• Streamwalk Volunteers - data entry, analysis and mapping
• Streamwalk Survey Coordinator
• Macroinvertrebrate Survey - Fall only

• Event Planning
• Research on Fundraising Opportunities

• Newsletter Coordinator
• Writers - Newsletter articles and press releases
• Website Design
• Graphic designers
• Booth Coordinator and Booth Volunteers
• Educators (Watershed Capsule)
• Crafty folks to make curriculum materials

• A-team members to help with bulk mailings
• Database record keepers - update member records

Help make a difference in your community by participating in research projects that advance understanding of the Pomperaug River Watershed and the conditions affecting the quantity and quality of our water.

Become a Streamwalk Volunteer
Survey the existing physical conditions in the rivers and tributaries that make up the Pomperaug Watershed! A training session occurs in the late spring of each year. Volunteers then survey a river segment any time during the summer or early autumn to record such things as average water depth, average width of the stream, color and clarity of the water, composition of the riverbed, type and amount of vegetation, and any sources of pollution coming into the river. The data is then used to gauge the health of the river, to identify impairments, and to plan remediation measures. The program brings people into direct contact with their river and helps them understand the river system and the relationship between the activities of the community and the health of the watershed. This program has been on-going since 2000 and enables the PRWC to track changes over time. For more information on this project, click here.

Current need:

• Volunteers to assist with Data Entry, Analysis, and Mapping. Data is entered into an Excel spreadsheet to document all impairments and simple bar and pie graphs are made to assess the most common types of problems facing our watershed.
• Volunteers with ArcGIS mapping experience. Graphically displaying where these common problems occur will help us identify priority areas needing attention.
• Streamwalk Survey Coordinator. As we move into our next phase of surveying the watershed, we will need a dedicated volunteer to coordinate the efforts of other volunteers. This will include scheduling the annual training, assembling and assigning survey packets, keeping track of volunteer progress, entering data as completed packets return, and compiling survey results. This is a great opportunity for a college student looking for an internship

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Become a Macroinvertebrate Survey Volunteer
Get training and conduct a rapid biological assessment of the small, spineless creatures that live in our local streams and rivers! The surey is a one day event during the early autumn where you receive training on how to identify these creatures (i.e. macroinvertebrates) and why it is important to identify them. Following the training, volunteers head to different points in the watershed to collect and identify macroinvertebrates. The presence of some creatures is actually an indicator of excellent water quality! The PRWC is one of many organizations that participate in a state-wide volunteer effort to gauge the health of our rivers using macroinvertebrates.  Data collected by the PRWC and similar organizations is incorporated into an annual report by the CT Department of Environmental Protection and is used to identify areas that require more extensive monitoring by the DEP. For more information on this project, click here.

• Volunteers needed for annual, one-day survey every fall (September or October)

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Fundraising and Events

PRWC is a non-profit that depends on charitable gifts, donations, grants and in-kind contributions.  You can make a difference by applying your skills in research, writing or event planning and organization. 

Event Planning
PRWC organizes fundraising events of all types, from house parties to larger benefits.  If you enjoy working with others on events planning and management, we can use your skills!  

Current need:

• PRWC is planning a major fundraising benefit in June 2010.  We are seeking several volunteers to assist with all aspects of planning.

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Research on Fundraising Opportunities
Use your experience in research to help identify and analyze potential funding sources and assist as appropriate in the preparation of funding raising materials.  This is an opportunity to work with experienced Board members, staff and other volunteers. 

Current need:

• Prospect research to identify local, state and national foundations with a potential interest in the Coaltion's programs. 

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Outreach and Education

Public Relations / Marketing
Use your communications skills to help with public relations and marketing.  Volunteers review public relations and marketing opportunities and develop tactics for implementation, including writing press releases and newsletter articles, developing and updating our website, and preparing other educational and promotional media. 

Current Need:

• Newsletter Coordinator. This volunteer will work with the PR committee and staff to determine articles to include in each issue and also is responsible for laying out the articles in the newsletter template, sending the draft to printing company, and organizing the mailing - includes printing labels and assembling the mailing and contacting the A-team to help apply labels
• Writers. Author articles on water related topics, projects for the quarterly newsletter
• Website Design. Help us give our website a face-lift and expand our content areas. Knowledge of Dreamweaver software is essential.
• Graphic design. Write, layout, and publish educational and/or promotional materials, including but not limited to posters, brochures, and the website.
• Booth Coordinator and Booth Volunteers. Seasonal festivals and fairs are great place for us to showcase what we do and to recruit new volunteers, but we need help to spread the word. Help us increase our presence at events like the Earth Day festival at New Morning, the Fall Festival at Flanders Nature Center, the Southbury Wellness Fair, the Garlic and Arts Festival in Bethlehem, and others. The Coordinator will put together exhibit materials - brochures, tabletop display, sign-up sheets and line up other volunteers.

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Watershed Capsule
Volunteers from the Stream Committee initiated the Coalition's school programs, which are presented annually in our local third, fourth, and seventh grade classrooms. Activities are also extended to local scouting and youth groups as well as adult audiences. Lessons cover topics ranging from "What is a Watershed" to macroinvertebrates to non-point source pollution.

Current Need:

• Educators. Assist in teaching lessons in our local schools, with scouting groups, and other audiences.
• Crafty People. Help us extend our program offerings by creating the necessary props.

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Admininstrative Team (A-Team!)
The administrative team (or A-team!) supports our office needs.  The PRWC newsletter goes out to nearly 2,000 recipients and the A-team helps to label and sort them so they are ready to go to the post office.  The A-team volunteers also help with other mass mailings, such as the annual appeal, and with projects that involve large amounts of copying and collating.  At times a volunteer may be asked to help update the SAGE fundraising database.  Given the PRWC staff is so small, every little bit of help is always appreciated!  

Current Need:

• Labelers for newsletter mailings in January, April, July, October.
• Database Record Keepers. Volunteers update contact or address information on returned mail items, which includes looking up new addresses at the towns’ tax assessors’ offices or at the post office and then updating records in our database.

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