Become a Volunteer
no experience required!
Sure, it helps if you know your star-stuff, but honestly we just love meeting and educating people, so really as long as you’re willing to learn a little, talk a little, and drive a little, you too can become a purple-shirted official Lake Afton Public Observatory volunteer!
How often would i be required to volunteer?
As often as suits your schedule. Most volunteers work 2-3 nights a month, but some come less, or more often, and that’s ok! We send out monthly emails asking what nights work best so your schedule can be as flexible as you want!
What roles do volunteers take?
Our volunteers take one of four positions on a given night. If you are interested in one of these roles, we’d be more than happy to train you!
Cashier - responsible for greeting visitors, taking payment, counting cash, and being generally friendly.
Exhibits - a “floater” role with lots of visitor-interaction. Chat with visitors, guide them to interesting exhibits, and make the place feel welcoming.
Telescope Operator - responsible for driving our scope to interesting sights. This is an ideal position for people with some knowledge of astronomy who can explain what we’re viewing and why it’s awesome.
Outdoors - during the spring/summer/fall months, we have people working out on the pad behind the building giving star tours, helping visitors with their own scopes, and judiciously distributing bug spray.
I’m interested, sign me up!
Awesome! Shoot us an email at volunteers@lakeafton.com and we’ll get with you about shadowing some experienced volunteers and find a schedule that works out for you!