Volunteer opportunities

There are so many Sierra Club volunteer possibilities for you to choose from! The following volunteer jobs represent only a sample of what's available, and new volunteers are always welcome. We need your help with local conservation issues (Bay and open-space protection, land use, and many others); with outdoor recreation (help lead hikes or other activities); and with administrative and clerical projects. You don't need any special expertise to get started; your genuine interest is what's important.

For more opportunities (many more!), call Chapter conservation manager Jonna Papaefthimiou at (510) 848-0800, ext. 312, or email

Election help

This November's elections could be the most important ever for the environment! Help elect candidates who will care for the earth. The Sierra Club offers volunteer opportunities at all levels of involvement - and a special training series for you to improve your election skills. See article for details.

Sierra Club Calendars

Once again the Bay Chapter will be selling Sierra Club wall and engagement calendars as a fundraiser for our local conservation work and to beautify local walls and desks. We need your help as:

project coordinator - to manage the entire sales process, overseeing each step from receiving orders to shipping the calendars; you must be available twice weekly during business hours from September through December; you should be detail-oriented, well-organized, self-motivated, and a good team leader;
graphic artist - available in July to design advertisements for the Yodeler and/or web site;
regional-group reps - to sell calendars at local meetings and events in your own geographic area from September through December; regional groups can use this as an opportunity for fundraising;
data-entry clerk - to enter orders into an Excel file and update their progress through shipping dates; you should be detail-oriented, computer-comfortable, and available mid-September through mid-December for a weekly four-hour shift;
shipping clerks - efficient, detail-oriented volunteers to pack and ship calendars, available weekly 4 - 6 hours weekly, mid-September through mid-December.

To volunteer or for more information, call Joanne Drabek, (510) 848-0800, ext. 315.

Plan to support your local Sierra Club this holiday season and order your 2005 Sierra Club Calendars from the Bay Chapter and the regional groups. Calendars will be available mid-September through mid-December.

Yodeler proofreader

This issue of the Yodeler looks fatter than it used to, doesn't it? That means we have a lot more proofreading to do. If you'd like to help, please call editor Don Forman at (510) 848-0800, ext. 305.

Awards Committee members

The Bay Chapter is developing a new program to honor and acknowledge elected officials at all levels of government who have taken a leadership role on environmental issues. We need a few volunteers with an interest in politics to serve on an Awards Committee. Committee members will get to name the awards, shape the awards criteria, and advocate for awards for their favorite electeds. Our meetings will be short and always have snacks. And the chair will tell funny jokes. For more information and details on our first meeting, call Jonna Papaefthimiou at (510) 848-0800, ext. 312, or email

Alaska under assault - volunteers needed!

The Bush administration is attacking the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the western North Slope, and the Tongass National Forest all at once. Its efforts to drill for oil in the Arctic are particularly horrendous. We've stopped that effort so far - and we can stop it again - but only if we have lots of volunteers making phone calls and sending letters to the editor. Help the Sierra Club's Alaska Task Force and the Alaska Coalition mobilize to defend Alaska's unique public lands! Even volunteering a couple of hours for phone calls makes a difference. To volunteer, contact Vicky Hoover, Sierra Club Alaska Task Force, at (415) 977-5527 or email or David Edeli at (415) 252-7524 or email

Retired? Want a challenge?

Volunteer at the Club's national headquarters in downtown San Francisco (one block from BART and Muni); contribute your experience to help us come to grips with the environmental problems of the next century. You'll meet new people with similar interests; have access to computers, the internet, and one of the best environmental libraries in the country; and expand your own interests while sharing your time and skills. Experience would be useful in just about any field. We can use skills at translating from English into a wide range of languages. In addition, we need a volunteer to do administrative support including filing, copying, and if familiar with computers, some light correspondence and internet searches. For details, call Michele Perrault at (415) 977-5670.

Yodeler Photo Contest

Help make the annual Yodeler Photo Contest happen (see article). To volunteer, contact Aphra Pia at (510) 655-0969 or: or Wade Sherwood at (510) 531-8664 or:

Improve the environment and life in Contra Costa County

Help challenge sprawl and contribute to shaping a healthy future. The Mount Diablo Group needs help with:

leading hikes to help people enjoy and experience our great open spaces;
occasional miscellaneous committee work.

Help once in a while or regularly, lots of times or on a limited basis. Contact Werner Koellner at (925) 937-6433 or

If you are interested in transportation and growth concerns, the Group's Transportation Committee would welcome your membership. The committee works on a range of concerns, including the Club position on the renewal of Contra Costa's transportation sales tax. Contact Ed Mendelsohn at (925) 837-4783 or

Interested in helping out in local politics? The new chair of the Group's Political Committee is looking for volunteers to help with upcoming events. Help will include research, and contacts with local officials. Contact Jacqueline Thalberg at or (925)890-3299.

