How You Can Help

The Sibley Nature Center exists to serve the community, but it is also highly dependent on the generosity of members of the community who are willing to contribute their time and/or financial support. We have volunteer opportunities for adults and students, and we also are grateful for those who wish to make donations of money or other tangible assets.

Volunteer Opportunities

Sibley Companeros

The purpose of the Sibley Companeros is to further the goals of the Sibley Nature Center.

We have identified 10 areas where we need help (see below). Over the next few years all 10 areas need volunteer direction to grow and develop. Someday the center might be able to afford paid staff to fulfill some of the roles. Foundations supplying operating funds must see a strong volunteer base before donating money for salaries.

The Sibley Companeros will be required to take LLANERO classes. Eleven classes will introduce the participants to all facets of the natural world of the Llano Estacado. Upon completion the Companero will have a 3 ring binder full of the basics of Llano Estacado ecology. Llanero classes will begin January, 2006.

The Sibley Companeros will be non-political. The job of the Sibley Nature Center is to present facts in an interesting and fun way to familiarize the citizens of the region’s towns with the citizens of the natural world surrounding us. The Sibley Nature Center teaches the love of our homeland. We seek to find the common ground between people.

Volunteer jobs

1. Facility operators - operate store, greet visitors and have them sign register, take phone calls and log questions
   
   
2. Public Relations - produce flyers, member newsletter, call media representatives for special events
   
   
3. Clerical - preparation of curriculum final copy, library card file, vendors file, photo files, specimen records
   
   
4. School Liaison - deliver displays, deliver and pick critters, arrange for pre-visit information and post visit information and evaluation, call schools and groups periodically
   
   
5. Docents - be willing to meet groups on self-guided tours to outline expectations and duties, and if have developed a program personally, to give that program
   
   
6. Critter upkeep - clean cages, feed animals
   
   
7. Cleaning crew - clean the building, pick up trash, clean up along trail
   
   
8. Product makers for store - make products to sell, such as the Natural Calendar, coloring books, and even something out of some plant along trail, such as mesquite jelly, yucca soap, cattail soup
   
   
9. Computer Mavens - work on website, interactive programs, graphics, publications
   
   
10. Special events crew – help put on special events

If you wish to submit an application to become a Sibley Companero, please download and complete the form and return it to the address shown at the bottom of this page.

Volunteer Opportunities for Students

Please contact us for more information about volunteering for the following opportunities:

1. Critter upkeep - clean cages, feed animals
   
   
2. Cleaning crew - clean building, pick up trash
   
   
3. Artwork - Cartoons, murals, line drawings for coloring books
   
   
4. Library work - Labeling, cataloguing, reshelving
   
   
5. Vertical file preparation - cutting magazine pictures, sorting, filing
   
   
6. Clerical - xeroxing of handout material
   
   
7. Trail work - planting, pruning, weeding, building
   
   
8. Computer - website maintenance (must have experience and thorough knowledge)
   
   
9. Summer camp help - supervising and helping elementary school-age children, preparation, clean up
   
   
10. Oral history interviews - interview long-time residents about early experiences on the Llano Estacado
    
    
11. Ethnic garden - planting, maintaining Indian and Hispanic vegetables, building wickiup, ramada, jacale
    
    
12. Research - catching arthropods for identification, mapping and recording individual's activities
    

Donations

The Sibley Nature Center welcomes monetary donations of any amount. If you'd like to mail a donation, please print and complete this form and send it along with your gift.

You may also donate online using a credit or debit card, or bank draft. We use PayPal to administer the online donations in order to assure security and confidentiality. Look for the button labeled "Click to Make a Donation" to begin the process.