VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Solar home tour | The Colorado Renewable Energy Society is sponsoring the Tour of Solar Homes in Denver on Oct. 6 and need volunteers ages 16 and older to staff the homes on the tour. Volunteers will assist homeowners with visitors on the day of the tour. There will be two shifts, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or from noon to 4 p.m. There will be a free informational seminar about solar power from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 4 at the National Renewable Energy Lab Visitor Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden. After the presentation, there will be an orientation session for the Tour volunteers. (Volunteers are not required to attend the orientation session to volunteer for this event). Call 303-806-5317 or e-mail patty@pacificmillimeter.com.
Elder care | Total Longterm Care, a non-profit that allows elders to live with dignity in the community for as long as possible, needs volunteers for its End of Life program. Volunteers would go into the home or other place of residence and be a companion for an individual who is experiencing end of life. Volunteers are thoroughly trained and given a great deal of support when they get started. Trainings will be October 6 and 13. Call Barb Warner at 720-974-6003 or e-mail bwarner@totallongtermcare.org.
Child Advocates | Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Adams and Broomfield Counties needs volunteers. Fall training begins Oct. 6. The training is a total of 33 hours over a two week time period, and is held in Westminster and Brighton locations. CASAs advocate for the best interest of children who have been abused or neglected, and help to ensure that the physical, emotional and educational needs of these children are met. For information, call 303-654-3378 or visit .
Flowerbed winterizing event | Denver Parks and Recreation needs over 200 volunteers for its “Putting the Beds to Bed” event, from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 13. Park horticultural experts assist with the event and are on-hand to answer questions about winterizing flowerbeds. For information, contact the Denver Parks and Recreation volunteer hotline at 303-331-4061.
Pumpkin fair | Volunteers are needed for the 19th annual Pumpkin Festival at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road. The festival is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14. Volunteers are needed for the following duties: pumpkin measuring, children’s activities and games, pumpkin daycare attendants, pumpkin patch or entrance cashiers, soda/water booth attendants and more. Volunteers will receive a free pumpkin and lunch will be provided. Call Karyn Chaffin at 720-865-3565 or e-mail volcoord@botanicgardens.org.
Teddy Bear Project | The 9th annual Teddy Bear Project needs volunteers to do independent collections of new and slightly used plush animals, any size, shape or color. Through December 12; the drop-off site is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays at 3021 W. University Blvd. For information, call 303-628-0477.
Coats for Colorado campaign | Dependable cleaners and channel 7 KMGH-TV are accepting donated new and gently used coats through Nov. 30 at more than 30 Dependable Cleaners in the metro area or at upcoming special collection events. A collection event will be from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Denver’s 7 studios, at Speer Boulevard and Lincoln Ave. 7News personalities and Dependable Cleaners’ will be on hand to accept donations. Future events will be Oct. 13, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10. Visit . For volunteering information, contact Patti Kingsbury at 303-777-2673, ext. 21.
Hospice | Trinity Hospice of Colorado needs volunteers to provide visits, companionship and emotional support to terminally ill patients and their families. Contact Kathy McCune at 303-799-5096, or via e-mail kathryn.mccune@trinityhospice.com.
Medical relief | Project C.U.R.E. delivers donated medical supplies and equipment to people in need of medical relief around the world. Project C.U.R.E. Corps needs groups of volunteers to sort items, load containers and for warehouse organization. Individual volunteers are needed to work as truck drivers, volunteer coordinators, couriers, sorting team leaders, and in procurement and general administration. Visit . or call 303-792-0729.
Money management | Seniors Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps people maximize their personal independence, needs volunteers for its Money Management Program – Bill Payer Service. After training, volunteers will go into the residences of low income disabled or elderly persons, at no cost, to assist them with organizing and paying their bills, balancing their checkbook and providing guidance on personal budgeting and related matter. Contact Tim Cusick at 303-300-6933 or e-mail tcusick@seniorsinc.org.
Museo de las Americas | The Museo de las Americas is recruiting and training volunteers for art, programs and events. Contact Kristi Martens at 303-571-4401, ext. 28, or e-mail Kristi@museo.org.
Railroad museum | The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden needs volunteers for ongoing projects throughout fall. Volunteers are also needed to work in the office, on the track crew, in restoration projects in the roundhouse, in the library and as tour guides. Contact volunteer coordinator David Williams at 720 274-5147 or e-mail david@crrn.org.
