Volunteer Opportunities

• Volunteer at the Crystal Lake Park District

  Enhance your life while giving back to the community through various volunteer service opportunities with the Crystal Lake Park District. Volunteers are essential to the success of our programs and special events. Get started by completing an application!

You only need to register as a volunteer one time.  Visit the link for the minimum age requirements.

• Volunteer Application and Waiver

  Why Volunteer?

  • Give back to and strengthen the community
  • Connect with others and meet new people
  • Develop new skills and broaden your experience
  • Feel a sense of achievement and purpose
  • Good for your mind and body
  • Career exploration or advancement
  • To have fun!

  Who Can Volunteer?

  • Individuals and Families - choose an activity or special event based on your interests and availability.
  • Businesses and Civic Organizations - build a community's public image and improve staff morale by volunteering as a group.
  • Teens and Social Groups - Boys and Girls 14 years and up are invited to gain valuable work experience or fulfill service hours for school or other organizations. Youth younger than age 16 must volunteer with a parent or legal guardian. Any volunteer under the age of 18 must have a parental signature to volunteer.

  What is the Volunteer Time Commitment?

  This is up to each individual. Some volunteers may wish to volunteer on a regular basis in the same capacity while others may wish to volunteer for the occasional special event.

Volunteer Opportunities

The list below is a partial list of opportunities:

Special Event Volunteers

Throughout the year, the Crystal Lake Park District hosts large scale special events that rely on groups of volunteers. Event volunteering opportunities are suitable for parent/child pairs, business groups, service organizations, as well as, individuals.

Natural Area Volunteers

The natural areas found throughout the Park District offer a variety of opportunities for volunteers to make a difference by helping the environment. Individuals or groups can benefit from the rewarding and education experience of restoring our native ecosystems.

Sterne's Woods and Fen

Volunteer Steward: Brice Alt
One of the highest quality wetlands in the state
Work Days: 4th Sunday of the month, 9-11 AM
Meet at Sterne's Woods and Fen Parking Lot, 5617 Hillside Rd, Crystal Lake

By volunteering at a natural area restoration day at Sterne's Woods,  you're helping with the ecologic restoration of an exceedingly rare type of habitat. 

Sterne's Woods and Fen Info

A video about Sterne's Fen

Park District Project Updates  

Who was Ted Sterne? : A Crystal Lake Historical Society Article

To learn more about restoration ecology, click for a video

Sterne's Woods and Fen Management Plan 

Butternut Nature Preserve

Volunteer Co-Stewards: Judi Stuck, Nicole Griffith
Woodland and prairie preserve located on a branch of the Kishwaukee River
Work Days: Frequent Thursdays 10 am-Noon, TBD
Meet in parking lot on Butternut Road

Veteran Acres and Wingate Prairie Nature Preserve

Volunteer Steward: Jim Wigman
One of our popular sites, this has been formally dedicated as a sanctuary for native plants and animals
Work Days: 1st and 3rd Saturday of the Month, 9-11 AM, every Tuesday, 2-4 PM
Meet at the Nature Center

For questions on volunteering for the Crystal Lake Park District, please contact Rocio Arreola-Escutia at 815.459.0680 x 1202.