The Bakken Bulletin
News and Views for Volunteers
April, 2014  
You Are the Difference!
High Energy
Volunteers
Needed!
 
Bakken Museum
Docents and Guides
 
We are now recruiting a crew of willing volunteers who will become familiar with the museum, our artifacts and exhibits, the static party room, and our building, gardens and grounds. (As well as "hidden secrets" in our library and vault.)  These volunteers will help our visitors explore the many dimensions of our unique museum and help us inspire a passion for science. 

 

When needed:

Weekdays, Saturdays, school release days, all summer long! Hours are flexible. 

 
Who is needed:
This opportunity is appropriate for anyone 16 years of age or older. (Younger volunteers considered based on experience and knowledge.)

What is needed:
You will need to be a "people person," part educator, part entertainer, part historian.  But don't worry, you will be trained and the training is "shockingly" fun! 
 
 
Jacks and Jills
of All Trades
 
Are you awesome at Administration? Do you excel at Excel?
Are you a wizard with Word?  Do you thrive in an ever-changing work environment where you may be helping us maintain our field trip database one week and then assisting with copying, collating, or classroom and activity preparations the next? 
 
If so, we could surely use your help with databases and documents, and lots of other cool stuff.
 
The ideal candidates: 
 
Will be able to volunteer between 3-4 hours one or more days a week. A willingness to learn and to do new things is a definite plus, as the duties and responsibilities will vary from week to week.  You may be working in any of our departments, supporting staff as we inspire a passion for science. 
 
 
Green Thumb
Gardeners
 
Despite the snow that is still sitting in piles outside, we are now scheduling groups and individuals to volunteer as members of our Green Thumb Team. Our regular garden group meets Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 4 pm.  This informal group does regular garden chores (weeding, planting, pruning, trimming) on our nearly 4 acre site. 
Attendance is based on your schedule, if you feel like helping, show up.  If you can't make it, don't worry. There will be more to do the next time you can come in. 
 
Our larger landscaping opportunities require families or scout troops or business groups primarily interested in one-time large scale activities. (Many groups come back year after year.) We have worked with groups numbering between 5 and 50 people, and they have helped us with spreading mulch, shrub and tree trimming, large scale plantings and other large projects.  These opportunities are pre-arranged around your schedule and ours.

Connect With 

The Bakken! 

Like Us!Stay up to date with all the happenings at

The Bakken!  Share our updates, invite your friends! 

 

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT NANO?

 

 

On April 12th, we are celebrating small things!  Really, really, really small things!  And, of course, volunteers are needed! 


Nano Science is the Science of the Small - and to celebrate Nano Science, we'll be reading "Horton Hears a Who!", making fun nano crafts like UV bead jewelry and thin film bookmarks, and guests will be able to participate in our "Nano Nano" workshop! There will be plenty of games and lots of fun for everyone!  And there will be plenty of things for our volunteers to do and to learn. 

 

6 volunteers are needed from 10:45am to 1:45pm. 

6 volunteers are needed from 1:15pm to 4:15pm.

  

Summertime!
and volunteering is easy . . .

 Where Have all the Summer Campers Gone? 

 To The Bakken Museum, Of Course!

June 16th through August 22nd  

 

Our extremely popular summer camps are a wonderful opportunity for volunteers age 15 and up to help us as we "inspire a passion for science".   This is a marvelous opportunity for students in high school and college, retirees, and other interested volunteers to help share their knowledge and experience.  You will work directly with our staff in helping to coordinate one of the most exciting Summer Camp experiences around for students in grades 2 through 9.   These opportunities fill up quickly, so please let Justin Spencer know NOW that you are interested. Click here to send him an email. He will get back to you about an interview and training dates.  

 

Those volunteers who are selected to fill these opportunities will need to attend a specific training and commit to at least one full week of service.  Some volunteers have so much fun, they work all summer. 

 

On an important side-note, several former summer camp volunteers have used this experience to their benefit on college and scholarship applications, resumes, and for fulfilling required community volunteering hours at their schools.

At The Bakken, We Alway Have Good Days.
But from July 22nd through July 26th
We Will be Having Our
BEST DAYS!

 

This year, our Best Days event will feature more activities, more programming and more opportunities for volunteers.  Listed below is a brief description of each day.  Following those descriptions are some specific volunteering opportunities for individuals, families, businesses and groups of all sizes.  More than 100 volunteers are needed to make these Best Days the Best Days Ever!

 

Each day will have a theme.  Those themes are listed here.

 

Science - On Tuesday, July 22nd, The Bakken celebrates science by offering a variety of activities ranging in themes from biology to computer science.

 

Technology - On Wednesday, July 23rd, we will recognize the impact of technology on our modern lives with experiments and experiences involving solar and wind energy technology, medical device innovations, arduino tutorials and nano science.

 

Engineering - On Thursday, July 24th, engineers of all ages are welcome to participate in special programming that include invention challenges, energy generation, creative problem solving and exploring what makes things work, or not work.

 

Art - On Friday, July 25th, we will investigate the complex intersections between science and art by offering a closer look at music, theater and movement-based art.

 

Math - On Saturday, July 26th, The Bakken will delve into some of the mysteries of mathematics.  Activities will include fractal painting, brain teasers, math magic, weights and measurement estimations and giant Sudoku games.

  • Each day will require a minimum of 16 volunteer shifts.  Shifts are 3.5 hours long, from 10:30 until 2:00 and then 1:00 until 4:30.  Families and groups are encouraged to volunteer together. Many businesses and organizations use our Best Days event as an opportunity for team building and group development, as well as an opportunity to spread the word about their organizations.

 

  • Each day will also require a "volunteer in charge".  These special volunteers will commit to the entire day (or multiple days or the entire week) to act as a point of contact for other volunteers, visitors, programming partners and others.  They will be trouble shooters and problem solvers, working side by side with Bakken staff to ensure that everything works the way it supposed to work and that things go as smoothly as they possibly can.

 

  • And, of course, as we are still early in our planning stages, each day will require organizations, groups, and individuals to partner with us in designing programming, sponsoring activities (or an entire day, or the entire week!) or just sharing thoughts and ideas.  If you work with a business or attend a school or are connected to anyone that is involved in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art or Math, we want to hear from you and brainstorm together ways for you and/or your group to be involved.  We will find ways for you to be engaged, to demonstrate your subject matter expertise, and to help us inspire a passion for science.  The opportunities are limited only by your imagination!

 

If you want to learn more about the many different ways to be involved in the Best Days ever, click here to contact John Pawloski, our Volunteer Manager.   He will ensure you have the opportunity to create the opportunity you are looking for!  

 

Thanks for everything you do!
We would not be The Bakken
without the power of you.

Please Share this issue of The Bakken Bulletin!

Simply forward this email to anyone you might think would be interested in supporting The Bakken through volunteering.  We are always looking for more young people, retirees, families, businesses, school groups and others who might help us share our passion for science.  Volunteers make the difference in everything we do!