Volunteer with Friends of Shelby

Volunteers breathe life into our mission to preserve, protect, and enhance Shelby Park and Bottoms. Volunteers are at the heart of Friends of Shelby: planting trees, picking up trash, maintaining trails, assisting with special events, and helping with various larger projects.

Check out all the ways to get involved, and sign up today to receive updates on volunteer opportunities.

Keep scrolling to sign up for upcoming events!

Upcoming Volunteer OPPORTUNITIES

Become a Friends of Shelby Volunteer Photographer

If you love taking photos and have access to a high-quality camera, we would love to have you join our crew of Volunteer Photographers! These special volunteers help take pictures at our programs and events throughout the year, helping us reach more and more potential park users.
Click here to express interest in joining the crew!

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Invasive Plant Removal - Tuesday, January 28th (1-3:30 PM),
Saturday, February 8th (1-3:30 PM)

Restore the Forest is in full swing, meaning we’re out on Beech Grove Hill helping out our native forests by taking out invasive plants while they’re dormant for the winter. This is an all-natural “rage room”, so come get your workout in for the day and help the earth all at the same time!
Click here to volunteer!

All Park Trash Pick-up - Friday, January 31st (9-11 AM) with Cumberland River Compact!

Join us for the first litter pick-ups of the season! This is a great way to explore the park while giving back at the same time. All ages are welcome, and so are pets (so long as they’re friendly and kept on a leash). You can even compete to see who can pick-up the most!
Click here to volunteer!

Invasive Removal: Champion Trees and Viewsheds - Saturday, February 15th (9:30-11 AM)

Help the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center thin out invasive plants around a few old giant trees in Shelby Park and Bottoms to help them out and open their viewsheds. You will walk and potentially bike to more distant destinations. Creole Gumbo and Zydeco Lunch to follow! Ages 16 and up. Registration required — please call or email the Nature Center to sign up.
Click here for more information!

11th Annual Weed Wrangle® (Invasive Plant Removal) - Saturday, March 1st (9-11:30 AM)

Weed Wrangle® is a one-day, area-wide, volunteer effort to help rescue our public parks and green spaces from non-native invasive species through hands-on removal of especially harmful trees, vines, and flowering plants. We’ve been a proud site host since we started our Restore the Forest program, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this city-wide effort to remove invasive plants from Shelby Park!
Click here to volunteer!

Publix St. Patrick’s Music City Half Marathon - Saturday, March 15th (various slots available)

Join in on the fun of the annual Publix St. Patrick’s Day Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K by volunteering to help run the show! Friends of Shelby is the nonprofit beneficiary of this race that takes place in Shelby Park and Bottoms, and it’s a great way to enjoy the beginnings of spring while cheering on your community. Positions as course sentries, at the water stations, and even bike support all aid this fun holiday-themed event.
Click here to volunteer!

SHELBY PARK AMBASSADORS

Do you love Shelby Park and Bottoms? Would you like to be more involved in park events, the community, and Friends of Shelby? Join our Park Ambassador program! Park Ambassadors help achieve our mission of preserving, enhancing and protecting the park by increasing our community outreach via tabling, events, and open houses. In this long-term volunteer program, you will learn all there is to know about the park and FOS and share this valuable information with the public!
For more information, email CD: cd@friendsofshelby.org

Community Group Volunteer Program

Friends of Shelby loves to work with groups. Whether it's your ten-person office or your 100-person church, please reach out and see if we have a project that would suit your goals. Friends of Shelby helps coordinate the project and provides tools, gloves, and work project assignments to match the size and capabilities of any volunteer group. Each volunteer day begins with an orientation including the goals of the park improvement effort, tool training, and general safety rules.

If you are interested in a project for your group, please click the button below and fill out our interest form!
Questions? Email our Community Outreach and Volunteer Leader at cd@friendsofshelby.org.

GROUP VOLUNTEER EVENT INTEREST FORM