National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. – Points of Light

Here at New England Aquarium, we are spending the week highlighting some of our amazing volunteers and opportunities for you to get involved! So, without further delay, we would love to introduce Zara Z. and our most flexible of service opportunities: the live blue™ Service Corps!

live blue™ Service Corps
Lesser known than our traditional volunteer and intern programs is our episodic program. Now known as the live blue™ Service Corps, volunteers within this program take part in service opportunities that occur both at the Aquarium and in the field. While they don’t start out making the one-day-per-week, 6-month commitment, many of these volunteers spend just as much time at the Aquarium and earn just as many hours.

Volunteers seed muscles on coastal habitat

Following is Zara Zsido’s story.  Zara is a live blue™ Service Corps member who started volunteering during an Educator Appreciation Night in October of 2013 and has since become involved with service all over the Aquarium!

Stories about Octavia, the octopus, first brought me to the Aquarium. On my way to her tank I encountered a color, light and grace of movement I (being a creature of the land) hadn’t previously encountered. As a naturalist, walking through the doors of the Aquarium has opened yet another realm of spectacular unknowns.

After that first visit, I wanted to spend more time at NEAQ, and so perused the website for possibilities. A click on “volunteers” led to locating “one-shot”. One-shot led to a variety of volunteer opportunities, from special events to weeks of marine mammal behavior observation – the intelligence and personality of these fur-balls is pure joy to behold. A research project for the Diversity Council and a weekly gig with the crew in Membership allows ongoing encounters with the fine folks at NEAq – and the ability to visit exquisite critters anytime. 

Now, if I could just remember to bring my sketchbook next visit. — Zara

A volunteer pulls invasive weeds from the Charles River watershed

We are hosting orientation on the following dates:

April 8, 6–7 p.m.
April 13, 1–2 p.m.
May 6, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
May 22, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
June 3, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
June 19, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
July 15, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
July 31, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
August 5, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
August 21, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
September 9, 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Please RSVP to vols@neaq.org and put ATTN: LBSI Orientation in your subject line to book your space in as a live blue™ Service Corps participant!