Last summer,
Maddy attempted to participate in our city's local Zoo Crew volunteer program.
However, toe surgeries on both great (big) toes
prevented her from being able to wear closed-toes shoes -
a must for Zoo Crew volunteers!
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Getting ready for the first day on the job!
Please excuse my messy kitchen counters -- keeping it real! |
This year those toes have mostly healed up,
And when sign-up started,
she was among the first to complete the form, send it in and become
one of the 400 volunteer students in grades 7 through 12 in the program.
This volunteer gig provides jr. high and high school students the
opportunity to learn about animals, animal
care, service to community and gain important life and job skills
at the same time.
The student volunteers help out all around the zoo, assisting
with pony rides, picking up trash, cleaning areas and giving zoo guests close up
animal experiences by showing animals in the Critter Encounter area and
other areas of our zoo.
Maddy works once or twice a week through September.
This volunteer program is a good preview of the
work world as the assigned work hours are 8 AM - 5 PM
with 30 minutes for lunch! And no snack breaks!
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| A great first day! |
She's a Monday worker and finished her first Monday this week!
It rained . . . on and off all day - sometimes heavy rain.
I worried all day wondering how it was going.
And yet, she was all smiles when I picked her up after 5 PM!
It was a fabulous day, she enjoyed it all - well, except
that her feet hurt a little bit!
She's already making plans to volunteer again next summer.
Fun Zoo Crew days ahead to be sure!
