Volunteer Opportunities

Office Coverage
Two Master Gardeners are scheduled in the office on weekdays to answer homeowners' questions. Hours vary by the season.

Master Gardener Mentor
Veteran Master Gardeners are matched with Master Gardener Interns to help them assimilate into the DuPage County Master Gardener Program.

"Garden Thymes" Newsletter
If you have a knack for writing, you might enjoy developing a regular feature for the newsletter. We also welcome articles on seasonal gardening topics and are always looking for new people who can use their gardening expertise and creative talents to make each issue exciting and informative. This can be done from home. Deadlines for each issue are published in the newsletter.

Email Buddies
Master Gardeners who regularly check their email, pass along important information to our MGs who do not use email. This involves calling your Email Buddy to share any news or volunteer opportunities that come from the office via email.

Adult Horticulture Therapy

The Terrace
A team of Master Gardeners assist residents with planting and growing container gardens. Residents plant seeds in March and then transplant young seedlings into their container gardens in May. From May-frost, Master Gardeners meet regularly with residents and help them water and maintain these special gardens.

DuPage County Convalescent Center
Master Gardeners assist residents with planting and growing gardens in raised beds. Horticulture lessons are also presented.

Youth Horticulture Therapy

Easter Seals
Hands-on gardening activities are conducted one afternoon per month at the Easter Seals of DuPage County site in Villa Park. Commitment includes: help with preparation of programs, working with special needs preschoolers, and working as a team to develop new program ideas.

Gardening with Special Needs Students – Downers Grove North High School Hands-on garden activities are conducted one morning per month at the high school. Weather permitting, activities are conducted outdoors incorporating the newly installed raised beds located in the school's courtyard. Programs are inside during the winter months.

Rec & Roll - Western DuPage Special Recreation Association
A team of Master Gardeners present monthly hands-on gardening lessons with these special participants.

Vocational Skill Class at College of DuPage
A team of Master Gardeners help with the greenhouse vocational skills class.

Youth Programs

Worms in the Classroom School Lesson (Squirmin' Herman the Worm)
A team of MGs provides hands-on lessons to third graders in DuPage County schools.

Gettin' Buggy Camps
Master Gardeners work with 4-H staff to present lessons on butterflies, bees, worms and insects.

Growing Gardeners - DuPage County Juvenile Detention Center
A team of Master Gardeners teach environmental lessons and help residents plant and tend a large vegetable garden. Produce from the garden are donated to local food pantries.

Garden Mentor
Mentors assists students at Cass Middle School in Darien with growing flowers and/or vegetables.

Judge 4-H Exhibits at the Dupage County Fair
Judges are needed for entomology, vegetable gardening, flower gardening, and indoor gardening (houseplants).

Partnerships

Butterfly Education Garden Team
This site (planted in July 2002) represents the partnership of Extension with the DuPage County Forest Preserve District and has four featured garden areas: the butterfly garden, an enabling garden, a water garden, and a woodland shade garden. Master Gardeners maintain the gardens and scheduled in teams to water, weed, and plant seasonal annuals as needed. The team leader coordinates the scheduling and maintenance of this garden.

Graue Mill Garden Site
This is another partnership project with the Forest Preserve District. A team of MGs reclaimed garden areas surrounding the mill with native, historically correct plantings. A small garden of grain plants demontrates what was milled in the mid 1800's.

Kline Creek Farm Garden
This site is located on County Farm RD between Geneva RD and St. Charles RD, Wheaton. MG's serve as "interns" with the DuPage County Forest Preserve District volunteer group and maintain the ornamental plant, door yard and border gardens.

Naper Settlement
A team of Master Gardeners researched historically correct plants and developed a design to reclaim the herb garden located near the Martin Mitchell Mansion on the Naper Settlement property.

Community Outreach

Speakers Bureau Team
Speakers are available to DuPage County organizations through our Master Gardener program. There are 30 presentations offered on a wide range of gardening topics.

DuPage County Fair Booth
The County Fair is held each year at the end of July. Master Gardeners are on duty to answer questions and distribute bulletins and fact sheets.

Help Desks
Master Gardeners visit local libraries and special events to offer gardening literature and advice.

Marketing Team
Master Gardeners help distribute Extension marketing materials which promote the Master Gardener Help Line, Hort Corner website, and other Extension programs.

Plant-A-Row for the Hungry (PAR)
The purpose of PAR is to create and sustain a grassroots program whereby gardeners donate their surplus garden produce to local food banks, soup kitchens and service organizations to help feed America's hungry.

Wood Dale Clock Garden
This award winning garden is designed, planted and cared for by a team of Master Gardeners.

Other Opportunities

A variety of other volunteer opportunities may be available depending on requests that come into the Extension office.