Think Wild adds new hands-on volunteer opportunities for kids and families

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Think Wild, Central Oregon's wildlife hospital and conservation center, is launching a series of new youth and family volunteer opportunities. These programs aim to engage the high desert community in caring for and protecting native wildlife.

Think Wild, a small non-profit organization in Bend, relies on local community support to accomplish its mission. The new volunteer opportunities will provide younger community members a chance to contribute to Think Wild's mission and gain hands-on experience in conservation.

Youth volunteers will meet at Think Wild's wildlife hospital campus in Bend one to two times per month. They will assist with tasks such as patient diet preparation and enrichment building, pollinator garden and yard work, facility and enclosure upkeep and general community project support. These sessions will be split and tailored to specific age groups, with youth ages 8-13 meeting on the last Saturday of each month from 1-2 p.m. throughout the year.

Youth ages 14-17 will meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 2:30-4 p.m. during the spring and summer seasons. This older age group also has sessions scheduled for the last Saturday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. throughout the year.

Think Wild also offers several additional youth volunteer opportunities that take place off-site for those unable to attend regular sessions or seeking more activities. Some of these can be completed at home. Youth volunteers can represent Think Wild at local events and fundraisers to engage with the community and share informative resources.

For families, Think Wild provides plans and guidance for building native bird and bat boxes at home. Youth volunteers can also assist with the rescue and transport of injured and orphaned wildlife to the wildlife hospital, provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Families and youth interested in spending time outdoors and contributing to habitat restoration can participate in several ongoing Beaver Works Oregon projects throughout Eastern and Central Oregon One family-friendly event includes building beaver dam analogs in the Ochoco National Forest. Beaver dam analogs are hand-built structures made of sticks and natural materials that mimic a real beaver dam.

The Beaver Works Oregon event in the Ochoco National Forest is scheduled for July 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details and a link to RSVP for this event are available on the volunteer calendar on the Think Wild website.

Individuals interested in becoming youth volunteers and learning more about these opportunities can fill out the youth volunteer application form or email volunteer@thinkwildco.org.