In our volunteers words…
One of my favorite things about my job is watching kids eyes light up during our school programs. They get so excited about discovering new things and always come up with great questions and new ways of thinking about the topics. I love their energy!
I also feel very lucky that I get to work with a great team of volunteers called Docents, who lead students through our school program activities. We are currently seeking more school program volunteers for our fall school programs at the Discovery Centre. So I asked the current docents why they like this role and what they would say to others who might be interested in joining the team. Here are a few of their responses:
I’ve been volunteering at the FRDC for just over two years. It’s my third volunteering “job” since retiring, and I highly recommend getting involved this way – especially post-retirement – for a great many reasons.
It seems to me that all of us who volunteer say that we get more from volunteering than we give to it. There’s a wonderful feeling of satisfaction in “giving back” to our communities … you definitely learn new things … meeting new people is a real bonus … and if you’re seeking friends, volunteering is the perfect place to go.
I’m working as a docent at the FRDC, which gives me a chance to be with and teach children – meet their teachers and parents – and pass along the FRDC’s message of caring for the Fraser River, and all those who live in it and work on and by it. I always leave a shift at the FRDC feeling invigorated and happily satisfied.
As they say – try it – you’ll like it!
Enid McBurney – FRDC volunteer since 2009
I like to keep busy, and being a retired teacher/administrator, I can have the opportunity to do what I love without the administrative hassle. (We’ll leave that to Shannon!!! J )
Seeing kids grasp what the Fraser River is all about, the history, the environment, and the potential it has for
all of us in BC makes being a docent enjoyable.
Working with other volunteers is also a good way of connecting in the community. Besides, it makes you an “expert” in things in your own back yard.
What a community resource. Recently, I had opportunity to share about the river with tourists from Australia, Britain, Germany and America – thanks to the training I had at FRDC.
Mike Hoyer – FRDC Volunteer since 2004
Although I’m now retired, I originally chose to volunteer at the Fraser River Discovery Centre to get involved in something totally different from my working life.
The Fraser River, from its heady start at Mount Robson, it’s slow meander past Prince George, it’s gushing torrent through Hell’s Gate to its slow progress as it broadens out to the estuary, has such a variety of stories to tell us.
This is one of the reasons I became a docent. As a docent I believe my role is to encourage the children to ask questions and to feel a real connection to the information we’re giving them. The hands–on activities help to get the messages across.
If we can make even the tiniest change as to how students view the river, the environment and the world around them, I think we’ve been successful.
Vivienne Garrott – FRDC Volunteer Since 2001
If these stories pique your interest, we are holding an orientation on Thursday September 8th from 1-2:30 p.m. We’ll start with a short overview of the school programs, and then you’ll get to try out the pollution model, archaeology station, and sturgeon survival game to see how much fun being a Docent can be!
