Beautiful Metal Tree Art….

Importance of Volunteering

If you are a high school student, volunteering is probably a requirement for graduation. Finding an organization to volunteer with can be challenging, especially during a global pandemic. There are a couple of resources that can help you find opportunities. Before we get to those, I want to encourage you to think about your interests and what you hope to get out of your volunteer experience. I also want to encourage you to look beyond fulfilling a graduation requirement. Volunteering provides you with experience that you can list on your resume and if you stay with an organization for a while, it can lead to references and letters of recommendation. I always remind my volunteers to treat their volunteer position like a job. Just because you are not getting paid does not mean you’re not acquiring work experience.

Where to look

Hands on Broward is a database of volunteer opportunities in Broward County and it allows users to search for opportunities based on their interests and location. Volunteer Connect is Volunteer Florida’s opportunity portal. It runs on the same software as Hands on Broward and is another resource I recommend to anyone interested in volunteering.

Different organizations use these platforms in different ways. At the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital we use Hands on Broward to recruit episodic volunteers. This means that volunteers that sign up for these opportunities are not making a long-term commitment to us. You can volunteer once or multiple times, but you are limited to the dates and times posted.

If there is a specific organization, you are interested in start by visiting their website. Often, organizations will have volunteering information online. Be sure to read the requirements carefully and follow the instructions provided. If you have questions give them a call or send an e-mail if one is provided. Depending on the organization some volunteer opportunities will have age requirements. For example, our volunteer program has two different tracks based on age: Junior Volunteers are aged 13-17 and Adult Volunteers are 18 and older.

How to be a great volunteer

I am fortunate to work with amazing volunteers daily. They show up and do great work every single day. Our most successful volunteers understand our mission and how it relates to their assigned position. It is for this reason that I encourage volunteers to find something that aligns with their interests and goals. Please start your search early so that you are not scrambling to complete your hours with only months left to spare. Due to Covid-19 a lot of volunteer programs are operating at a limited capacity if they are operating at all.

Lastly, use volunteering as an opportunity to practice important skills such as speaking on the phone and writing professional e-mails. If you need to excuse yourself from a shift or need to ask a question it is a good idea to do it yourself rather than rely on an adult to do it for you. I love hearing from my volunteers and I especially like to see students taking an active role in the management of their volunteer role.

Learn more here: https://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/2020/11/17/finding-volunteer-opportunities-for-high-schoolers/

Check out our resident red-shoulder hawk. A Florida native, this bird of prey has a distinct call that is uses to signal we are encroaching on his territory. Does this call sound familiar to you? 

Red-Tailed Hawks can be found all over North America! 

I have $24 to last me til Friday, what should I buy with it?

This Monday, the SNC was able to unclog our gator pond thanks to help from our resident Reptile Expert Will Nace and City of Coral Springs’ Parks and Rec Department. This joint effort was all for the good of Wally, our lovely gator. 

The SNC crew had a great time last night at the Coral Springs Drive Thru Holiday Experience. Our display even won the Commissioners Award! Thanks to everyone that came out to share the experience with us and celebrate 25 years of wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education!

natgeotravel

Video by @bertiegregory | A harp seal pup takes a swimming lesson with its mother in the Gulf of St Lawrence, Quebec, Canada. This species has an extraordinary breeding cycle. Females give birth to pups on moving ice floes. They suckle the pup for just 10 to 14 days. During the last few days of this short period, they encourage the pup into the water to help them learn to swim. After the swimming lessons, they abandon the pup. The females then mate with the males who have been waiting nearby before heading north to their feeding grounds. The pups at two weeks old are left alone with nothing to eat.

Edamame Soybean Blossoms (Fact:  Glycine max is the scientific name of all soybeans).  This variety is used fresh unlike most soybeans and is being studied by Katy Evans at the University of Maryland to look at the relationship between flowering, pollination, yield, and the visitation by pollinators such as bees.  Turns out that while soybeans are self-pollinating their yield increases when bees visit them.  Since there are a lot of soybeans in the world that means a lot of bees are potentially involved and both could help increase yield and feed the world or get hammered if pesticide applications are ill-timed (and there is nothing like and ill-timed pesticide people to ruin your day if you are a bee.)  Photo by Anders Croft.    

Our resident red rat snake has been with us for quite a few years now. He was brought to the SNC because he has a chronic neurological disease that prevents him from surviving on his own in the wild. The typical life span of red rat snakes in the wild is six to eight years. However, because this guy is getting a high grade diet and medical care, his lifespan is expected to be extended. 

In honor of National Wildlife Day, we took out our native Florida gator for an educational program. Florida gators are considered a keystone species. That means they’re responsible for establishing an ecosystem/habitat for several other species of animals to inhabit as well. Without gators, Florida’s animal ecology would be in serious trouble. 

Note: licensed and trained professionals are responsible for handling all wild animals. Please do not try this at home.