Reston Association’s
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Take a moment to examine
the volunteer opportunities listed below and let us
know the area your interested in.
Special
Events | Natural Areas | Administrative
Services | Businesses
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Join us to celebrate
Reston’s heritage with
a variety of events, crafts, kids’ activities,
musical entertainment and great festival food!
This
will be Reston’s 44th Birthday Celebration
Volunteers are needed to serve on various sub-committees
to help make the 2008 Reston Festival the best ever!
Help is needed from the pre-planning stage to actual
assistance during the festival.
Volunteers are needed to serve on the following sub-committees:
Children’s Entertainment - This committee is
responsible for recruiting quality entertainers, shows,
and activities for children, while providing a safe
area for them to operate. They work with, and act as
liaisons between the groups managing the children’s
area.
Food -
This committee is responsible for recruiting a variety
of quality food vendors. They work with the Health
Department and Fire Marshall to ensure the food vendors
are in compliance with all the rules of setting up
an off-site food booth.
Publicity
Sponsorship - This
committee is responsible for all pre-event sponsorship
and must work in advance of the festival to acquire
the funds needed to put on this event.
Festival committee
meets at the Reston Association office call 703-435-7986
or email habrock@reston.org to
find out the next meeting time.
For more information visit www.restonfestival.com.
To volunteer contact Ha Brock, RA Volunteer Coordinator
at habrock@reston.org or 703-435-7986.
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DATE:
Saturday, June 7, 2008
TIME:
9 am to 12 noon, BBQ following
Join fellow boaters and lake enthusiasts on Saturday, June 7th for the second annual Lake Cleanup. We are looking for volunteers to get on their boats and to walk the shorelines of each lake to collect as much trash as possible. Supplies will be available at each lake. When You Pitch In, Lakes and Rivers Win! Let’s do our part in cleaning up Reston’s Lakes.
Please sign up by May 28th
To sign-up, call: Ha Brock, RA Volunteer Coordinator at 703-435-7986 or e-mail habrock@reston.org
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Become a volunteer stream monitor and help RA assess the health of our
streams. RA is in need of volunteers to assist with stream monitoring at several locations throughout Reston during all seasons. If you are willing to learn, can work with a partner, enjoy data collection, wildlife identification, and are interested in the health of Reston’s streams, this is the job for you! Volunteering consists of four monitoring sessions of 3-4 hours each for a total of 12-16 hours per year. Training and practice are required and a two-year commitment is encouraged.
For more information, please contact Ha Brock at habrock@reston.org or 703-435-7986.
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One way is to participate in the Storm Drain Marking Project. Our storm drains prevent flooding of roads and neighborhoods by carrying rain and snowmelt away from streets and sidewalks. Unlike water from our taps and tub, water flowing into our storm drains is not treated. Storm drains connect directly to our streams and empty into our lakes. Trash, pet waste, motor oil, paint and other materials dumped or washed into storm drains pollute our watersheds and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Markers on each storm drain remind all of us to keep storm drains and our streams clean.
By contacting Nicki Foremsky, Reston Association’s Watershed Manager, you can be a part of the Storm Drain Marking Project. Since there are over 4,000 storm drains in Reston, many volunteers are needed to mark the storm drains and to help educate the community about the connection between the storm drains and our streams and lakes. Everybody is encouraged to participate.
To get your project started or for more information, contact Nicki Foremsky
at 703-435-6560, Nicki@reston.org or visit the Storm Drain Marking website
at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/stormdrained.
The Storm Drain Marking Project in Reston is sponsored by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, the Northern VA Soil and Water Conservation District, the Virginia Department of Transportation-Northern VA District, and Reston Association.
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Participate in the 15th Annual Great American Dip-In between June 23 and July 15th. Volunteers will monitor the transparency of the lakes and ponds in Reston using a Secchi Disk. The values are used to assess the transparency of volunteermonitored lakes in the United States and Canada. To schedule a date, contact Nicki Foremsky at 703-435-6560 or email Nicki@reston.org.
