What a Difference You Make!
We rely on motivated volunteers who bring their time, experiences, and expertise to projects in the park.This offers the opportunity to connect with the park, the community, and others. Do you want to help preserve or interpret the historic structures and cultural landscapes? Help with social media, events, or lead a tour? Teach a traditional skill? Meet new people who share your love of what the park offers and a common desire to help. We have many jobs to suit a variety of skills and time availability. Whether you volunteer for a few hours, a few months, or return yearly, you will have a big impact on preserving our national treasures here in Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Sleeping Bear Forever would love to welcome you to our active volunteer program.
Volunteer Opportunities
MUSEUM GREETERS
Be a Greeter at the Port Oneida Heritage Center! Warm and friendly volunteers welcome visitors into the farmhouse exhibits and point out interesting things to see and learn about the history within Sleeping Bear Dunes!
TOUR GUIDES
If you would like to learn and share the cultural history that abounds in Sleeping Bear Dunes, you might enjoy leading an auto tour, bike tour, or be our narrator on our horse and wagon tours!
PROGRAM & EVENTS
Volunteers help with a variety of tasks to make a successful event or program. From planning, to greeting, checking people in, introductions, set up and tear down logistics on-site to follow-up tasks. Check out our events page to see what’s happening and where you might like to help! We’d love to have your assistance!
TEACHING TRADITIONAL TRADES
If you have expertise in a traditional trade or skills we have a place for you! We have been teaching skills for many years and are expanding this area. Let us know if you would like to share your time and talents. We have volunteer and paid positions.
PRESERVATION
From painting to carpentry, historic preservation is a major focus of Sleeping Bear Forever.
OUTREACH
Are you good at photography, have skills in social media posts, or would like to serve at an information table or booth we have a place for you! Or help us distribute literature in town. If you prefer being in the office, you can help with mailing sales items, or help with mailings, and database entry.
GARDENS
Help maintain the restored historic vegetable, flower and berry gardens at the Port Oneida Heritage Center and other historic properties. Gardeners gather once a week to help plant, water, weed, etc. , or you can coordinate to work on your own time.
HIGHWAY CLEANUP
Sleeping Bear Forever keeps the M-22 corridor free of litter in the beautiful Port Oneida Rural Historic District. Volunteers walk the rural landscape along the route in spring and fall.
HISTORIC PROPERTY STEWARDS
Adopt a farm by checking on it once a month in the off -season and once every two weeks between May – October.
HABITAT RESTORATION
Help restore the historic farm fields by removing invasive vegetation – Autumn Olive, Black Locust, and more. Activities include keeping natural walking trails cleared of encroaching vegetation; fence construction.
FIELD MOWING
Join our tractor mowing team in July and August to keep invasive vegetation from growing back into the historic farm fields.
ANTIQUE ORCHARDS
Antique orchards are being restored in the park – but it takes volunteers to graft, or water, transplant from the nursery. You can also adopt an orchard by keeping it pruned once trained.
GROUP PROJECTS
Get your folks together for a community service project. Whether it’s your school, work team, honor society, youth group, or faith organization – have fun together doing something meaningful to better this special place. You’ll learn more about the park and each other! No experience necessary. Tools provided. Sample projects are spring clean up in the garden, raking leaves, repairing or building fences, spreading compost or mulch, and removing invasive vegetation. Contact us at 231-334-6103.
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