Visitors Becoming Volunteers

Frequent Nature Center Visitors

Several times per month, To The Rescue transports individuals in their Adult Day Programs to Indian Creek Nature Center to get out on trails and see what Indian Creek Nature Center has to offer.

Their Adult Day Programs provide adult individuals with disabilities supervised experiences to help those individuals develop life skills and independence in a safe and accessible environment. 

Despite all the beautiful outdoors spaces in the area, they keep bringing various groups back to the Nature Center frequently in part because of the high accessibility of the Amazing Space building, and the surrounding natural environment. When individuals within the group have mobility challenges, including the use of wheelchairs, factors that may seem unimportant to some can become critical. 

The space around and approaching the Amazing Space building was created with no steps, minimal slope and a “Meadow” that displays nature’s beauty right along the main entryway. This allows groups with a variety of mobility challenges access to nature and beautiful indoor spaces, like our bird room, in ways that other outdoor spaces without these features cannot.

This high accessibility allows individuals with limited mobility to get out into nature and remove themselves from technology. As the visits continued, To The Rescue connected with Indian Creek Nature Center to offer individuals in their programs new opportunities, such as volunteering.

Developing Life Skills as Volunteers

To The Rescue began volunteer collaboration with Indian Creek Nature Center recently and have planned volunteering various activities once a month. Volunteers learn about helping others, develop life skills and take advantage of opportunities to have integrated community living experiences.

During a recent volunteer experience they assisted with preparations for the Maple Syrup Festival. They assembled more than 100 sap sacks and helped attach the sacks to the trees for sap collection. While volunteers were there, they got to see inside the sugar house and see how maple syrup is made. 

In upcoming visits To The Rescue volunteers will be planting seeds, helping to keep our outdoors spaces beautiful through litter removal, and clearing a path for a new trail. These volunteer events provide individuals with enriching experiences getting outdoors, socializing and contributing to their community. Their efforts advance the Nature Center’s mission to offer beautiful, accessible and engaging outdoor spaces where people can fall in love with nature.

More Enriching Activities

It’s always a delight for Nature Center staff to see the smiling faces of volunteers and Day Program attendees as they walk past the flowers and grasses in The Meadow and towards the building. The group often brings positivity and curiosity to the Nature Center during their visits.

To The Rescue is looking forward to upcoming chances to volunteer and utilize the space in and around Amazing Space. The Day Programs goals are to provide enriching activities in safe environments that foster independence. The Nature Center looks forward to helping with these goals by providing a variety of volunteer projects and more opportunities for nature-related education. 

Here at the Indian Creek Nature Center, we will continue working to make more of our spaces and trails accessible so visitors and volunteers of all abilities can develop their independence, further their appreciation for nature and are empowered to give back to their community.