Art museum | The Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver is hosting summer training for prospective volunteers. For information, contact Becky Wareing at 303-298-7554 or e-mail beckyw@mcartdenver.org.
Boulder Creek Watershed Initiative | BCWI needs volunteers to help with forums, to work on StreamTeams to protect local waterways, to write articles and take photographs, to help with general clerical duties and more. For information, visit KeepItCleanPartner . or call 303-413-7365.
Xeriscape garden | Volunteers are needed at the Aurora Water Xeriscape Garden, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway. For information, contact Abby Schreiber via e-mail at aschreib@ci.aurora.co.us or at 303-739-7356.
Trail guides | The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks needs trail guides to visit trailheads and hike trails on OSMP lands six to 10 hours per month, providing visitors with information on area features, seasonal changes and local and natural history. Free classroom and field training is provided in four sessions. For information, visit . or call 720-579-4161.
Trail work | The Colorado Trail Foundation needs volunteers to do trail work and other volunteer tasks. Trail work happens through August and work events are from a single day to a week long. For information, visit .
Wilderness environmental service programs | The Rocky Mountain Field Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Colorado Springs, dedicated to the preservation and restoration of wildlands and key natural areas. RMFI accomplishes its mission through environmental service, education and research. RMFI programs are developed around comprehensive, multi-year or long-term projects developed in concert with land management agencies to meet critical preservation and restoration goals. A multi-day project is schedule Oct. 13-14 at Indian Creek, Utah. Regular workdays are scheduled in the fall at Garden of the Gods. Contact RMFI at 719-471-7736 or e-mail rmfibox@ . for information.
Morrison Museum | The Morrison Natural History Museum, 501 Colorado 8, needs volunteers to teach about local fossils and rocks using hands-on exhibits and interactive demonstrations. Training and mentorship provided. Volunteers are also needed to assist with reptile collection care, fossil molding and casting, and information desk/gift shop operations. Call 303-697-1873 or visit .
Park weeding and trail maintenance | Roxborough State Park, 4751 N. Roxborough Drive, Littleton, needs volunteers to work with trained crew leaders to pull, snip and collect noxious weeds and help maintain the hiking trails. For information, call 303-973-3959.
Air and Space museum | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., needs volunteers to help with youth and adult education programs offered by the Museum’s Education Department. Volunteers conduct tours, assist with hands-on activities, teach in the flight simulator lab and conduct our Project Pilot course. Project Pilot is a team building course in which students learn the basics of flight planning and then fly a mission in the Museum’s Flight Simulator Lab. Wings offers progressive training for all of these volunteer positions. Aviation experience is a plus, but is not required. Contact the Education Department at 303-360-5360, ext. 106 or 116, or education@wings . for information.
Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitor Center | School field trip program guides and docents are needed to serve as hosts and conduct programs appropriate for school groups, youth and scouting organizations, senior citizen and civic groups at the Department of Energy’s NREL Visitors Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden. For information, contact Ivilina Thornton at 303-384-6566 or e-mail ivilina_thornton@nrel.gov.
Zoo | The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., needs volunteers to assist with special events, to assist zookeepers and to work in the zoo’s membership, education and administration departments. For information, visit . or call 303-376-4894.
Dinosaur Ridge | Volunteer tour guides are needed to teach people about the paleontological, geological, natural resources and history of Dinosaur Ridge. Applicants must be at least 18 and must complete required training. For information, call 303-697-3466 or visit .
Science Museum | The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., needs volunteers to work with visitors in the Museum’s diorama halls, galleries and activity areas. Also needed are volunteers to be guides, interpreters, collections assistants and classroom prep assistants. Call the Volunteer Services office for information, 303-370-6419.
Nature Center | Bluff Lake Nature Center, East 30th Avenue and Moline Street, needs volunteer naturalists to work with kids, using games, science experiments and hands-on activities to teach them about nature. No experience is required. For information, call Sue Schafer at 303-468-3245.
Butterfly Pavilion | The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster, needs volunteers to work with visitors and to help in its tropical butterfly conservatory, tide pool, touch cart, and garden areas. For information, visit . or call Kris Desmarais, 720-974-1868.
