Morningside Nature Center

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Morningside Nature Center is Looking for a Few Great Volunteers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is looking for long-term volunteers to help support the Living History Days program at Morningside Nature Center. Volunteers will interpret life on a Florida farm in the year 1870. Living History Days are part of the public programming offered annually from September through May.

Currently the program takes place on the first Saturday of each month when Morningside Nature Center’s Living History Farm comes to life with staff and volunteers interpreting day-to-day north central Florida life during the late 19th century. Traditional crafts and trades such as blacksmithing, woodworking, quilting, knitting, soap making, spinning, weaving, and period folk music and are important parts of our program, as well as day-to-day activities such as cooking on a wood cook stove and feeding farm animals. On Living History Days, visitors can step back to a time when the roosters’ crow and the rising sun, not an alarm clock, welcomed a new day. In addition, Morningside Nature Center is seeking long-term volunteers for the following:

• Farm volunteers to assist with daily feedings of the livestock during the week
• Greeters both on the farm and at the Education Building during the week to welcome the public, answer questions and provide information about the nature displays

Any number of hours is appreciated. Gary Paul, the department’s contractual volunteer coordinator, explains, "Over the years we have had many wonderful volunteers at the farm who have made it possible to bring to life a real 1870’s farm, teaching children and adults what life was like. Due to budget cuts, the farm no longer has sufficient staff to work on Living History Days. We are reaching out to the Gainesville community seeking volunteers who have an interest in history and/or farm experience." Training and period garb is provided.

For more information and the opportunity to volunteer, please contact Gary Paul at 352-316-5364 or paulga@cityofgainesville.org.