Skip to main content

Volunteer Opportunity to Help Our Pollinators, and More

By September 30, 2021Beet 2021 10 October
Erika Szonntag
Latest posts by Erika Szonntag (see all)

Dear Gardeners, 

Happy October! Hopefully, everyone is having a chance to enjoy the clear air and cooler temperatures we’ve been having. While there were some challenges this growing season with the hot weather we had early on, I recently enjoyed the beautiful blooms of my sunflowers in my garden (see my photo), something I look forward to each year. Next it will be watching the cover crops of Austrian winter pea and Fava bean take over my garden boxes!

I have some brief updates, resources, and a volunteer opportunity to help our pollinators to share with you:
Be sure to check out OSU Extension’s October Gardening Calendar. This is part of a 12-month calendar with gardening tips and tricks for each month. This is a great resource for your reference, or to share with family, friends, and community members.
Volunteer opportunity: 2021 Oregon Mason Bee Health Survey! The OSU Pollinator Health Lab needs your help to establish a baseline on the health of mason bee stocks, which ultimately will help track the health of these bees over time. Click here to learn more about the project and how to register!
COVID Update: Consistent with the CDC and OHA recommendations and university policy, face coverings are now required to be worn indoors at all times, unless eating or drinking. This means you must wear a mask when visiting SOREC.
2020 Student Graduation – details are forthcoming, but we are planning to hold a graduation celebration virtually on Thursday, October 14, from 5 pm – 7pm. Stay tuned!
2020 Student Hours Requirements – 40 hours of volunteer service are due by October 1, 2021. If you need an extension, please talk to me and I will be happy to arrange one. You can log your hours on the Volunteer Reporting System. A link can also be found on the Volunteer Resources page.
Updated Project Proposal Application form can be found here, on the Volunteer Resources page (link in previous paragraph). This form is required for any new MG project.
Lastly, I want to thank all of you for continuing to stick through these challenging times with COVID. Each of your contributions and participation are what make this program so great, and I am so grateful for your perseverance and positive attitudes this past 1.5 years. Thank you! -Erika