JEFFERSON COUNTY —Urling Kingery has spent the past 40 years “married” to the , in her words.
Kingery and her husband, Hugh, are responsible for starting the master birder program and constantly lead nature hikes, beginning bird classes and school trips, and they’ve done it all as volunteers.
But Kingery isn’t alone — the Audubon Society of Greater Denver is largely dependent on its volunteers. While there are currently about 190 active volunteers, the society is always looking for more and is hoping for a big turnout in 2015.
Volunteers can do a variety of things at the Audubon Society, ranging from chaperoning school groups, working on fundraising and doing facilities maintenance.
The organization will hold an open house for prospective volunteers from 9-11 a.m. Jan. 30.
The volunteer population has grown steadily since Kingery joined in 1974.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful,” she said. “There’s a huge population of qualified volunteers.”
On Jan. 14, Kingery helped lead a homeschool day with approximately 30 homeschooled students and their parents.
The group met at the Audubon Society’s nature center at the south end of Chatfield State Park near Waterton Canyon. She and community outreach coordinator Kate Hogan taught the students — most of them of elementary-school age — about the types of birds and wildlife they might see on a one-hour walk around the nature center and how to make a bird list of what they have seen.
“They give them real hands-on experience,” parent Anne Marie Robbins said. Robbins brought her three sons to the homeschool class.
“You can learn from videos, but to go out, learn and explore, that is more important to me,” she said.
Working with school groups is a weekly occurrence, as are nature walks with adults led throughout the metro area.
New volunteer Nancy Matovich started volunteering last September and is going through naturalist training, one of the certifications that the Audubon Society offers. Matovich volunteered at the homeschool class and said she has always loved nature and wanted to get more involved when she retired.
“I wanted to learn more and just love working with kids,” she said.
One thing the society is trying to overcome is its lack of visibility.
“The location has been challenging. People don’t know that it’s here,” Hogan said.
Hogan is one of three full-time employees at the society. Membership is currently between 850 and 900 people.
Hogan added: “We’re trying to hone in on best ways to get word out about things going on.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or
Audubon society open house
When: 9-11 a.m. Jan. 30.
Where: Audubon Nature Center, 11280 S. Waterton Road in the Littleton area (near southwest corner of Chatfield State Park)
More information: communityoutreach@denveraudubon.org or call 303-973-9530
