The sun is leaving us earlier and earlier, but don’t let that dim your passion for the outdoors! There are plenty of things to keep the fall and winter months hopping, including using the time to get involved with one of the many volunteer organizations that serve our fair city and state. Here is a basic guide to get you started and hopefully give some ideas for how to make a difference indoors and out.
VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.com) works to link enthusiastic volunteers with organizations who would love to have their help. You can search by location, keywords, or organization and fill your calendar with opportunities great and small. This is a wonderful way to get both outdoors contacts and general volunteering contacts.
From their website: “VolunteerMatch is a leader in the nonprofit world dedicated to helping everyone find a great place to volunteer. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Our popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 60,000 nonprofit organizations.”
Washington Trails Association (www.wta.org) protects and maintains the hiking trails of this beautiful region. They are the largest volunteer trail maintenance program in the state, and host a variety of projects, including:
- 1 or 2 day work parties
- Backcountry trips (3-4 day) to maintain more remote sites
- Week-long volunteer vacations that combine travel and service
- Youth volunteer vacations for high schoolers aged 14-18
Their website also contains backcountry meal ideas, photos, and trail reviews for those seeking even more inspiration.
Groundswell NW (www.groundswellnw.org) focuses mainly on the area around Ballard/Fremont/Crown Hill, but their dedication to caring for Seattle is inspirational and they have worked hard to clean up some areas that others have feared to enter and have made a big difference over their history. Over the years I have worked with them to clean city parks, build and restore salmon habitat, clean up streets, and more.
Outdoors for All Foundation (www.outdoorsforall.org) brings children with disabilities outside and encourages them in activities such as snowboarding, snowshoeing, cycling, hiking, kayaking, water skiing, and much more. They have a need for instructors, chaperones, drivers, general volunteers, and interns to help them enrich the lives of as many kids as possible.