the Andes mountains. Her passion for ecology, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture has guided her throughout her life, from her formal studies of Agronomy in Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile to completing the apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture, an educational program of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Currently Noe is the farm manager of the Agroecological Garden of Universidad Catolica in Santiago.
Noelle will be presenting about the rich native and endemic flora that lives in the central region of Chile, its uses and meanings in indigenous culture and interesting culinary facts.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Bookstore Volunteers
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Carla Robinson
After retiring in 2015, Carla Robinson visited the Garden during 2016's Flower Piano, noticed many volunteers helping, and knew that was something she wanted to do. She began volunteering that summer. "I immediately started at the bookstore and it has truly changed my life. It is my Happy Place. Meeting and greeting people locally and from all over the world is an enriching experience. Only happy people visit the Garden."
In October 2020, during COVID starts and stops, she also began volunteering for Bean Sprouts Family Days. "It's the children that make my heart happy; full of questions, and their innocence is heartwarming."
Although uncooperative weather can sometimes be a challenge for Carla, even on gray days the Garden is still a "happy place" for many people.
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Barry Graynor
Barry Graynor's childhood home was on Magnolia Boulevard, and he has always had a special love for this tree. "Several years ago, I went on one of the magnolia docent tours and 'discovered' the Garden, but didn't have a chance to go back until now, when I am semi-retired."
Barry started volunteering this past February, also assisting Whitney at the Bookstore. With no prior retail experience, Barry says he enjoys seeing customers get excited about finding something new, but is still getting used to the technology. With Whitney's help, he's figuring it out and learning how to handle sales on his own.
When he's not on duty at the bookstore, Barry likes to wander in the Ancient Plant Garden.
Thank you, Barry, Carla, and all our bookstore volunteers! We're so glad you're there to greet our spring visitors!
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Earth Day and National Poetry Month
And some great learning opportunities:
- Ernie Ng, Docent, presents "History of Golden Gate Park" on Wednesday, April 28, at 10am for Ruth Bancroft Garden's volunteers. Please click here to register.
- The Great Courses: Plant Science: An Introduction to Botany & The Botanist’s Eye: Identifying the Plants Around You. [Note: These courses are also available through kanopy, a free streaming service offered by SFPL to all library card members]
- Blue Collar Botany
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As always, please let me know if you have news or stories to share!
All the best,
Chloe
Chloe Wieland | Director of Volunteer Engagement
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San Francisco Botanical Garden
P (415) 661-1316 Ext. 400
C (415) 629-2010
9am-5pm, M-F
cwieland@sfbg.org
P.S. Did you miss an update? View past newsletters on Volunteer Central.
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