TWICE WEEKLY
Telescope viewing | Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 E. Warren Ave., on the University of Denver campus, has astronomy presentations and allows use of the 20-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For information, visit ., or call 303-871-5172 for reservations.
ONGOING
Wildlife program | Starsmore Discovery Center, 2120 S. Cheyenne Cañon Road, is offering free hands-on wildlife programs led by park interpreters at 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The program features mountain lions, black bears, hummingbirds, porcupines, common birds and other wildlife. An optional hike on the Columbine Trail will follow the talk.
Dinosaur tracksite tour | The USDA Forest Service Comanche National Grasslands is offering guided auto tours of Picket Wire Canyonlands, approximately 25 miles south of La Junta in southeast Colorado. Stops on the tour include visits to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America, prehistoric Native American rock art, and more. Day-long tours are offered Saturdays in October. Cost is $15 per adult, $7.50 per child. Due to rough roads, participants must have their own four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. Call the Comanche National Grassland at 719-384-2181 or visit .
River table | Visit South Suburban Parks and Recreation’s Carson Nature Center in South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive, the first Saturday of each month and manipulate a river in the 12-foot stainless steel river table. The table is filled with plastic sand and recirculating water powered by pumps that can be controlled by participants. Visitors can create a city landscape and see how natural river actions affect their creation. Naturalists are on hand from 2-3 the first Saturday of each month to guide individuals and families through the free, hands-on experience. For information, call 303-730-1022 or visit .
Nature movies | Morrison Nature Center, 16002 E. Smith Road, offers a free nature movie, popcorn and hands-on projects at 2 p.m. the 3rd Sunday monthly. To register, call 303-739-2428.
Kids nature programs | Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora, offers a free program for kids ages 5 and under every Thursday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. with puppets, stories, activities and outdoor exploration. For information, call 303-739-2428 or visit .
Kids nature programs | Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora, offers a free program for kids ages 6-10, “Junior Rangers,” which meets the second Sunday every month at 1:30 p.m. (There are NO November programs). To register, call 303-739-2428.
Science open house | The Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, offers a free open house with hands-on science activities from 1 p.m. on the third Sunday of the month. To register, call 303-739-2428.
Map and compass class | The US Geological Survey hosts a free map, compass and orienteering class at 1 p.m. the first and third Fridays monthly in the map department at the Denver Flagship REI, 1416 Platte St. For information, call 303-756-3100.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research | NCAR’s Mesa Lab, a working research laboratory at the west end of Table Mesa Drive in Boulder, has a free visitor center that is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. The visitor center has a climate exhibit, an eclipse telescope, working supercomputers, a gravity well, and hands on demonstrations of lightning, tornados and fluid dynamics. For information, call 303-497-1174or visit .
Renewable energy | The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Visitors Center features an interactive exhibit hall and DOE public reading room. For information, visit . or call 303-384-6565.
Children’s workshops | The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., has many children’s workshops and events for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. For a list, call the Children’s Workshop coordinators at 303-370-8225 or 303-370-8347.
Nature activities | South Suburban Parks and Recreation naturalists lead many outdoor, nature and environmentally related activities and events at Carson Nature Center, 3000 W. Carson Drive, Littleton. For a list of events, visit . or call 303-730-1022.
Wildlife refuge programs | The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, East 56th Avenue at Havana Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. There are various exhibits at the Visitor Center, and free nature programs and refuge tours. Call 303-289-0930 for times and reservations, or visit .
Natural history seminars | The Rocky Mountain Nature Association offers a series of outdoor seminars on natural history topics in Rocky Mountain National Park. For information, call 970-586-3262 or visit .
Nature programs | The Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora, offers a variety of nature programs for children and adults. For a list of events, call 303-739-2428 or visit .
Astronomy events | Fiske Planetarium, on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, has a variety of astronomy shows, talks, and family matinees. The evening talks and shows are $6 adults, $5 students with valid I.D., and $3.50 for children and seniors. Saturday family shows are $5 adults, $3.50 children and seniors. Laser shows are $5. For more information, call 303-492-5002 or visit .
Nature programs and hikes | “Rox-Revealed,” a program featuring naturalist-led programs and hikes, is at 11 a.m. Saturdays at Roxborough State Park, 4751 N. Roxborough Drive. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. For information, call 303-973-3959 or visit .