Energy Committee

Join the Bay Chapter Energy Committee. Our mission is to keep abreast of energy issues affecting the Bay Area and to work with other Sierra Club entities to encourage renewable energy and energy conservation. Currently we are working on implementation of solar bond measures, plant siting, and tidal power in San Francisco; preventing new power-plant permits in Eastern Alameda County; and bringing a solar bond initiative to Oakland. We meet once a month (see article), usually on the fourth Wednesday, to discuss these and other local energy issues, and to hear presentations from energy experts. Experience in the energy field is helpful, but more important is interest in learning the details of specific technologies and legislation. For more information, contact acting committee chair Doug Beach at (415) 608-1439 or

Bay Chapter e-mail lists

Anyone with e-mail can now easily receive agendas for Bay Chapter meetings, as well as action alerts and Chapter-related environmental news. You may also join on-line discussions about these and other Chapter-related issues - all via two free electronic mailing lists. Subscribe to one or both.

The SFBAY-AGENDAS list is exclusively for meeting agendas. It's a great way to find out what others are working on; maybe you'll decide to get involved in something new. The SFBAY-GENERAL list is for subscribers who wish to discuss Bay Chapter issues, news, and policy on-line. Learn more about the issues and express yourself.

For more information, send an e-mail to: listserv@lists.sierraclub.org with the appropriate message:

INFO SFBAY-AGENDAS
or: INFO SFBAY-GENERAL

(Make sure your message is all on one line!)

If you experience a problem with either list, please send an e-mail to the appropriate "help desk": SFBay-AGENDAS-Request@lists.sierraclub.org
or: SFBay-GENERAL-Request@lists.sierraclub.org

Tell us what the problem is, and if you have any error messages from the mailing listserver, please include them as well.

Hike leaders, assistants for accessible outings

Sierrans Outdoors through Accessible Recreation (SOAR) is seeking new hike leaders and assistant leaders. SOAR offers hikes that are accessible to people of all abilities, including people with disabilities. SOAR hikes often are slower and cover less distance than other Sierra Club hikes, but have a great sense of discovery and adventure.

SOAR hike leaders scout their routes, lead introductions at the trailhead, and make sure the group stays together during the hike. Hike assistants partner with participants who need special help (e.g. visually impaired hikers) and help the group stay together. New leaders and assistants do not need to be experienced; all training is provided. People with disabilities are welcomed as leaders. Hike leaders from other sections who would be interested in adapting one of their hikes or leading a new hike for SOAR are also welcomed.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Jonna at (510)848-0800, ext. 312 or:

California wilderness and forests

The Sierra Club's Oakland Field Office is looking for passionate, dedicated volunteers to work on California wilderness and forest issues, particularly the California Wild Heritage Campaign, a historic statewide effort to protect the remaining wilderness-quality lands in California. The office needs many volunteers to help with this campaign, whether for an hour a month or an hour a day. Help with administrative/office work, organizing tabling at events, phonebanking, etc. Contact: or (510) 622-0290, ext. 220.

Outings Office assistant

Every month Sierra Club's Outings Department in downtown San Francisco receives hundreds of requests for information. We need a few volunteers for about three or four hours every couple of weeks to help mail out responses. The hours can be any time 9 am - 5 pm, Mon. - Fri. To help, call our volunteer coordinator at (415) 977-5686.

Brighten a child's life (and yours!)

Ever seen a child's face light up during their first real experience with nature? Join the Club's Inner City Outings program and open new eyes to the wonder of day-hiking, backpacking, and car-camping. ICO provides outdoor experiences for those who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity. Diverse volunteer opportunities exist throughout the year. Most needed are volunteers interested in mid-week day hikes. No prior experience necessary, but a love of the outdoors and comfort with children is highly recommended. For more information, visit: www.sierraclub.org/ico/sfbaychapter/index.html or call Sven Thesen at (415) 973-1048 (work), (415)401-6746 (home), or:

Wilderness Act anniversary

This is the year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and to fight for the Northern California Wild Heritage Act. It's the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your skills and enthusiasm for the places you love. The Wilderness Committee needs extra hands to help get the word out. You can help organize a party, a hike, or a slideshow; make phone calls; help with mailings; collect signatures; write letters; create flyers; or even donate money to help support these activities - whatever your interest! Contact Patricia Jones, Wilderness Committee chair, at: protectwildplaces@yahoo.com or (510) 548-2204.