When neighborhood resident Byron Clark answered an ad to help plant chrysanthemums at the Dallas Arboretum in 1984, little did he know he’d continue on as a volunteer there for more than 21 years.
Since it opened in the mid-’80s, the Dallas Arboretum has relied on volunteers such as
Currently, the Arboretum has more than 500 active volunteers. During Dallas Blooms, the institution’s largest event held every spring, that number increases to about 1,700 (which includes corporate and high school groups in addition to the regulars).
One of the reasons the Arboretum volunteer program has been so successful throughout the years is the diversity of jobs it offers.
According to Cris Emrich, director of volunteer services at the Arboretum, their philosophy goes a little like this: “No matter what your desire is, come and we will train you in any of the areas.”
We talked to three neighborhood folks to see what their experience as a volunteer at the Arboretum has been like.
While
It started when someone asked if he minded answering the phone. “I said I didn’t,” he says, explaining that he “acted as a receptionist.”
Then, once the DeGoyler House was acquired, he was moved over there to answer the phone. Soon, someone in the accounting department asked him to take a look at some vendor numbers.
“I didn’t have anything else to do, so I said I’d be glad to.”
Then it progressed as an “as long as you’re doing that, can you do this too?” kind of thing, and
“The first desk I had in my little office was in the bathroom,” he says laughing. “I was there for a long time, too!”
But
“I enjoy it so much,” he says. “It gives me something to get up for in the morning and go to. And the people in the accounting department are super. It gives me responsibility, but with some backup.”
Pat Hill, 75, has been volunteering at the Arboretum since the beginning. For the past 23 years, she has served as a docent for the DeGoyler House.
“I get a pleasure out of doing this because I get a chance to show other people what we have in
In addition to giving guided tours to visitors, Hill helps out with any repairs the home may need, such as with furniture or lamps or even touch-up painting.
“We try to make it look as nice as we can — trying to keep it in the style of what it looked like when [the DeGolyers] lived here,” she says.
Hill is quick to launch into the history of the home, which was originally built on a 44-acre dairy farm. The DeGolyer family (instrumental in establishing the Arboretum) hired an architect from
Hill also volunteers as a reading tutor at Robert E. Lee Elementary, delivers Meals on Wheels, and is an elder at Northridge Presbyterian Church.
But, she says, the Arboretum is a unique find.
“It’s one of the nicest places in
David Gary and his wife, Linda, have been members of the Arboretum for years. But it was only two years ago when
“I wish I could’ve been doing this sooner,”
One of the reasons
“The tram I can do. I can’t go biking or hiking. But this opened a lot of doors for me. Instead of staying home, I get out and do something. Anybody can do something out there,” he says.
In fact, at the age of 28, when he was first diagnosed,
“Now I’m in my 50s, and I still get around. They told me what I couldn’t do, and I was gonna prove them wrong,” he says.
Although he uses a cane to help him walk,
One of the things
“When you’re doing the tram, you’re one of the first people [the visitors] meet. You have to be friendly and have a good sense of humor. You meet people from all over the world.”