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 jonna-at-sfbaysc.org

ExComm secretary

The secretary attends Chapter Executive Committee meetings (second Monday evening of each month) and takes minutes, later writing them up in final form. This volunteer gets a ringside seat as Chapter policy is made, plus the opportunity to be part of the "inner circle" of Chapter leaders. It's perfect for a member who is already familiar with the Bay Chapter, or for one with a strong interest in learning more. The ideal ExComm secretary has had previous minute-taking experience and has access to a word processor. ExComm minutes serve as a crucial communications link among Chapter activists, so you'll be a star! Time commitment is 8 - 10 hours per month; minimum six-month commitment preferred. For more information, contact Chapter chair John Rizzo at (415) 751-1615 or email jrizzo-at-sprintmail.com

Mailing coordinator

Every three weeks or so the Chapter Office sends a mailing to newly joined Chapter members. We need a volunteer who can coordinate this mailing, including sorting it according to picky Post Office regulations and delivering it to the Post Office. You must be attentive to detail, have a car, and be able to lift a 25-pound mail sack. To volunteer, call Joanne Drabek at (510) 848-0800, ext. 315.

Help create youth environmental curriculum for Clair Tappaan Lodge

Clair Tappaan Lodge is seeking volunteers to help create a curriculum for students in grades 4 - 8.

Due to budget deficits, the Sierra Club may have to sell the lodge. But the Lodge Executive Committee is working on plans to erase the deficit. One method would be to fill the currently under-utilized facility with school groups Monday through Friday during the winter months. Many public schools hold week-long field trips focused on science and environmental education.

The Lodge can attract schools with a curriculum based on the surrounding Donner Summit area with its rich cultural legacies and unique natural environment. The area was the home to Maidu, Washoe, and other native people. It was the scene of the tragic Donner Party incident of 1846 and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad by Chinese immigrant laborers two decades later. The area has a rich volcanic geology as well as the heaviest snowfall in the Sierra Nevada. The area's forests, meadows, and streams also suggest great topics focusing on plant and animal life. We are looking for teachers, writers, editors, filmmakers, astronomers, biologists, geologists, hydrologists, historians, and anyone who would like to contribute to this project.

We hope at once to help save Clair Tappaan and to create a new form of Sierra Club outreach to educate people about the Sierra and the environment. If you are interested in working on this or know someone who might be, please contact Richard Boyden at (650) 355-4168 or email richardboyden-at-earthlink.net

Can you house a volunteer?

The Host Committee is looking for housing for Sierra Club members attending the Sep. 8 - 11 Sierra Summit in San Francisco. Do you have a spare bed or room for a Club member or members from Ohio or Hawaii?

We are also looking for volunteers to staff the convention - registration, session monitoring, and San Francisco welcome desk are among the roles.

To volunteer, visit www.sierrasummit.2005.org or contact Becky Evans, (415) 775-3309 or email rebecae-at-earthlink.net

Yodeler Photo Contest

Help make the annual Yodeler Photo Contest happen. To volunteer, contact Aphra Pia at (510) 655-0969 or aphrapia-at-aol.com or Wade Sherwood at (510) 531-8664 or wwsherwood2-at-juno.com

Energy Committee

The Bay Chapter Energy Committee needs volunteers to help us keep abreast of energy issues affecting the Bay Area and to work with other Sierra Club entities to encourage renewable energy and energy conservation. Current needs include:

• following San Francisco's progress in implementing tidal- and wave-energy technology;
• implementing a plan to educate local communities about energy efficiency and conservation;
• exploring ways locally to move towards sustainability and to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

We meet once a month, usually on the fourth Wednesday (see the Yodeler calendar or sfbayenergy.org for exact times/places), 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 an interest in learning the details of specific technologies and legislation. For more information, contact committee chairs Doug Beach (San Francisco/Marin Counties) at (415) 608-1439 or email dbeach7-at-mac.com or Tom Roberts (Alameda/Contra Costa Counties) at (415) 203-2781 or tc.roberts-at-mindspring.com

Alaska volunteers needed!

The Bush administration is attacking the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the western North Slope, and the Tongass National Forest all at once. Help the Sierra Club's Alaska Task Force and the Alaska Coalition defend Alaska's unique lands! To volunteer, contact Vicky Hoover, Sierra Club Alaska Task Force, at (415) 977-5527 or email vicky.hoover-at-sierraclub.org

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 is 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 help with administrative support including filing, copying, and some light correspondence and internet searches. For details, call Michele Perrault at (415)977-5670.

Brighten a child's life (and yours!)

Have you ever seen a child's face light up during their first real experience with nature? Join the Club's Inner City Outings Program (see articles, pages 4 - 5) 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 is necessary, but a love of the outdoors and comfort with children are highly recommended. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/ico/sfbaychapter/index.html or contact Sadie Rabe at (925) 768-2242 or email sadierabe-at-yahoo.com