Inside The New York Botanical Garden
volunteers
Posted in People on November 25 2009, by Plant Talk
Garden Honors Those Who Served in Record Numbers
Carol Capobianco is Editorial Content Manager at The New York Botanical Garden.
Earlier this year both Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama issued a call to action, encouraging New Yorkers and all Americans to volunteer in their communities.
Many regarded the call and came to volunteer at The New York Botanical Garden in record numbers during a challenging year for cultural institutions. They contributed to every program, project, and department, helping to ensure that, alongside staff, the Garden would rise above financial obstacles.
Margaret Horgan of the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx heeded the words of the Mayor and President and in June became a volunteer for the first time in her life—choosing the Garden as the place she’d give of her time. Here, as a newcomer, she is open to whatever is asked of her, from stuffing envelopes to greeting visitors.
“I try just about everything and anything,” said Margaret, who also credits her neighbor’s influence for finally getting involved 10 years after retiring as an administrative assistant. “I’m a Bronxite, and I love the Garden; it’s a gem. I wanted to give something back.”
Margaret is one of many first-time volunteers the Botanical Garden welcomed this year and one of a record 1,109 people who gave 84,000 hours, playing a major role in making the Garden a special place to visit. She was among those present at this year’s annual lunch reception, which honors, praises, and thanks Garden volunteers for their generous service.
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Posted in Gardens and Collections, People on May 14 2009, by Plant Talk
Carol Capobianco is Editorial Content Manager at The New York Botanical Garden.
On the surface, one would expect that the dozens of volunteers who answered the call to help plant 1,000 trees and 50 shrubs in the Botanical Garden’s Native Forest April 24 and 25 did so in observance of Arbor Day or Earth Week or Hands On New York weekend or just because it was an excuse to be outside on a warm, sunny spring day.
But dig deeper—in a figurative way, that is, as we were all instructed by our deft leader Forest Gardener Anthony Copioli to dig only as deep as each tree’s root system to keep the root flare above the soil—and you’ll find that those worthy causes for the most part didn’t factor in to the motivational equation. What inspired these folks, instead, was much earthier: They came because they love gardening, the outdoors, and the Botanical Garden, some from as far back as childhood. There is something about touching the soil that touches the soul. Simply, they needed to be out here.
Take Garden Member Marco Burmester, for instance. He grew up on a farm in northern Germany and has missed the woods and gardening since he moved to New York City four years ago. He took the day off from his banking job for the opportunity to plant a tree once again. “I used to do this in my childhood; I’ve planted hundreds of trees in my lifetime.”
Ellen Alger of Montvale, N.J., and Irene Ryan of Nanuet in Rockland County, rode their bikes to the Garden as kids growing up in the area. “We received so much from the Garden that it’s nice to give back and to put our mark on it,” said Ellen, who is a Garden Member.
The two became planting buddies for the day with Board Member Julie Sakellariadis, who lives in Manhattan and visits the Garden weekly to walk the grounds. “I look for any excuse to come up here, to be outdoors with no phones ringing. There’s nowhere in the world so wonderful as The New York Botanical Garden.”
The other volunteers would agree. “This is an oasis; it’s awesome that it exists in this urban area,” said Paula Lawrence, Vice President of The Starr Foundation, a Garden Leadership Donor. She joined five other co-workers—half the Foundation staff—to dig holes, cajole tangled pot-bound roots, and plant with a purpose some of the hundreds of trees, provided through the MillionTreesNYC program, that would help in the restoration of the Native Forest.
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Posted in People on April 23 2009, by Plant Talk
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Jackie Martinez is Director of Volunteer Services. |
This week is National Volunteer Week, and we salute The New York Botanical Garden’s more than 1,000 volunteers who serve in a variety of roles: They enhance the visitor experience as greeters and tour leaders, maintain the Garden’s 250 acres as horticultural assistants, teach plant science to visiting school groups and families, assist with clerical work, and collect data on climate change as citizen scientists, among many other duties. Last year they clocked more than 80,000 hours of service. The success of exhibitions, programs, and events is due in part to the dedication of the volunteers who respond to our numerous calls for help with a sense of responsibility and enthusiasm.
No matter your interests, skills, schedule, or age (our volunteers range from 14 to over 90), you, too, can help the Garden in its valuable work. No experience is necessary—you’ll be trained for your specific assignment. Volunteers are needed year-round and on weekends as well as weekdays. You’ll receive free parking and discounts in the Cafes, in the Shop, and for Continuing Education classes.
What inspires people to volunteer at the Garden and what rewards do they get in return?
Three of our volunteers shared their stories:
Kefah Rihan lives in the Bronx and is a ninth grader at Cardinal Spellman High School. He serves as an Explainer in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, which was his favorite part of the Botanical Garden when he first visited at age three. A friend told him about the Explainer program. “I remembered how fun my visit to the Garden was. I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn new things. I get the chance to teach kids about the wonders of the Garden, and I made many new friends in the process. It gives you many skills in life and can help make you a more sociable person.”
Melisande Schwartzfarb, from Suffern, New York, first visited the Botanical Garden in the late 1970s as a second-grade teacher at P.S. 9 in the Bronx. Walking through the Garden that spring day, she and the schoolchildren marveled at the beautiful blossoms and emerging flowers. “The children were so excited and expressed wonder at having nature so close to their crowded urban homes. The picture of that special day is imprinted in my mind as if it was yesterday.” After retiring in 2002 she became a docent at the Garden. “I am gaining an incredible amount of knowledge through the ongoing docent training programs, lectures, observations, and Continuing Education classes. A whole new world has opened up for me. The joy of sharing knowledge with children and adults from all over the city, state, and world is most gratifying. In volunteering, you are offering a service needed and appreciated at NYBG. You will also discover many opportunities for learning and expanding your own horizons.”
Ignatius Galgan, of the Bronx, had been retired from the New York City Police Department when his wife saw an advertisement calling for Garden volunteers. He signed up and now helps in a multitude of ways. “It’s one of the best things that I have done. If you’re retired, it beats staying at home and watching TV. If not, volunteering at the Garden on weekends is like a mini-vacation. There are so many interesting things that you can do such as becoming a docent, a Garden greeter, helping with the various exhibits throughout the year. Want to learn about plants? How about working with some of the best botanists in the world? These are just some of the things where your help is needed. The Garden relies heavily on volunteers. I couldn’t think of a more rewarding, fun, and beautiful place to volunteer.”
Volunteering at the Garden is a great way to expand your knowledge of plants, give back to your community, meet new people, and share your love of the Garden with others. To get involved, call or e-mail Jackie Martinez, Director of Volunteer Services, at 718.817.8564 or volunteer@nybg.org or fill out an application at nybg.org.
Earlier this year both Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama issued a call to action, encouraging New Yorkers and all Americans to volunteer in their communities.
Margaret is one of many first-time volunteers the Botanical Garden welcomed this year and one of a record 1,109 people who gave 84,000 hours, playing a major role in making the Garden a special place to visit. She was among those present at this year’s annual lunch reception, which honors, praises, and thanks Garden volunteers for their generous service. 