National Wildlife Refuge – Kettle Pond Visitor Center In Need Of Volunteers

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The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Rhode Island Headquarters is at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center on Bend Road in Charlestown. This is the headquarters for all of the National Wildlife Refuges in Rhode Island.

The visitor center has exhibits about the species and habitat diversity around us and activities for children.

Outdoors there are trails to discover more of this part of the National Wildlife Refuge. You can hike to the observation tower and get a birds-eye view of Ninigret Pond, or hike to Watchaug Pond or hike the Charlestown Moraine. There is also a native plant garden where you can get ideas for native plants in your own garden.

What is needed?

  • Kettle Pond Visitor Center Volunteers – Visitor Center volunteers are the friendly faces that greet and orient visitors, help maintain a clean and well-stocked facility, and operate the gift shop. Especially needed are volunteers who can cover weekend shifts.
  • Environmental Educators – Are you a retired teacher or naturalist? Environmental Education volunteers help orient school groups and provide a guided walk or lesson at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center.

Requirements:

  • Volunteers must be at least 18 years old
  • Volunteers must work well with visitors and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds
  • Volunteers must contribute at least 36 hours per year

 

One Volunteer’s Experience by John Topping

The Kettle Pond Visitors Center in Charlestown is a nature center run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It offers free nature exhibits, educational materials, and activities for children of all ages. It is open to the public daily (excluding a few holidays) from 10:00am- 4:00pm in the summer months, and 10:00am-3:00pm in the winter months, thanks to the support of volunteers who staff the front desk. It is a wonderful place to visit, to take children and grandchildren in good weather and in rainy or wintery weather. The Visitor Center is located at 50 Bend Rd in Charlestown off Route 1.

Volunteers report to USFWS staff, including the Visitors Services Specialist. Some front desk volunteers cover a 3-hour shift every week, some do bi-weekly or monthly shifts. Other volunteers cover vacant shifts as they become available. The most important duty for front desk volunteers is to greet and welcome visitors, and to open/close the visitor center. There is a live turtle in an enclosure and a few fish in a fish tank that require a small amount of care, fresh food and water etc. Front desk volunteers also work the register for the small gift shop selling nature books, games, toys, etc. which is managed by the Friends of the National Wildlife Refuges of Rhode Island.

I have been a volunteer for about 18 months. I find it extremely enjoyable. I generally do two Saturday morning shifts per month (or three when the month has three Saturdays). I meet many friendly people who love nature as I do. Typically we get about 5 to 10 visitors per shift, occasionally there is a larger program or field trip that brings in larger groups.

I get great satisfaction seeing children learning about and appreciating nature the same as our grandchildren did when my wife Frances and I would bring them when we baby-sat them in their pre-kindergarten years. It is a very enjoyable way to give back to our community and the workload is very light.

If you are interested in learning more feel free to visit the center, talk to the volunteer at the front desk and ask them any questions that you might have. If you’re interested, you can attend Volunteer Orientation on August 29th from 10am-11:30am at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center. You can also email rhodeislandcomplex@fws.gov with questions, or to request a volunteer application.