Wild Ones St. Louis Committee-based Volunteer Opportunities
Members, below you will find a variety of ways to help the chapter in its mission to educate and inspire the St. Louis region about native plants. Each type of volunteering provides opportunities to further your own education, become increasingly inspired, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow native plant enthusiasts.
Following is a list of opportunities. To express your interest in volunteering or to request additional information, the contact us form is at the bottom of this page, select the committee you are interested in and your information will be sent to the committee chairperson.
Welcome Crew
Description: Welcome members at chapter Gatherings. The “welcome table” is staffed with at least two people.
Works with: Renee’ Benage
Tasks:
- Set up the welcome table with a sign-in sheet for members, literature items, and temporary name tags for those who don’t have permanent name tags.
- Welcome attendees, answer questions and try to engage new members.
- Following the event, photograph the membership attendance list and send it to the Programming Committee and Chapter Secretary.
Programming Committee
Description: Committee members will help develop and plan events for members and ensure the critical details are publicized.
Works with: Brenda Adams
Tasks:
- Winter Speakers Series: brainstorm topics and potential speakers and ensure resources for presentation and/or recording are available, if needed.
- Garden Gatherings: help locate, select and coordinate gardens.
- Volunteer appreciation event: plan in coordination with other committees.
- Wildflower Walks: plan, lead and/or coordinate leaders.
- ‘Helping Hands’ events: plan and coordinate volunteers for plant rescues, requests for garden help and ongoing maintenance of select gardens.
- Other programs that may interest membership: brainstorm and implement.
Tabling Opportunities
Description: Wild Ones St. Louis info tables provide literature and informative displays at a variety of events throughout the St. Louis region. These are a significant form of outreach and education. In 2024 we provided a table at 20+events. Typically, two Wild Ones chapter members host at each event. Enthusiasm is more important than knowledge in this role.
Works with: Sue Leahy
Ways to be involved:
- Request a Wild Ones St. Louis table for a community event.
- Request specific materials for your own distribution at a local meeting or event.
- Sign up to ‘person’ a table, especially during the active months of April, May, September and October. Specific opportunities will be listed in our monthly newsletter. Then, sign-up is simple through the Dig In page on our website.
Plant Tag Assembly Crew
Description: Plant id tags were developed in response to the ongoing search for a durable, attractive method for identifying plants. In 2024, there were 218 orders for over 4,000 tags from 18 states! Due to the popularity, seasonal help is needed.
Works with: Sue Leahy
Tasks:
- Work with a small group to assemble tags and fill orders for an hour or two once a week – primarily in April, May and June.
Speakers’ Bureau
Description: Wild Ones St. Louis has a frequently used Speakers’ Bureau with presentations to introduce native plants as well as those that delve into specific areas of interest. Equipment is available. Presentations are typically 50-60 minutes in length.
Works with: Sue Leahy
Ways to be involved:
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- Choose a topic for a presentation at your local library, garden group, church, school or other organization that would be interested in exploring native plants. There are currently 11 to choose from.
- Become a member of the Speakers’ Bureau! We would like to expand our offerings. Let us know if you have a presentation you would like to share through our Speakers Bureau.
Grant Committee
Description: Since 2007 the St Louis Chapter of Wild Ones has given over $27,000 in grants to start over 75 native plant gardens. These native plants sites have been used to spread the word about the importance of native plants in sustainable landscaping and the Wild Ones organization. Each grant site displays a Wild Ones sign that educates viewers about the native plants and promotes our organization. Schools, community groups, HOAs, non-profit organizations, churches and government agencies have all benefited from this rapidly growing program.
Works with: Kathy Bildner
Tasks:
- Help evaluation grant requests, which includes visiting the proposed grant site, e the application and encouraging the applicant. You will interact with and learn from passionate native plant experts on the grant committee.
- Take the lead on 1-2 grant requests per year. ‘Taking the lead’ means interfacing with the applicant, arranging for site visits and plantings, overseeing plantings and serving as a resource for the grant recipient.
Advocacy Chair & Committee Members
Description: “Advocacy is a cornerstone of Wild Ones mission to promote native plants and natural landscapes through education, advocacy, and collaborative action. Chapters are essential to advancing this mission by influencing local policies, fostering community awareness, and driving change at the grassroots level.” From National Wild Ones
This is a newly formed committee. A committee chair and members are needed.
Works with: Brenda Adams
Tasks:
- Become knowledgeable about National policies on advocacy and interact with other Wild Ones chapters around advocacy.
- Work with the Wild Ones St. Louis Board to define and coordinate ideas and goals.
- Monitor state and local legislation and provide direction and education to membership regarding action they can take to support Wild Ones’ position of proposed legislation.
- Help members and Seedpod groups promote native plant friendly ordinances in their local governments.