America's Great Outdoors

Save to Favorites

The America's Great Outdoors (AGO) group will work at the Los Angeles County Fair (LACF) at Destinations (areas) that enhance the outdoor experience and include, but are not limited to: the Welcome Center, Reptile House, crosscut saw, button making, Fire Lookout, OHV display, Native American exhibit, wild horse & burro exhibit, Where Urban Meets Wild path, Smokey games, Leave No Trace, mining exhibit, as well as participate in collateral duties (LACF parade, represent as a mascot or rover). AGO volunteers will engage with visitors, providing educational and informational messages throughout the exhibit.

AGO volunteers will help staff America’s Great Outdoors exhibit in the Los Angeles County Fair in partnership with ANF staff but may be asked to assist our partner agencies: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Los Angeles County Fire Department, Forestry Division (LA Co. Fire). Volunteers staffing the AGO exhibit provide information and educate fairgoers on topics including, but not limited to, recreational opportunities, fire prevention information and fire restrictions, federal and public lands regulations, and environmental awareness by utilizing volunteer knowledge, reference materials, and handouts. All handouts will be provided by ANF and the partner agencies. When volunteers cannot answer a question, they will contact or refer the visitor to the appropriate agency or exhibit lead for assistance.

Volunteers who are part of other ANF volunteer groups, when volunteering at the LACF, are volunteering under the AGO volunteer group and agreement. Hours volunteered are recorded under the AGO group for submission by the ANF lead volunteer (ANF Lead) and are not accounted for or submitted by any other volunteer groups. Volunteers are required to check-in and check-out of service daily. Please talk to the volunteer group leader for more information.

During the fair, the AGO activities may include, but are not limited to assisting in the following Destination areas/sites, as assigned, based on need and ability:

• Mining: Provide interactive guidance with panning for gold.Explain history of gold mining in California and basic regulations or where to find regulations for mining in Southern California Mountains.
• Welcome Center/Ranger Cabin (West): Distribute Adventure Guides to visitors and explain what kind of activities they will find throughout the AGO site. Explain how they can get their guide validated (stamped) at each activity for a prize. Answer general questions about the site and the partner agencies; Volunteer Admin duties;
• Reptile House: Assist in the handling of live reptile species and providing educational materials relating to their life history, as instructed by the lead;
• OHV Display: Provide safety materials, answer questions regarding proper riding techniques and describe locations to ride on Federal and Public Lands;
• Button Making: Assist fairgoers in subject selection, coloring and assembling of wearable buttons promoting environmental conservation and education, as well as crowd/table control. Will include using cutting mats and cutters;
• Smokey Games: Greet visitors, explain Smokey’s Five Rules, provide assistance or lead various games/activities;
• Johnstone Peak Fire Lookout: Staffing the Johnstone Peak Fire Lookout Tower, demonstrating the Osborne Firefinder and how to determine where smoke is on a map in relation to where it occurs on the ground, and providing general fire lookout information;
• Fuels Prevention/Nature Trail: Provide visitors with information about fire and fuels prevention and safety tips on how they can help prevent wildfires. Also provides visitors knowledge on Prescribed burns, what they are and why the Forest Service uses them.
• Native American Village: Introduce visitors to the culture and history of the first people of the Los Angeles Basin and surrounding communities;
• General Land Office (GLO): Provide visitors with the story of our public lands and the Homestead Act;
• Wild Horse & Burro: Assist in the care of the wild horses and burros, as instructed by the lead, as well as provide any information on the adoption program;
• Crosscut Saw, Branding Saw Sharpening: Provide assistance to certified sawyer when visitors saw a "wood biscuit" for a memento, a safety presentation to fairgoers, and assistance with safety equipment. Explain history of Crosscut Sawing and why it’s still used today. Also, may include branding of wood biscuit with one of the various exhibit metal brands, as instructed by the lead. Saw sharpening by trained person only;
• Interagency Visitor Center (East): Distribute Adventure Guides to visitors and explain what kind of activities they will find throughout the AGO site. Explain how they can get their guide validated (stamped) at each activity for a prize. Answer general questions about the site and the partner agencies. Volunteer Admin duties, distribute Every Kid Outdoors passes, Fire Prevention youth and water quality activities;
• Leave No Trace: Greet visitors, explain the Leave No Trace (LNT) concept, 7 principles of Leave No Trace using LNT characters and messages and provide interaction with the Trash Game and LNT Knowledge game, and Camp Oh No!;
• Tree Circus: Assist Tree Circus personnel with show, climbing, and demonstration needs;
• Various collateral duties/jobs include but are not limited to: Participation in the Saturday parade (ride on stake-side or antique fire engine), being a rover who greets and directs fairgoers around/throughout the site, dress as agency character/mascot, and assist any partner agency during low staffing times.

Attire ("uniform"): Volunteers will dress casually, but professional, as appropriate for the site conditions.

The AGO Lead will inform new volunteers of available orientation sessions prior to the LACF start date by providing a registration link to volunteer.gov applicants.

New volunteer training/orientation (choose 1):

• Thursday, April 24th, 2025: 0900-1100am
• Saturday, April 26th, 2025: 0900-1100am
• Tuesday, April 29th, 2025: 0900-1100am

This agreement does not include transportation to or from the Fairplex in Pomona, CA.

MINOR VOLUNTEERS: Minors must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Minors will need a separate OF-301a with signed permission from their parent or legal guardian for participation.

HARASSMENT FREE WORK ENIRONMENT: Each volunteer, by signing the volunteer service agreement (OF-301a) and/or roster (OF-301b), agrees to adhere to the Forest Service Anti-Harassment Policy Notification to Volunteers, adhere to civic-minded principles, and to exhibit a high degree of personal integrity. Acceptable conduct involves sincere respect for the rights and feelings of others and the assurance their personal conduct will not harm or be considered discriminatory to other volunteers, employees, or the Forest Service--or cause an unfavorable reaction from the public.

Start Date - 2025-05-02

End Date - 2025-05-26