Hello New Good Water Master Naturalists!
My name is Jennifer Brown and I’m the volunteer coordinator for Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. The 25,839 acre wildlife refuge is a haven for both people and wildlife that offers 8 miles of hiking trails open 365 days a year. Please come visit and enjoy the scenic Texas Hill Country.
We are nearing one of our biggest events of the year and could really use your help!
Our fall festival, the Refuge Round Up, will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2019 from Noon to 4:00 PM. This event is held at the refuge headquarters located at 24518 East FM 1431, Marble Falls, TX 78654 which is located just 5 miles west of Lago Vista. The Refuge Round Up is a free event which celebrates all the ways people can recreate on their public lands! This year our theme is “Discover Your National Wildlife Refuge.”
Activities will include:
Touch-a-Truck, Enviroscape watershed activity, Reptile Show, Junior Firefighter, Birds of Prey Show, Fishing for Catfish, Junior Wildlife Officer, BB Guns, Archery, Watercolor Art, Creek-side Critters, so much more! We have so many great partners that are also attending including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Good Water Master Naturalists, Highland Lakes Master Naturalists, the Science Mill, Colorado River Alliance, Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery, San Marcos Aquatic Research Center, and more!
We need your help! Please consider volunteering to assist or run an activity and/or help set up before the event.
Volunteers are needed for:
Saturday, October 19 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm to help set up tables, chairs, parking cones, etc. the day of the event
Saturday, October 19 from 11:30 am – 4:00 pm to help run the event. Assist or lead an activity, help people safely park, give directions to activities, etc.
**We are in need of a few volunteers who have specialized experience, please call or email Jennifer Brown and let her know if you have any of the following:
Archery experience for the archery station
Fishing experience for the fishing station
If you don’t have experience in any of the above, please still sign up and we’ll have you help out with one of the many other activities
Sign Up:
Through the Friends of Balcones volunteer login https://www.friendsofbalcones.org/Volunteer-Registration (click here) if you have an account.
Or email jennifer_brown@fws.gov or call her at 512-339-9432 to sign up or if you have any questions.
Volunteer Paperwork:
If you have not volunteered with the refuge before, please fill out the attached volunteer agreement (please be sure to sign line # 34) and email it to jennifer_brown@fws.gov. There is an attachment with step by step info on how to digitally fill out and sign a pdf. You can also print the volunteer agreement and drop it off or mail it to Jennifer Brown.
Thanks to generous volunteers like you, last year was a huge success with over 350 people attending and we are hoping for even more this year. We wouldn’t be able to share the wonders of nature with our community without your time and dedication.
Thank you for your support of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge!
Gratefully,
Jennifer
p.s. please share the attached flyer with friends and family (or post it in your favorite local community hang out).
Best,
Jennifer Brown
Visitor Services Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
24518 FM 1431
Marble Falls, TX 78654
Office: 512-339-9432 ext. 70
Cell: 830-220-9254
Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers