Volunteer
Volunteers provide vital outreach, administrative, and operational support for our organization. By volunteering, you can help us build awareness, raise funds, plan and carry out events, and participate in community outreach opportunities. In addition, we offer hands-on volunteer opportunities for gardeners who are looking to get their hands dirty.
How to Volunteer
It’s easy! Just fill out our online form by clicking the button below. We’ll add you to our SignUp Genius list and email you when a volunteer opportunity arises
Upcoming volunteer opportunities with WBG
We use the SignUp Genius platform to manage our volunteer lists for our various needs. Please see below for links to any upcoming volunteer opportunities with us:
STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer opportunities
at the avish estate
Now that we are heading into the “off-season,” we will be in touch about any opportunities out at the Avish Gardens and greenhouses.
** As The Avish Estate is a private residence, please do not visit the property outside of the designated times for volunteer work or WBG hosted classes/workshops. If you need directions to the property, please contact us at info@waterfrontgardens.org
Thank you!
Doing physical work with us, but haven’t signed a waiver yet?
Download it below and bring it to your volunteer session:
Wbg garden guide (docent) training classes
The WBG Garden Guides will serve as an essential part of the daily operations of the botanical gardens now that they are officially open to the public.
WBG Garden Guides are dependable, committed individuals who are willing and able to help us educate and inspire our guests and ensure that they have a positive garden experience.
In order to graduate, prospective Garden Guides are required to complete all the coursework in the training, including the “graduation,” where they will demonstrate their skills for WBG staff.
For more detailed information on the program, please refer to the following documents:
To sign up, follow the link below:
winter 2020 training dates
Mondays, 6-7:30pm
1/27
2/3
2/10
2/17 (this session is 6-8pm)
2/24 > Evaluation/Graduation
Sign up will be available soon
Any other inquiries pertaining to this training may be directed to Allison Whitehouse, awhitehouse@waterfrontgardens.org
Conceived in January 2016, the Waterfront Botanical Gardens Cultivators is a young professionals group for earth-lovers who are interested in connecting with other like-minded friends on the principles of environmental education, sustainability, and strengthening cultural life in our hometown.
Volunteer of the Season
The Volunteer of the Season honor began in our e-newsletter in 2017, to show more gratitude to more of our amazing volunteers. Each season (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), we select a volunteer from our base who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and support for the project through their hard work.
Dot Wade Volunteer of the Year Award
Dot Wade was a volunteer board member for Botanica Inc. for many years. Her spirit lives on through the amazing volunteers who keep this project moving forward.
Congratulations to Ned Price, our 2019 Dot Wade Volunteer of the Year awardee!
Our 2019 Dot Wade Volunteer of the Year awardee is Ned Price.
Ned is a super volunteer. He first heard about Botanica at a Jon Carloftis talk back in 2014 and has been with us ever since. The first event he remembers coming to was the dedication of the Founders Garden at the Heigold Façade on Frankfort Ave. He has served on the Volunteer Committee since the spring of 2017, the reGeneration Fair Committee since 2018, helps out regularly in the gardens at the Avish Estate, and is a member of our first-ever class of WBG Garden Guides. He truly does it all!
Perhaps most impressively, Ned doesn’t even live in Louisville! He has driven and continues to drive here all the way from Frankfort to help make the Gardens a reality for the community. Thank you, Ned!
Past RECIPIENTS
2015 – Valerie J. Smith 2016 – Tim Baker 2017 – Amanda Schmitt and Mary Ayers
2018 – Tavia Cathcart Brown
cultivator volunteer of the year AWARD
Congratulations to John Haley, our 2019 Cultivator Volunteer of the Year awardee!
The Cultivators are our group of young professionals who are also working to promote WBG in the community. This motivated group has its own governing council, its own members, and puts on its own events. They are dedicated volunteers. The Cultivator Volunteer of the Year for 2019 is none other than Council Vice President, John Haley, who in addition to helping spread the word with much enthusiasm, also helps with the Cultivator graphics!