TODAY
Wapiti (elk) watch | A presentation about elk, “Wapiti Watch,” followed by a short hike to look and listen for them in the wild, at 5:00 p.m. in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. There is a $3 admission fee to enter the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. To register, call 719-748-3253.
MONDAY
Futurist program | Thomas Frey, the Executive Director and Senior Futurist at the DaVinci Institute, will give a talk, “The City of the Future: Eight Dimensions of Human Connectedness that will Define Tomorrrow’s Great Cities,” at 6:30 p.m. at CB & Potts, 120th and Pecos, Westminster. For information, visit . or call 303-284-9359.
TUESDAY
Solar Hot Water systems talk | “Solar Hot Water and Radiant Heating,” a program by Daimon Vilppu, President, Simply Efficient, and a member of Board of Directors, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association and Mark Eatherton, Advanced Hydronics, Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Radiant Panel Association and instructor at Red Rocks Community College, will be at 6 p.m. at the NREL Visitor’s Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden.
THURSDAY
Solar photovoltaics and Xcel Solar Rewards Program | “Solar Photovoltaics and Xcel Solar Rewards Program,” a talk by Jeff Scott, President of Sol Source, Inc., and Vice President of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and Julia Gauthier, manager of the Solar Rewards Program at Xcel Energy, will be at 6 p.m. at the NREL Visitor’s Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden.
Adult nature hike | South Suburban Parks and Recreation is offering a naturalist-guided hike, for persons ages 18 and over, to see fall colors in the mountains, (destination to be announced). Meet at 8 a.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. Cost is $22 ($19 District rate) and includes transportation and naturalist leadership. Hikes are generally 3-5 miles round-trip. Approximate return time is 4 p.m. Take water and a lunch. For information, call 303-730-1022. Register at . or call 303-347-5999.
Astronomy program | “Sputnik and the Space Age in Boulder, Colorado,” a program by Keith Gleason, manager of Simmer-Bausch Observatory on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, will be at 7:30 p.m. in CU Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium. Cost is $6 adults, $3.50 for children/seniors, free for students with valid ID. The program will be repeated at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Student admission to the Oct. 5 show is $5 (with valid ID). For information, call 303-492-5002 or visit .
FRIDAY
Botanic Gardens at Chatfield free day | Colorado residents with valid identification are admitted at no cost from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road. For information, call 720-865-3500.
SATURDAY
Astronomy program | “Space Primer,” a family-friendly program, will be at 2 p.m. in the Fiske Planetarium on the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Cost is $5 adult, $3.50 child/senior. For information, visit . or call 303-492-5002.
Sputnik plays | The Theater Company of Lafayette is presenting “The Deep Beep-Beep: Short Plays About Sputnik,” at 7:30 p.m. at the Fiske Planetarium on the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Cost is $6 adults, $5 all others. For information, visit . or call 303-492-5002.
Solar tour events | “National Solar Tour, Colorado,” a program of the American Solar Energy Society, features Solar Tours on Oct. 6 in the following areas: Boulder County, New Castle, Delta County, the Denver Metro area, Northern Colorado, the Pikes Peak area, the Pueblo area, Southwest Colorado and Summit County. For times and information, visit ./Colorado.htm or call 303-443-3130.
Dinosaur event | “Dinosaur Discovery Day,” a free public tour day with volunteer guides, will be from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Dinosaur Ridge, 16831 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. This tour day is also Girls Scout Day at Dinosaur Ridge, and there will be a special field day, “Rocks and Roles, Women on the Ridge,” for Girl Scout groups.
For information, visit .
Oct. 7
Nature observation class | South Suburban Parks and Recreation is offering “Notice Nature Better,” a program about improving observation skills and practicing making critical field notes and basic sketches in a field notebook (starter book is provided). The program begins at 4:30 p.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. Cost is $12 ($10 District rate). For information, call 303-730-1022. Register at . or call 303-347-5999.
To publicize upcoming events geared toward and open to the public, please mail details at least two weeks in advance to Andrea Labak, Scientifically Speaking, The Denver Post, City Desk, 101 W. Colfax Ave., Suite 600, Denver, CO 80202, or e-mail to Scispeak@denverpost.com.
