Volunteer with Muddy Sneakers
Thank you for your interest in our work with public school students in the Western North Carolina area!
Anyone who has an interest in volunteering with Muddy Sneakers is encouraged to join a fifth grade class on a full-day Learning Expedition outing before becoming involved with the organization. Spending a day with the program will give you a real sense of what Muddy Sneakers aims to accomplish in collaboration with local public schools.
Give us a call at 862-5560 for a specific calendar of programs and to arrange to spend a day in the woods with local schoolchildren
For the 2010 – 2011 school year, Muddy Sneakers is seeking volunteers who could serve in the following capacities:
- Twice-annual newsletter – Work with Muddy Sneakers to create a two-page update/newsletter which will be mailed to all of our supporters and friends. The newsletter goes out on November 1 and May. Having strong computer skills and a sense of graphic layout would be helpful. Twice annually – about 16 hours each year.
- Photographer – Arrange with the Program Director to spend several days each semester in the field on trips with students. Take photographs of students from different participating schools to be used in promotional materials and for the Muddy Sneakers website. A digital camera and ability to download photos to share online would be helpful. Two days/month.
- Learning Expedition Chaperones – Sign up to join Muddy Sneakers students on specific Learning Expeditions, serving as a second adult with each group of 10-12 students in cases when schools are short on adult chaperones. Ongoing/as-needed basis.
- Offer a Staff Development Workshop – Muddy Sneakers will hold its fall staff training August 26-28 and its spring staff training January 27-29. We also have a once-monthly staff meeting during which we bring in outside guests/experts to offer professional development to our field staff. If you have expertise relating to one of the Learning Expedition topics for fifth graders, please be in touch with us. We would love to set up a workshop as part of our staff training in which you could share what you know with our field instructors. Workshops each month August through April.
- Create, edit, or design promotional materials – Our promotional materials are created by folks who don’t have design or promotional materials training, and we would welcome someone to edit and recommend changes to our tri-fold pamphlets and “advertising” materials. Several days work per month.
- Drop Muddy Sneakers literature at local businesses — Spend a couple of hours every few months delivering pamphlets on the Muddy Sneakers program to Chambers of Commerce and outdoor stores in the Jackson, Transylvania, Henderson, and Buncombe county areas to spread the word on what Muddy Sneakers is doing and how folks can key in. One day every two months.
- Organize a fundraiser – Host a dinner or outing at your home and ask attendees to contribute to funding local schoolchildren’s outings with Muddy Sneakers as a “ticket” to your home event. We will help you with set-up and materials for your event. One-time event.
- Connect Muddy Sneakers with political figures or with writers/musicians who might support our cause, and who you may know on a personal basis – If you know authors or musicians who would be willing to host a gathering with proceeds going to Muddy Sneakers, please let us know. We are grateful for any connection you might help us make. Ongoing basis.
- Create press releases – Work with our Program Director and our list of media outlets to draft press releases to get the words out on what Muddy Sneakers is doing to local and regional newspapers and other publications. One press release monthly.
- Connect Muddy Sneakers with local businesses – If you have connections with local businesses who might provide food for our monthly staff meeting or twice-annual staff training, or if you know folks in the outdoor gear business, we would be grateful to make those contacts. Ongoing basis.
- Help us in the office on a weekly basis — If you are seeking more consistent involvement with Muddy Sneakers, we would welcome your help at our office at the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. We always have filing, office organization, and projects going on and would be glad to work with you to figure out how to best use your skill set. – Half-day each week or two weeks.
- Help us write and/or edit grants – We are always producing grants to seek funds to get kids in the woods. If you have expertise in writing or editing, please let us know. – As-needed basis.
- Organize the Friends of Muddy Sneakers – Compile and update membership lists, send membership cards, and schedule events.