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NEW DATES,
May
Our native ferns, wildflowers and tree seedlings are
under attack by invasive exotic plants like English
ivy, Japanese Honeysuckle and Bamboo. These fast
growing plants escape from people's yards and seriously
damage local ecosystems, taking away vital food and
habitat from already stressed wildlife populations.
Please come spend a few
hours in Reston's beautiful parkland rescuing our forests
every 4th Saturday of each month at several sites as
we help restore Reston's forests to their natural state.
Time: 10 am to Noon |
Saturday, May 24
Barton Hill Road |
| Return to Twin Branches
Nature Trail to remove the aggressive Bamboo
from one of the nicest, shaded woods in Reston.
Meet at the end of Barton Hill Road. |
| |
What
to Bring: RA will provide work gloves
and tools. Please feel free to bring any favorite
hand tools (pruners, trowels, shovels, soil
knives, etc.) you wish.
NOTE:Volunteers ages 12-14
must be accompanied by an adult Volunteers must
sign up before the event in order to participate.
Directions to the site will be provided after
you sign up.
For more information on the
Weed Warriors Program contact Ha Brock, Volunteer
Coordinator at 703.435.7986 or email habrock@reston.org.
|
More Information
To sign-up or for
more information please contact
Ha Brock at 703-435-7986 or email habrock@reston.org.
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16 years to adult
FREE. No reservations
required.
All levels of birders
are welcome to help find birds in some of Reston’s
most beautiful natural areas. We will watch the changing
of the seasons and watch the birds do their thing!
Our collaborative efforts usually produce a good
variety of local birds, and we always have a great
time! These walks are jointly sponsored by Reston
Association and its Environmental Advisory Committee,
the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and The
Bird Feeder store.
DATE:
Sunday May 4
TIME:
7:30 am–10:30 am
LOCATION:
Bright Pond and the Beaver Swamp,
Bright Pond Ln., park at the end of the culde-sac.
This natural area has lots of edges and varied habitat
for all sorts of birds. Spring migration should be
well underway.
LEADER:
Andy Rabin,
Annual participant in the World Series of Birding which
raises money to save birds and their habitats.
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DATE:Sunday, May
25
TIME:
7:30 am–10:30 am
LOCATION:
Sunrise Valley Wetland Park.
12700 Sunrise Valley Dr., park on the left (west) side
of the ASG Software Solutions building. This is one
of our most popular birding sites in Reston.
LEADER:
Carolyn Williams,
Director of the Northern Virginia Bird Survey. Also
Carol & Jay Hadlock who will man the scope as we
look for evidence of breeding.
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DATE:
Sunday, June 29th
TIME:
7:30 am - 10:30 am
LOCATION:
Upper Glade Stream Valley. Park at Glade Pool, 11550 Glade Dr. We’re hoping to spot wood thrushes, owls or other summer residents.
LEADER:
Joanne and David Bauer,
Glade Stream Valley residents
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DATE:
Sunday, July 20th
TIME:
7:30 am - 10:30 am
LOCATION:
Twin Branches Nature Trail. Meet at the intersection of Glade Drive and Twin Branches Road.
LEADERS:
Carol and Jay Hadlock,
Certified Master Naturalists
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DATE:
Sunday, August 17th
TIME:
7:30 am - 10:30 am
LOCATION:
Buttermilk Creek Nature Trail. Park at Uplands Pool, 11032 Ring Rd. This natural area adjoins Lake Fairfax Park.
LEADER:
Matt Bender
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Reserve by September 3
This program will include an introduction to one of America’s favorite pastimes as well as a bird walk through several different habitats. Review the basics of bird identification, and how to look and listen for the common birds of Reston. Discuss a variety of field guides as well as different types of birding equipment. Take home a Checklist of Birds of Reston. Both new and experienced birdwatchers are welcome.
