December 21, 2017

 Audubon Center in Billings near the Yellowstone River

 

Montana Audubon Center always has their arms open for volunteers

MSUB students volunteer and find out that many more are needed

 

Contacts:

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — A small group of students from Montana State University Billings partnered with the Montana Audubon Center to address the center’s volunteering needs and how the Billings community could help fill them.

 

The students were told volunteers were needed for hands-on activities to keep the grounds at the Montana Audubon Center looking nice. The center, which is undergoing a change in the executive director at the state level, has their hands full with staying organized and helping create a new strategic plan for the organization as a whole.

 

Carolyn Sevier, center director, commented, “The whole center’s operation is built on the help of the community, and that looks like a lot of different things. One is giving donations to the center and another is volunteering with either kids’ programs or landscaping the grounds.”

 

a pond at the Audubon Center
With the help of volunteers, landscaping normally takes place during the summer, but helping with kids’ programs takes place during the school year. On Earth Day, everyone in the community is welcome to go to the center to help with projects, but, otherwise, with a simple phone call anyone can go volunteer at any time of the year. 

 

The students at MSUB got in contact with the center, and a week later they were able to go onsite and help stain tables for outside their building.

 

Rachel Lythgoe, one of the student volunteers, commented on her experience out at the center: “Working with the Audubon was a great experience. Though we did something small like staining tables, every little bit helps. I would love to go back and help out more.”

 

The Montana Audubon Center is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting appreciation, knowledge, and conservation of Montana’s native birds, other wildlife, and natural ecosystems through high-quality conservation programs for all ages. Because the main focus of the center is the environment, all of the work is normally fun, active, and outside. Everyone is welcome to work with the organization.

 

To get involved at the Montana Audubon Center contact Carolyn Sevier, center director, at 406-294-5099, csevier@mtaudubon.org.

 

To learn about the partnership between MSUB students and the Audubon Center, contact Melinda Tilton, University Lecturer, at 657-1728, mtilton@msubillings.edu