Working for a Greener District of Columbia
VOLUNTEERING AT HILLWOOD
A highlight of volunteering at Hillwood Gardens are
volunteer coordinator Bill Johnson's monthly Plant ID
Walks (photo). They're just part of a philosophy of treating
volunteers like the valuable assets they are. After 23 years
at Hillwood, he still comes in on Saturdays to work with
volunteers, offering an unusual opportunity among public
gardens. There's event plenty to do here in the winter -
working in the greenhouse and the orchid collection, which
each keep about 20 volunteer busy.
THE GARDENS: Hillwood has an impressive variety of gardens you may be working in - just click here for an overview and thumbnail photos.
NOT JUST A GARDEN: Hillwood has a formal outreach committee to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community and an annual Gay Day, which has drawn some 1,500 attendees in each of its four years. Hillwood also "proudly participates in Capital Pride" every year. An Urban Gardener high-five to Hillwood's directors!
BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING AT HILLWOOD:
* Unlimited learning opportunities volunteering under direction of paid staff
* Six to eight field trips each year to private gardens or behind-the-scenes visits to public gardens
* Monthly plant ID walks in growing season
* Volunteer Newsletters
* Participation in Hillwood's horticultural classes
* Regular volunteer appreciation events
* Saturday availability
* Winter availability
* Spending time in a beautiful, even historic garden
HOW TO VOLUNTEER: Contact Bill Johnson at 202/243-3927 or by email. A one-year commitment of four hours a week is required of volunteers. For more information, see their excellent website.
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