Volunteering with Horn Point Laboratory
Horn Point Laboratory provides a unique volunteer experience for individuals and groups, who like the outdoors, care about the bay, want to increase their knowledge about our Chesapeake environment, like to use their skills to help others, and want to be a member of a congenial and welcoming community. Our volunteer program matches potential volunteers with opportunities on the campus. We are proud to offer a wide variety of volunteer positions that support the unique work of our marine scientists.
Volunteer Opportunities
Grounds, Equipment Maintenance & Gardening
Maintenance - Specific needs areas include the area around our Environmental Science Education Center and special trail repairs. Dormitory maintenance, painting, and building repair are examples of specific needs in grounds maintenance. More to come…
Gardeners - Gardeners are needed to maintain and develop existing landscapes around the Environmental Science Education Center on Morris Lane. Once new native plant beds are in need of loving hands!
Living Shore Line – Staff at Horn Point Lab are interested in creating a living shoreline and need your help. Come join us in planting a living shoreline at our beautiful beach on Choptank River.
Administrative Assistance
Lab Administrative Assistance - Volunteers may be needed to assist faculty and their research teams with clerical tasks.
Youth Activities
Summer Program Assistance - Horn Point offers an excellent opportunity for kids in grades K-8 to learn about the environment through our programs. Horn Point is seeking individuals to assist with youth activities and the registration process and marketing.
Educational Activities – Volunteers who are interested in offering environment or science related educational programs to the community are encouraged to contact us. Contact Kclendan@hpl.umces.edu for more information.
Special Event Volunteers
Annual Open House - Planning for and assisting with special events such our Annual Horn Point Laboratory Open House and our Open House Preview Evening.
Trail Clean Up - Horn Point has extensive trails that need regular maintenance. During the Summer 2009 we will be organizing Trail Clean-up Days. This is a great opportunity to bring the entire family to experience and help out the beautiful Horn Point nature trails. Specific Dates TBA.
Annual “Earth Day” Clean Up – Every Earth Day faculty, staff and students collect roadside debris from outside of the Horn Point Laboratory along Horns Point Road. Join us in this annual initiative to create a cleaner environment in Dorchester County and for Horn Point Laboratory. In April 2009, Horn Pointer’s collected 500 lbs of assorted garbage on Lover’s Lane and portions of Horn’s Point Road.
Quarterly Roadside Clean Up – Join us in maintaining the roadside along Horn Point Road. In addition to our Annual Earth Day Clean-Up Horn Point is looking for volunteers to participate in quarterly roadside debris pick-up. Scheduled pick-ups are planned to occur in March, May, August, & October. Specific dates and times to be announced.
For more information contact Katie Clendaniel at kclendan@hpl.umces.edu
Visitor Services
Touch Tank – Assist Horn Pointer’s with the organization, set up and manning of the Horn Point TOUCH TANK. The Touch Tank is a living exhibit geared towards youth as well as adults in the Eastern Shore area demonstrating local Bay life such as Sturgeon, Maryland’s Diamond Back Terrapin, Blue Crabs, and Rockfish.
For more information about volunteering for the Touch Tank contact Katie Clendaniel at kclendan@hpl.umces.edu
Docent Guide Apprenticeship – Become a Horn Point tour guide during this guide apprenticeship program. Work with current graduate students to learn more about the history of the Horn Point property, and past/current research conducted at Horn Point Laboratory. Volunteers must be available during tour hours Tuesdays and/or Saturdays from 9:30am to 12:00pm. Volunteers will work directly with current tour guides to develop their knowledge and presentation skills to a general and diverse public. For more information contact Katie Clendaniel at kclendan@hpl.umces.edu
Field Work
Field work can be muddy, messy, buggy, and uncomfortable – but FUN!. Fieldwork is where samples are collected which are later tested in the lab. A variety of samples are collected including ground water and soil gas sampling, sediment sampling, storm sampling. Diving is another area where volunteers may assist in field work. Please contact Katie Clendaniel kclendan@hpl.umces.edu for more information on diving as a volunteer for HPL. Prior experience and certification required – Other training through HPL also required.
Lab Assistance
Volunteers will assist individual faculty and their research teams with specific tasks in the lab. Some examples of Lab work may include weighing and grinding samples, sectioning sample cores, and if possible simple analysis. Volunteers are asked to be able to commit to weekly, biweekly, or monthly hours. Lab work is only available during weekday business hours. Availability is limited to the number of positions made available by faculty.
Contact Katie Clendaniel at kclendan@hpl.umces.edu for my information.
Volunteer Benefits
- Contribute to the Community
- Explore the Chesapeake Bay and its life
- Learn about exciting research firsthand from the experts
- Be a part of Bay restoration
- Help make a Horn Point a nice place to visit and explore for others
- Get to know our faculty
- Make new friends
- Attend seminars, lectures, and workshops
- Receive HPL newsletter
- Receive Volunteer Newsletter
More Information
For more information contact our Coordinator of Volunteers, Katie Clendaniel, at:
kclendan@hpl.umces.edu
410-221-8381 (HPL)
240-271-1279 (Mobile)
Become a Donor – Support the research efforts at Horn Point Laboratory
Contact Liz Freedlander at lfreedlander@hpl.umces.edu
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