Volunteer Opportunities

Sandcastles' Volunteers have been honored for Community Service


From a large field of worthy individuals and organizations, the Ludington/Scottville Chamber of Commerce chose the Sandcastles Volunteers as the recipients of the 2010 Community Service Award. The Sandcastles Board is delighted that our 125+ volunteers have been recognized not only for their many hours of hard work but also for their commitment to the community. Over the past few months, volunteers have torn down, built up, filled dumpsters, cleaned, painted, cooked, helped us raise money, and much more. Some contributions are evident in the museum –like renovated exhibits, recovered furniture, or brightly painted walls. Others are behind the scenes —like packing and moving boxes, hauling wood to the dumpsters, or cleaning and repairing costumes. Soon our summer and fall volunteers will again be making families feel welcome and keeping the museum in top condition every day it is open. All of these wonderful people continue to make Sandcastles a fantastic destination for children and their families!


Sandcastles would not be a possibility without volunteers! In 2010 we had over 100 wonderful Sandcastles volunteers. During our renovation of our new, permanent museum (late 2010 - spring 2011), over 125 people have volunteered! As we have grown and become a favorite destination for families, we have found that we are always looking for even more volunteers! It is a chance to "give back to the community," use your skills, meet new people, and make a difference in children's lives. You can volunteer for one hour, one day, one week, a day a week, whatever works for you.



Download your volunteer application here (Adobe PDF)

Volunteers for Museum Hours: Summer 2011


Volunteer Coordinator Darlene Ponko is currently scheduling volunteers to work during museum hours this summer. Volunteers work with the hired staff. They interact with children, sweep the floor, organize materials, and do whatever needs to be done. Due to a larger space and more exhibits, we have made some changes for 2011. In addition to volunteers, there will be two paid employees working at all times. There will be three shifts per day instead of two (shorter shifts!). The early shift volunteer will help open the museum, and the last shift volunteer will help close.

Name your own schedule! Some volunteers like coming once per week on the same day. Others work every other week. More than one volunteer is needed for each Munchkin Monday and Thrilling Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays are the most difficult days to fill. We also need help in the evening on one or more Friday Night Live dates (July 15, 22, 19 & August 5).

If you would like to be a Museum Volunteer, contact Darlene Ponko at 231-843-3323 or email at dponko@charter.net. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities


1. Work to set up Sandcastles for each new season (exhibit work sessions are Jan.-mid May)
Call 231-845-5703
2. Work as a Museum Volunteer
Call 231-843-3323
3. Work as a Discovery Guide (students grades 5 and up)
Call 231-843-6260
4. Join a committee for fund-raising, writing grants, publicity, organizing special events, etc.
Call 231-690-6735


Exhibits


Volunteers assist in building, painting, rearranging, and maintaining exhibits prior to our spring opening. Work times are flexible.



Discovery Guides


If you are in 5th grade or higher, you can be a Discovery Guide. Discovery Guides help in a variety of ways by working with the children, putting items in their proper places, preparing for art projects, or telling visitors about Sandcastles. Call Sandcastles if you would like to be a Discovery Guide!


Committee Work


The board has several committees, including Fund Rising, Grant Writing, Exhibits, and Publicity. To volunteer for a committee, call Kristin Korendyke at 690-6735 or email sandcastleschildrensmuseum@gmail.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.




Please consider becoming a volunteer for Sandcastles!!