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Springfield’s volunteer hotspots LAUREN JOHNS Staff Reporter @lje2017 Through volunteering, students get to actively help their community while keeping up with the requirements of scholarships and extracurriculars. Whether you’re looking for a one-time activity or a greater commitment, Springfield has an abundance of opportunities.
Greene County Parks
Greene County Parks accommodates a wide range of facilities and locations, including sports facilities, pools, gardens and over 75 miles of trails. Most of the volunteer work caters to larger groups, rather than individuals, according to officer Jenny Edwards of the Greene County Park Board. “It’s easier to formulate a group once or one person several times,” Edwards said. “For individuals, we would need them to fill out an application and do a background check for many of the opportunities we have.” Greene County Parks partners with Springfield Botanical Gardens, where volunteer work ranges from working in the Botanical Center Building to mulching, weeding and planting in the gardens. If running and biking trails are more your speed, Ozark Greenways hosts volunteer days to clear paths of trash and debris. For larger groups like sororities and fraternities, Miracle League, a special program designed for individuals with disabilities, is applicable. Each athlete is given a buddy and they play baseball. “Big groups come to sponsor their team, wearing matching uniforms and partnering up with players to help them as needed,” Edwards said. “I dare you to go and not want to come back. It’s tons of fun.” The Springfield Parks Board is also partnered with the Dickerson Park Zoo. Those 21 and older who want a one-time volunteer oppor-
tunity can apply to work during “Brew at the Zoo.” “We need people who can serve beer, collect trash, serve food, guide foot traffic (and) help extra vendors who may be on-site,” said Chelsea Hoover, special events and volunteer coordinator for the Zoo. “I don’t have a system in place for signing off on hours, but I will be flexible in doing what I can for students who need me to.” The Dickerson Park Zoo typically offers unpaid internships for students over the summer, aimed more towards postgraduates, according to Pamela Price, conservation education director for the Zoo.
Eden Village (The Gathering Tree)
According to their website, Eden Village prides themselves in creating Eden Village is a tiny home community on Division Street. relationships and a community with the disabled and homeless. The organization was founded in the fall of 2010, when members of a small church The best part of this volunteer experience is building relanoticed the steadily-growing concentration of homeless people tionships with others, Ewens said. “The children are always such a joy to spend time with whethin downtown Springfield and wanted to take action. “This organization helps the homeless population of Spring- er that be playing house, playing on the playground or even field by providing them with beautiful communities and homes holding one of the babies for hours,” Ewens said. “FAC is always to live in,” said Connor Ewens, senior music/vocal-choral ma- a blast.” jor and co-president of MSU’s Bear Service Team. “The leaders Despite volunteering most of his time with Eden Village and in charge of this project are so passionate about what they do Foster Adopt Connect, Ewens wants to give credit to all charities and their passion is absolutely contagious, especially once you’re in the area. able to interact with and meet the wonderful people who live in “There are a large amount of amazing programs you can volunteer with in Springfield that are just as deserving as the the communities they have created.” As stated by the website, the causes of homelessness cannot organizations I chose to discuss,” Ewens said. be addressed until fundamental needs are taken care of, like food, clothing and shelter. Campus and Community Gardens “My time spent with Eden Village startCampus Gardens are run by Missouri State’s Sustainability ed with helping them paint the community Commission and Student Government Association, making them center at their first location,” Ewens said. conveniently located and tied directly into the campus programs. According to their website, the gardens provide fresh produce “I fell in love with the people and with the mission and have continued to come back to students and members of the community. Clubs and organiand help through things like gardening, zations are encouraged to participate and earn service hours. To cleaning and whatever tasks they need done learn more, contact CampusGarden@Missouristate.edu. in order to create a beautiful living comFor another off-campus option, look into Springfield Community for their community members.” munity Gardens. They have 19 gardens listed on the website in the Greene County area and are working to support new farmers. Foster Adopt Connect “I have a strong passion for the environment and living in According to their website, Foster Adopt harmony with it, and community gardens does a great job showConnect has over 20 years of experience casing and educating volunteers about this,” said graduate stuworking in Missouri Foster Care, working dent Kenya Reeves, former president of MSU’s Green Student to create brighter futures for the neglected. Alliance. “Campus Gardens also does a great job with this, and “Foster Adopt Connect is another great gives a lot of students opportunities to help in their garden, as organization that’s not as well known and well as donating most of their harvest to people in need in the is in constant need of help and volunteers,” community. They partner up with several food banks throughout Ewens said. “This is essentially a support Springfield.” and informational group for foster families Students interested in learning about more volunteer opporin Springfield. The group (Bear Service tunities can contact United Way. Team) often collaborates with meets once “They are an umbrella organization that helps advocate and Photos by Brenna Lumley/THE STANDARD a month and we volunteers are able to spend raise money for lots of organizations across the United States, time with their amazing kids while their and they have an office here in the Ozarks that can help you,” The Dickerson Park Zoo is a 15-minute drive northwest of campus. guardians have a meeting.” Edwards said.
