Walk into the Visitor Center and the first person to greet you will be, on most days, a volunteer. A team of twenty-seven volunteers staff the welcome and information desk, as well as the bookstore, in collaboration with Visitor Center manager Brad Freihoefer and student bookstore employee Mariana Foley.
Ask these trained volunteers what’s in bloom, where to see the most vibrant fall colors, where to find restrooms and drinking fountains, who to contact for plant identification help, why we burn prairies, the mission of the Arboretum, or most any other question, and they will help find the answer. They explain how to join public tours, find meeting sites for classes or family programs, describe the plant diversity and conservation value of the gardens and restored ecosystems, and suggest which trails are a good match for time limits and interests.
Visitor Center volunteers do all of this while also handling phone calls ranging from the ordinary (when is the Friends of the Arboretum Native Plant Sale?) to the unexpected (can I land my helicopter there? FYI, No.)
On the busiest weekends last fall, welcome desk volunteers greeted hundreds of visitors in a single three-and-a-half-hour shift. Over the course of a year, Visitor Center volunteers contribute 2,100 hours of time on average, and in 2023 they welcomed over 32,000 people to the Visitor Center.
What motivates folks to join this team of volunteers? Connecting with people from across our community and around the world is a common reason. Susie Berg said, “After I retired from teaching, I signed up to be at the welcome desk. I have been volunteering for more than twenty years. It has been a great way to meet visitors from not only the U.S. but from other countries. People are so impressed with the Arboretum. It’s a treasure in the midst of the city. I especially enjoy the children that visit. They often have seen or found something on their hike and want to talk about it.”
Susie is not the only welcome desk volunteer who enjoys greeting young visitors. Barb Winterstein shared, “I enjoy the kids’ camps being around the Visitor Center. The energy and the excitement of the little ones is delightful. I often get shown their artwork as they pass the desk.” And Barb Wiley “particularly enjoys seeing parents and grandparents bringing children in, because connecting children with nature is a lifelong gift to them.”
In the past year, several new volunteers have joined the experienced crew at the desk. Visitor Center manager Brad Freihoefer said that “new volunteers joining our experienced volunteers bring fresh energy, perspectives, and skills, which can invigorate the entire volunteer team and inspire our visitors. The experienced volunteers mentor and share their knowledge, creating a sense of fulfillment, continuity, and connection. New volunteers bring innovative ideas, enthusiasm, and skills, which can lead to delightful new ways to connect with our thousands of visitors. This collaboration fosters a supportive and caring team environment, making the volunteer experience more enjoyable and impactful for everyone involved.”
Many of the new people were drawn to volunteer because it is a great learning opportunity. Ana Quintana Bernal, who started volunteering in late 2023, sought out the Arboretum to deepen her knowledge of monarch butterfly conservation. Tricia Gavin, who started volunteering in early 2024, said, “I love volunteering at the welcome desk. I’ve learned so much about the Arboretum and have been able to share some of that with visitors as well as learning from them. It’s also great to feel helpful whether it’s in pointing out the location of restrooms and trails or reuniting a lost child with their parent. It’s a pleasure to be there.”
Kate Schmitz, who started at the welcome desk in spring 2024, described her experiences: “After many moons of running, hiking, biking through the UW Arboretum and witnessing the arrival of the seasons, I found myself at a place where I was able to return the favor, so to speak. Becoming a volunteer at the Visitor Center is a wonderful way for me to come full circle. I enjoy meeting and greeting the plethora of people that visit the UW Arboretum. I enjoy providing information about current exhibits, guiding visitors to trail maps, and sharing insights about the native Wisconsin ecosystems preserved within the UW Arboretum. This allows me to help people of all ages develop a deeper appreciation for local environmental conservation efforts, for which I am very grateful.”
Visitors aren’t the only ones positively affected by this team of stellar volunteers. Bookstore volunteers stay on top of a constantly changing inventory and help customers find t-shirts, puzzles, finger puppets, and books to enjoy themselves or give as gifts. Student bookstore employee Mariana Foley said, “I like to interact with the volunteers at the desk. I like to learn about their lives, their travels, and everything they’ve done. I look up to these women and appreciate their wisdom.”
The rest of the staff are pleased to work with the welcome desk and bookstore volunteers, too. We value their skill and thoughtfulness in engaging with the public and appreciate the ideas and information they share with us, spurred by their conversations with visitors. We also enjoy connecting about life in general – sharing book suggestions, family news, and bird sightings – with the volunteers who have become friends.
– Judy Kingsbury, volunteer program manager