DATE:
Saturday, September 6
TIME:
8:30 am – 10:30 am
LOCATION:
Walker Nature Education Center – 11450 Glade Dr.
FEE:
$3/RA members
$5/non-members
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Reserve by July 14, Call 703-435-7986
Learn about the fast, colorful, fascinating lives of Reston’s flying dragons. Join guest naturalist Kevin Munroe of the Fairfax County Park Authority as he focuses on basic ID, natural history and conservation of our local dragonflies. Through a combination of field guides, handouts, lecture and a dynamic slide show of close-up photos all taken in Virginia, participants will learn how to identify Reston’s common dragonflies, as well as get a
basic introduction to their bizarre behavior and complex natural history. The class is a great way to prepare yourself for the Reston Dragonfly Count the following Saturday.
DATE:
Thursday, July 17
TIME:
7 pm - 8:30 pm
LOCATION:
RA Central Services Facility - 12250 Sunset Hill Rd.
FEE: $5/free for Dragonfly Count participants
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Reserve by July 16, Call 703-435-7986
Join us for our annual dragonfly count throughout Reston’s natural areas. Meet local dragonfly experts, learn tips on identification and have fun while helping us obtain important information to help our fast-flying friends.
DATE:
Saturday, July 19
TIME:
9:45 am - 3:45 pm
LOCATION:
RA Central Services Facility - 12250 Sunset Hill Rd.
FEE: Free
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Reserve by August 11, Call 703-435-7986
Discover the colorful and diverse lives of Reston’s “flying flowers”. The class will focus on the basic identification and life cycles of our local butterflies. Through a combination of field guides, handouts and a power point presentation, learn how to identify Reston’s common butterflies, and get a basic introduction to their life history. The class is a great way to prepare yourself for the Reston Butterfly Count the next Saturday.
DATE:
Thursday, August 14
TIME:
7 pm - 8 pm
LOCATION:
RA Central Services Facility - 12250 Sunset Hill Rd.
FEE: $5/free for butterfly count participants
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Reserve by August 13, Call 703-435-7986
Join us for our annual butterfly count throughout Reston’s natural areas. Meet local butterfly experts, learn tips on identification and have fun while helping us obtain important information to help our fluttering friends.
DATE:
Saturday, August 16
TIME:
9:30 am -12:00 pm
FEE: Free
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Reserve by June 4, Call 703-435-7986
Join us for a half-day annual Breeding Bird Count throughout Reston’s natural areas. Meet local bird experts, learn tips on identification and have fun while helping us obtain important information to help our feathered friends.
DATE:
Saturday, June 7
TIME:
6:45 am - Noon
LOCATION:
RA Central Services Facility - 12250 Sunset Hill Rd.
FEE: Free
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The
Environmental Advisory Committee are currently monitoring
and keeping filled 18 brochures boxes throughout Reston.
RA is seeking volunteers to help the committee keep
up with the demand of these brochures. We are seeking
volunteers to help fill the brochure boxes. The boxes
are located on bridges, pathways, or at picnic pavilions,
the places we need help with is at Butler Pond, North
Hills Picnic Pavilion, Temporary Road Picnic Pavilion,
Lake Newport Dam, and the path at the side of Barnes & Noble.
This can be done on your own time, volunteers will
need to make sure the boxes are stocked. Volunteers
can pick the brochures up at the Reston Association
office once a month.
To sign-up or for
more information please contact
Ha Brock at 703-435-7986 or email habrock@reston.org.
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Reston Association sponsors a clean up program called “Adopt-a-Spot.” This program is modeled after the highway adoption program we are all
familiar with from seeing signs along our state and federal roads. The intent of the program is to encourage citizen participation in beautification and
litter cleanups of designated areas in their community, other than a highway.
The recruitment of new Adopt-a-Spot volunteers, as well as increasing the number of officially adopted sites in Reston continues to be a major goal for t | 
