How to Volunteer

 Pick an event – Complete the Volunteer Forms

1.      Review the work group information below.

2.      Go to the Schedule of Events page and find an event.

3.      Download and complete the Volunteer Information Form and
mail it (“snail mail” or by email) to the American River Parkway Foundation-see addresses below.

4.      Download and complete the Volunteer Liability Waiver form
and bring it with you to the work group event.
Please note: If you are a new volunteer or are under the
age of 18, you MUST have the waiver form signed by a parent or guardian BEFORE you can participate in an
SWW event.

 

SWW Work Groups.  SWW conducts a community work group on the first Saturday of each month, usually at a location along the American River Parkway. Work group flyers are sent by email to all interested individuals, usually 6-8 days prior to an event. These notices provide the location, type of work planned (invasive plant removal, tree planting, etc.), and directions to the meeting location. Please sign up to receive these flyers!!

 We also schedule additional events as part of national days of service, such as Martin Luther King’s birthday in January and National Trails Day in June. SWW coordinates invasive weed removal work groups as part of the Sacramento Urban Creeks Council’s Creek Week program in April each year. These events are conducted at other watershed locations, such as along Dry Creek, Arcade Creek, and Robla Creek in North Sacramento.

SWW community work groups normally begin at 9:00 a.m. (please arrive at 8:50) and last until noon (or occasionally a little longer). For invasive plant removal events, we have brochures and other print materials available that describe why we are removing these undesirable plants. At the beginning of each work group, we conduct a brief orientation about the work scheduled for the day and describe how to use our tools safely. After proceeding to the work site, sometimes requiring a 5-10 minute walk from a nearby parking lot, we provide a demonstration of how to use the tools, such as weed wrenches, loppers, pruning saws, polaskis, shovels, etc. Volunteers generally have no difficulty getting started following these initial demonstrations – and we always stress working in a safe manner so that everyone has an enjoyable experience.

 Notification of participation.  We prefer to be notified in advance if you plan to participate so that we will have the necessary number of tools, gloves, supplies as well as some snacks and even a supply of pie! We also need to select a site that offers a sufficient amount of work for the size of the group. Occasionally, we may split a work group into teams and then we recruit experienced team leaders as well. So please call or send us an email (see below) and let us know how many will be attending.

What to wear and bring. Participants should always wear long pants since we will be walking and working in areas with blackberry, wild rose, and thistles -- plants with thorns that aren’t friendly to bare legs!  Rough and occasionally somewhat muddy terrain is common so boots or sturdy hiking/running shoes are recommended. You should plan to get a bit dirty since we often are working right along the water or are digging holes for new tree seedlings.  You should always bring some drinking water and, especially in the spring and summer, wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun and sunburn.   

Special group events. SWW is glad to schedule special community service projects (occasionally including some type of nature walk or presentation) for either adult or youth organizations, such as a school class, a church youth group, a scout troop, a neighborhood association, a business, or a civic organization. Depending on the season and the work available, we can usually handle groups as large as 60 participants. With sufficient advance notice, these can be scheduled either during the week or on a weekend (either Saturday or Sunday). Please contact Ken Myatt, SWW Stewardship Manager, at the American River Parkway Foundation (486-2773), to organize this type of event.

SWW welcomes community volunteers of all ages !

For more information, call Ken Myall, SWW Stewardship Program Manager, at 916-486-2773 or Frank Wallace, SWW Director, at 916-213-4682.

Please send or email volunteer forms to Ken at [Kmyatt@arpf.org]

 We are located at the American River Parkway Foundation Volunteer Center at 5700 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95608.

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