How To Help

Outreach and education volunteers are needed to assist the staff in working with groups both on and off-site to explain the Crane Trust’s mission, its work, and the importance of that work to both wildlife and the humans that co-exist with it. Groups can vary in age from Pre-K to retired individuals. Training will be provided.

Gift Shop volunteers are needed to help stock shelves, take inventory, engage visitors and help them find the perfect souvenir.

During migration season, extra help is needed at the reception desk. This includes greeting new visitors, answering phones, assisting with set up/take down for meetings and special events, dusting, window washing, maintaining tourism information, registering people for crane viewing tours and other general office duties.

During migration season and other special events, snack bar volunteers are needed to keep those hungry tummies full and keep thirsty patrons hydrated. You’ll be responsible for handling money, restocking and a pleasant customer service experience. Minor food preparation skills are needed: baking cookies and rolls, preparing hamburgers, soups, and etc.

Through weeding and planting in the butterfly garden at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, we hope to attract more butterflies each year. This job may involve some heavy lifting and bending.

During migration season, we need tour guides to take groups to the viewing blinds. Tours run a maximum of 2.5 hours and are limited to 25 people. You must be able to navigate ¼ to ½ mile over rough, mowed prairie grass trails, in the dark, to be a guide (Flashlights are provided). Training sessions are scheduled in late January to early February; some individual sessions are also made available as needed.

Grounds and Trail Maintenance volunteers are needed to help construct and fix-up viewing blinds, mow lawns at both the visitor center and at the headquarters, mow the walking trails, aid in fence installation and removal, general painting, trash pickup, weeding around buildings, general light repairs inside the buildings, vehicle maintenance (washing and vacuuming the interiors) and other general maintenance needs.

On occasion, the science and land management staff have a need for able volunteers to help in the greenhouse, pick seed, manage invasive plants, or assist with wildlife surveys. These duties are always changing and vary by season. These experiences offer a great glimpse of the daily duties required to fulfill the Crane Trust’s mission.

Special events vary with the seasons. During migration season, it’s all hands on deck. Extra building maintenance help is needed which includes making sure the trash is emptied, restrooms stocked with paper and keeping the Nature and Visitor Center looking clean and organized. Other special events throughout the year require setting up and tearing down meeting rooms, decorating the building inside and out, selling and taking tickets, leading tours on the walking trails, giving short programs to school groups and more.