Senior volunteers are in demand for holiday volunteering

METRO DETROIT — As the holidays are approaching many places are looking for extra help, particularly from seniors.

Places such as Meadow Brook and the Detroit Institute of Arts are in need of volunteers to fill a vast array of positions this holiday season and beyond.

Meadow Brook estate, in Rochester Hills, has an active and robust volunteer program, according to Katie Higgins, Meadow Brook marketing and communications manager. The volunteer cohort at Meadow Brook consists of around 300 people who volunteer their time to help make things happen at the estate.

According to Connor Newton, who oversees the volunteer program at Meadow Brook, volunteers at the estate range in age from high school students to senior citizens, with the majority of their volunteers being of senior stature.

“The bulk of our cohort are senior citizens, and the opportunities are really quite ranging,” said Newton. “I have a series of volunteer opportunities from the gardens into the house that really engages with many different areas of interests and proficiencies.”

Volunteer positions at Meadow Brook include gardeners, who maintain the various gardens throughout the property. The Garden Club meets on Tuesdays during the garden season. Newton said every Tuesday, approximately 16 members of the club come out to maintain the gardens on the grounds. There are also naturalists who volunteer to fight the invasive plants in the woodlands, Newton said. There are also squires, a group that is made up predominantly of men. The squires help with various maintenance tasks throughout the property, such as untangling and hanging Christmas lights, and painting doors. Volunteers with an interest in curating are able to get involved by assisting Meadow Brook curators with special projects. Curatorial volunteers help with the staging of exhibits, and assist the curator with moving of sensitive artifacts and fragile furniture. Curatorial volunteers receive special training to be able to handle historical artifacts. The estate also has opportunities for volunteers to digitize imagery and many other projects that are overseen by the estate curators.

“On the interpretive side, which I closely oversee, I have hosts and docents who are really tasked with sharing the story of Meadow Brook with the general public and with private touring guests,” said Newton. “So, volunteers who are interested in communicating. They’re generous in their approach with folks from all over the world - all over the country, because Meadow Brook attracts those kind of visitors who are interested in building connections and rapport with strangers and friends alike. They find a great place here. Although I work here, I often tell people that, for me, in a lot of ways, Meadow Brook is somewhat of a third place — a place that’s not home, a place that’s not work, where you can come together with like-minded individuals and find fulfillment and satisfaction, and for many people — well, for hundreds of people — Meadow Brook serves as that kind of place.”

However, with the holidays approaching, Newton said the greatest need at the estate is for volunteers to provide assistance with hosted and self-guided touring. This is also needed throughout the year for both self-guided touring and for private events, such as weddings and evening programs.

“This is an opportunity where folks with a love of history and a knack for interpersonal communication can engage with external visitors here at Meadow Brook and sort of bring our history alive,” said Newton. “And also protect our collections, right? Eyes are really important to ensure that our artifacts are being appropriately interacted with by visitors.

Newton said the programs offered by Meadow Brook for volunteers are ever growing. In a calendar year, the estate has approximately 300 active volunteers. He said that if they could get another dozen or two volunteers in the next calendar year, that would be “fantastic.”

“We are always eager for more hands,” said Newton. “Volunteers are essential to our mission. Not only do they contribute to the culture of this space, (and) with their knowledge and their passion bring Meadow Brook to life for the general public, they also represent a really important source of manpower and hours. So with their talent and with the time that they give us, it would be a big challenge to hire that many people to come in (to) help us with those kind of projects and with the kind of work they do, so they are really crucial to a nonprofit like us.”

The DIA is currently seeking volunteers for positions such as ushers at the Detroit Film Theater, gallery information and gallery service voluntary positions, as well as in the museum shop committees. Volunteers at the DIA are required to commit to 50 hours of service per year, which equates to four hours a month. Volunteers are also required to attend scheduled training, meetings and enrichments. The DIA offers flexible schedules, with two to four shifts available every day. Shifts are available in one- to four- hour increments.

“Volunteers are welcome to volunteer as often as they like. We have volunteers who come in weekly, monthly, or just as their schedules allow,” said Phil Rivera, the director of volunteer services for the DIA. “There are no educational requirements to volunteer — simply an interest in art and service to the community.”

DIA volunteers are required to become members of the DIA at any level and to pay annual committee dues ranging from $5-$50, which go toward defraying the cost of committee activities. This includes off-site enrichments, guest speakers, supplies, etc. Volunteering is open to people age 18 or older. Currently, just over 500 people volunteer at the DIA. Of those, approximately 85% are age 55 or older, and 65% are over age 65. On an average day, 15-25 volunteers are needed to facilitate operations, depending on what is going on at the museum.

“While we do not exclusively recruit senior volunteers, we have found that seniors tend to volunteer more actively at the DIA due to greater availability and flexibility. Volunteering at the DIA provides opportunities for our volunteers to learn and grow their love of art, develop lasting friendships, and find fulfillment in our mission to help visitors find personal meaning in art, individually and with each other,” said Rivera.

DIA volunteers primarily work onsite at the DIA. The only exception is for “Behind-the-Seen” art talks conducted at libraries, community centers, senior residences, etc., and occasionally, community engagement at art fairs and similar events.

Meadow Brook and the DIA are accepting applicants for those who wish to volunteer at their facilities this holiday season through Oct. 31. Applications received after that date will be reviewed in late January or early February.

For more information about volunteering at Meadow Brook call (248) 364-6210 or email MBGCmembers@gmail.com. For more information about volunteering at the DIA, contact their Volunteer Services Department at diavol@dia.org or (313) 833-1382. Detailed information is also available on their respective websites.