Ellen Wieczorek

1) Maintained clean, neat, and operational facilities for program needs. Ground Scouting is required to ensure facilities and the garden grounds are maintained as well as remain safe and clean. This ensures visitors have the best visit they can and represents the Gardens well.

2) Used strong interpersonal communication skills to convey information to others. I must contact the volunteer coordinator or any other garden staff if I see something out of place or that needs to be fixed while ground scouting.

3) Gained a general knowledge of trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs, grasses, and other plants. I can assist the Horticulture staff with planting, transplanting, and weeding the gardens for different displays. I help prepare garden beds for new plants to be grown, as well as collect the older plants to be used in the future or for compost.

4) Learned the proper use of gardening tools. I have used tools such as shovels, spades, and soil knives to assist in garden maintenance and preparation.

5) Collaborated with other volunteers and staff to divide up jobs to make our work more efficient. Understanding everyone's role is crucial in ensuring the projects are completed on time and that we are using the volunteer time to its fullest potential.

• Assisted with special events and programs. I was able to volunteer with Iowa Bird Rehabilitation at different public programs such as an event with National Geographic Photographer Joel Satore to help raise awareness for birds and natural resources, as well as educate the public on the mission of rehabilitations and conservationists.
• Maintained clean, neat, and operational facilities to serve program needs. Part of my duties as a member of the bird care team was to clean the facilities and tools we used to keep our workspace safe and clean. I washed crates and dishes, swept and mopped aviaries, and cleaned the volunteer breakroom as well.
• Used strong interpersonal communication skills to convey information to others. Communication was neccesary to elaborate on the health and wellness of our patients and decide what is the best care plan.
• Communicated with staff members to stay informed about volunteer opportunities and events. Regular communication with staff and other volunteers about shift openings for events.
• Mentored new volunteers, fostering a supportive and inclusive team environment. I trained multiple new volunteers on how to take care of the birds and the daily routine of a bird care volunteer. I also made sure they felt welcomed and supported by letting them know I was there if they needed help and guiding them through the process.
• Promoted environmental awareness with educational workshops and hands-on activities. I volunteered at public events that promoted the mission of saving wild birds in Iowa and helped educate the public at a fundraiser Gala on what we do at the rehabilitation and why it is important to Iowa and beyond.
• Boosted fundraising efforts, securing valuable donations through targeted campaigns. I was able to hang up posters and advertise for one of our public events and successfully acquired enough attendees.
• Supported animal welfare, and caring for animals. I cared for ill and injured birds, and health monitoring, medicinal treatment, behavioral monitoring, enrichment, and diet.
• Kept case files updated, accurate, and aligned with requirements. I recorded weights, food intake; times, days, and amounts of administered medicine; what supplies needed to be in each enclosure; number and type of bird intakes; deaths of birds for the log, and what supplies we needed more of, such as food, towels, bandages, etc.