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Volunteer with the Outdoor Lab Foundation!

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Upcoming Events


 

2024

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Ongoing Volunteer Needs


Parent Ambassador

Parent Ambassadors are responsible for promoting Outdoor Lab and its programs at various schools or articulation areas throughout the district. Parent Ambassadors work with their elementary, middle, or high school to find community facing school events where Outdoor Lab can have a presence. An example of a parent ambassador event could be hosting a High School Leader recruitment table at a basketball game, hosting the Outdoor Lab info table at middle school showcases during open enrollment, or hosting an "mini Outdoor Lab" activity booth at an elementary field day. Parent ambassadors will be equipped with tabling/activity booth supplies as well as support from the Foundation staff. 

If you are interested in serving as a parent ambassador, please express your interest by emailing Community Relations Manager, Misha, at misha.shearer@outdoorlabfoundation.org


After Dark Committee Member

Join our dynamic fundraising event committee as a volunteer member, where you'll play a pivotal role in organizing and executing our annual fundraising event, After Dark! This volunteer opportunity offers a chance to make a tangible impact on our community while gaining valuable experience in event planning, marketing, and fundraising. Volunteer committee members are expected to attend monthly, hour-long, virtual planning meetings. Our next After Dark will be in April 2025. We are looking for committee members with experience hosting a silent auction or gala, event planning, marketing, or non-profits.

If you are interested in joining this committee, please express your interest by emailing Community Relations Manager, Misha, at misha.shearer@outdoorlabfoundation.org


Types of Volunteer Events


 

Example set-up of a merch table at a sixth-grade parent information night.

Merch Sales at Information Nights

Description | Volunteers from the Outdoor Lab Foundation host a merchandise table and facilitate sales to families who are attending their middle school's parent information night. Middle schools host an information night for parents and guardians of sixth-graders who will be attending Outdoor Lab. At this meeting, families receive information such as the packing list, deadlines to submit medication forms, and which site their student will attend. This meeting is lead by the middle school sixth-grade teachers. After the meeting, the Outdoor Lab Foundation volunteer will provide excellent customer service to families purchasing merch on their way home.

Task | Selling Outdoor Lab merch such as hoodies, beanies, and t-shirts. Volunteers will use a tablet and card reader to process payments. Volunteers will also set up the merch table. If this is your first time volunteering in this role, a staff member will accompany you and train you on how to use the payment processing system.

Time | Typically 1.5 hours in the evening starting between the hours of 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday during the school year. Volunteers will need to pick up or be available for a drop off of merch bins and equipment prior to the information night.


 

Community Events

Description | Community events such as the Colfax Marathon, festivals, and farmers markets are where volunteers help raise awareness about our mission to promote outdoor education and environmental stewardship; connect with local residents, schools, and nature enthusiasts; and engage in meaningful conversations and activities to inspire a love for the outdoors and support our educational initiatives. At community events, volunteers host an engaging activity that is often a "taste Outdoor Lab" (for example: team ski challenge is part of the initiatives core class).

Task | The volunteer will host a booth and facilitate an engagement activity such as team ski challenge, big horn Olympics, or a prize wheel. Depending on the event, sometimes volunteers will also sell merchandise or raffle tickets using a tablet and card reader to process payments.

Time | Typical volunteer shifts range from 2-3 hours and community events tend to be hosted on Saturdays.


 

School Engagements

Description | School engagements such as back to school nights, middle school showcases for matriculating 5th graders, PTA fairs, and field days are important events the Outdoor Lab Foundation attends to educate future Outdoor Lab attendees about the experience and get them excited to attend. These events also provide an in person contact for families to ask questions about the Outdoor Lab experience. Volunteers at these events will provide general information and an overview about Outdoor Lab to students and families and encourage them to begin fundraising for tuition assistance through the Lab Card Program.

Task | Providing background and overview information on the Outdoor Lab program. Using a teaching prop (typically a ram skull from the Mount Blue Sky taxidermy collection) to engage with students by allowing them to touch and feel the prop. Promoting the Lab Card program by handing out fliers and collecting questions to refer to Foundation staff.

Time | Typically 1.5 - 3 hours on a weeknight starting between 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM during the school year.


 

Site Workdays

Description | Volunteers work on site improvements that will ensure the safety and comfortability of students and staff on our mountain campuses. Groups ranging in size from about 20 - 30 people come together for these projects. The Outdoor Lab Foundation provides lunch and all necessary tools.

Task | Volunteers conduct general trail maintenance tasks such as tread work improvements and corridor clearing along with re-routing old trails as necessary. Volunteer work may also include crosscut saw/chainsaw crews clearing downed trees to mitigate fire risk. Additional volunteer jobs can be painting, weeding, mulching, and using a power tool such as a drill.

Time | Workdays are hosted on various Saturdays from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM during the summer months at Windy Peak or Mount Blue Sky.


 

Administrative Volunteers

We are seeking volunteers to help with various administrative needs for the Outdoor Lab Foundation at our office in Wheat Ridge. We are looking for volunteers who can occasionally assist with in-office projects as they arise. Volunteers would not need to commit to more than 1-2 hours a week. If interested, please click here to send us an email.