Volunteer opportunities

(Our seperate article detailing our Volunteer Training series can be found here).

If you've been waiting for a nudge to get going as a Sierra Club volunteer, this is it. You need no special expertise to get started - only a genuine interest in learning about the Sierra Club and the issues, and some time and energy. We need more volunteers to work on local environmental issues, to help lead our hikes and other activities, and to undertake a variety of administrative jobs. A few possibilities are listed below. For more ideas, look through the rest of this Yodeler or contact Chapter administrative assistant Joanne Drabek at the Chapter Office at (510)848-0800, ext. 315, or joanne-at-sfbaysc.org

Sierra Club calendars

Once again this year the Bay Chapter will still be selling Sierra Club wall and engagement calendars to raise funds for our local conservation work. To be successful we need your help filling the following volunteer positions.

Project coordinator. Manage the entire sales process, overseeing each step from receiving orders to shipping the calendars. You need to be available from September through December, twice weekly during business hours. You should be detailed-oriented, well-organized, and self-motivated, with good leadership skills.
Regional-group reps. Help your regional group to raise money by selling calendars at local meetings and events, from September through December.
Data-entry clerks. Enter orders into computer and update their progress through shipping dates. You should be detail-oriented, and comfortable with computers. We need you from mid-September through mid-December for a weekly four-hour shift.
Shipping clerks. We need efficient, detailed-oriented volunteers to pack and ship calendars, from mid-September through mid-December, for weekly, 4 - 6-hour shifts.

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

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

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

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.

Receptionists

The Chapter Office in Berkeley needs additional volunteer receptionists who are energetic team members, service-oriented, and gracious. You will be directing calls, greeting guests, responding to inquiries, and providing general office support. Regular four-hour shifts are available weekdays, 10 am - 2 pm or 1 - 5 pm. We request a weekly commitment for a minimum of four months. Training and ongoing support are cheerfully provided. If you have a predictable schedule and would like to support the Chapter by helping in the office, call Joanne Drabek at (510)848-0800, ext. 315.

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 visit 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 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 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

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 between 9 am and 5 pm, Mon. - Fri. To help, call our volunteer coordinator at (415)977-5686.