Volunteer Opportunity at New Visitor Center

Text by Kay Casey

Love nature and wildlife?

Like to meet people and help others enjoy the outdoors, birds and photography?

Enjoy the satisfaction of giving your time and talents to promote a better world?

Friends of Hagerman NWR and the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge have a deal for you.

If you love nature and enjoy sharing with others, you will find pleasure working at the new Hageman National Wildlife Refuge visitor center and nature store. The new $3 million facility will open to the public soon and volunteers are needed to staff the visitor information desk providing excellent Refuge information to our visitors and making sales for the Nature Nook.

The job description is simple. Use your pleasant, friendly competent attitude to:

· Greet refuge guests and answer questions.

· Make sure every visitor has the information needed to have a good experience at the Refuge

· Inform guests about the opportunity to support the Refuge by joining Friends of Hagerman

· Ring up sales of nature related items in the new gift shop/bookstore

· Some volunteers will perform a variety of chores such as keeping the information materials and merchandise displays neat and fresh, stocking the drink dispenser, labeling merchandise and reporting visitor requests.

Volunteers will be needed daily for the Nature Nook and the visitor information desk between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Our goal is to have two persons per half-day shift. You can choose to work one or more shifts weekly or monthly.

New volunteers will receive training about the refuge from the Refuge staff and about working in the Nature Nook from Friends of Hagerman . Beginners will work with experienced folks as they learn more about the Refuge and the nature store.

Contact the Refuge office at 903-786-2826 or email naturenookathagerman@gmail.com for more information.

For more information about Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, please see the official website, http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/index.html and to learn more about the Friends, see http://www.friendsofhagerman.com.