Welcome to our Volunteer Opportunities Page!
The generous support of The Gardens volunteers plays a crucial role in the success of the botanical gardens at Yanney Park. Many volunteer opportunities are available, from participating in educational programs and helping in the greenhouse to assisting with outreach programs and providing outdoor horticultural assistance—all essential in enriching the visitor experience.
Whatever your passion, The Gardens can use your interest and talent!
Here you'll find information about various volunteering opportunities at 'The Gardens at Yanney'. Take a look and see if something interests you. When you find an activity, fill out the application form and sign up for the activity. Application instructions are at the bottom of the page.
If you are already a volunteer sign up to volunteer through your My Impact Page. MyImpactPage - Login (betterimpact.com)
Flexible Volunteer Scheduling:
Help the Gardens look their best this summer by watering, weeding, deadheading, pruning, or raking with other volunteers at times that work best for YOU. Volunteers will be trained in gardening techniques and maintain various plants in the Gardens at Yanney Park and Harmon Park. You will meet with the horticultural staff to set up flexible volunteering. Contact Coelette Gruber to set up your flex volunteer meeting at 308.320.5362 or cgruber@kearneygov.org.
Group Volunteer Opportunities:
Have your group come plant annual flowers at a park entrance, pick up trash, spread mulch, clean up a landscape bed, transplant plants in the greenhouse, or do any other team-building activity. If you are a member of a group looking for volunteer opportunities, please email cgruber@kearneygov.org for project information and to set up your group activity.
***We hope you are having a wonderful summer! Volunteer opportunities are still available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays now until September 27th, 2024. We are in The Gardens at Yanney Park on Mondays and Fridays from 8-10 am and in Harmon Park at the Formal Fountain/Rock Garden on Wednesdays from 8-10 am. Please sign up ahead of time so we know that you'll be coming to help! ***
***Shout out to everyone who volunteered for The Big Dig! Here are a few photos of how the plants are doing in the beds you helped plant. Thank you again for volunteering your time to help The Gardens look amazing. The City of Kearney and its citizens appreciate everything you do to help beautify our parks! ***
Help individuals of all ages learn about gardening during an elementary-age Plant Camp session, as a learning station presenter at an event, as a photographer, or as a tour guide of the Gardens.
Click on the icon to learn more about the volunteer opportunity. Double-click on the volunteer title to sign up. We can't wait to work with you.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photographer - The Gardens | 1 | |||
Horticultural programming volunteers have the option to participate in indoor and/or outdoor volunteer opportunities. Indoor horticultural assistants help with seasonal greenhouse work such as starting seeds, transplanting seedlings, potting up bulbs, watering greenhouse plants, providing general plant care, loading plants out, etc.
Outdoor horticultural assistants help with seasonal garden work such as planting, weeding, deadheading, pruning, and cleanup in the Gardens and Yanney Park.
Click on the icon to learn more about the volunteer opportunity. Double-click on the volunteer title to sign up. We can't wait to work with you.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Horticultural Volunteer at Harmon Park | 4 | 10/9/2024 | 10/30/2024 | |
| Outdoor Horticultural Volunteer at Yanney Park | 8 | 10/4/2024 | 10/28/2024 | |
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dig Up The Canna Bulbs | 1 | 10/12/2024 | 10/12/2024 | |
How to Become a Volunteer
There are three types of volunteers - Seasonal, event, and group/organization volunteers. Seasonal volunteers can sign up for events and other volunteer opportunities like weekly horticultural activities and educational programs. Event volunteers can only sign up for events like Spring Clean-up, The Big Dig, Heritage Days, and Greenhouse Events. Group/Organization Volunteers set up their activities by contacting Coelette Gruber at cgruber@kearneygov.org or 308.320.0968
There are two steps to becoming a volunteer:
A. You apply to be a volunteer.
The volunteer application only needs to be filled out once as long as the individual volunteers once a year.
Seasonal volunteers have to complete a more in-depth application which includes a liability waiver, a background check, and volunteer orientation. The seasonal volunteer process allows the individual to sign up for both events and other garden opportunities. Click on this Seasonal Volunteer Application link (1) to apply to be a seasonal volunteer.
The event volunteer application is short and requires volunteers to sign a liability waiver. Click on the Event Volunteer Application (2) link and then click on the link in the top right corner of that page. The next volunteer event will be held in the fall when the Gardens are cleaned up for winter.
B. Sign up for event volunteer activities from your Volunteer Page after applying to be a volunteer.
Seasonal Volunteers opportunities will be opened to volunteers after they complete orientation and pass their background check
Contact me if you have any questions about applying to be a volunteer or signing up.
Coelette Gruber, AICP | Horticulturist
Kearney Parks & Recreation |P.O. Box 1180 |Kearney NE 68848
308.320.0968 | cgruber@kearneygov.org
