Thank you for expressing your interest in the Cheryl B. Harner Wonder Fund and for applying to become a Wonder Fund Fellow. This program offers chances for adults aged 18 and above with a keen interest in nature to attend events organized by the Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc that are financially challenging.
The Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc. collaborated with the Harner Family to establish the CBH Wonder Fund, which aims to provide free access and volunteer opportunities for Wonder Fund Recipients at events hosted by the society. Your experience gained through this program can be valuable in your professional or volunteer endeavors, whether it’s through coursework or volunteer work in natural areas, parks, land conservancies, or the sciences. Attending programs, lectures, and field trips offers opportunities to learn from renowned naturalists, educators, and conservation leaders in the field. We do require that recipients commit to volunteering for up to 2-3 hours per day during the event. Wonder Fund Recipients may be asked to help ‘show what they learned’ by taking notes, creating sketches, and/or taking pictures while listening to the presentations or while on the field trips.
The Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc., organizes two to three events annually. The flagship event is the Midwest Native Plant Conference, held at the Bergamo Center in Dayton, Ohio, and typically occurs in early August. The Native Plant & Artisan Sale is offered to the public during this event. Other events encompass “nature safari”-style weekends or one-day workshops focused on a particular topic. All these events are crafted to align with the society’s mission of “connecting people to nature.”
Please note that submitting an application to be a CBH Wonder Fund Fellow does not guarantee placement. The number of those selected may fluctuate based on available funds and the number of events hosted by Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc. Applicants will receive an email notification confirming whether they have been chosen or not as a Fellow. Regardless of selection, volunteering opportunities may be available for the event. This is an excellent chance to learn and connect with nature.
Mobility Rating Please select one rating, including walking the grounds at Bergamo Center or walking off-site on field trips. This does not affect the status of your application but helps plan for the best experience for you.
Select this if you need assistance walking or have special requirements to assist with volunteering.
Low mobility includes difficulty walking long distances, or only walking on flat, paved, dry surfaces.
Can walk long distances on even or uneven terrain in dry or wet conditions.
Very mobile and can handle strenuous activity as hiking uneven or rocky terrain, wet or muddy walkways.
Event Choice. Please select the event for which you are applying.
Select this if you would like shared lodging at the event location. In most cases, shared lodging is one room with 2-3 twin beds and one shared bath and shower. For our Safari events, shared cabins are available with bunk beds and one shared bath and kitchen.
Select this option if you will be commuting from another location. A list of nearby affordable hotels is available if interested.
Help is needed both days to assist the team with checking in attendees and vendors.
This event requires working with the Vendor Chair and other volunteers on Saturday morning. The public is welcome to attend, and volunteers will need to be able to walk around the parking lot areas and on uneven ground outdoors as well as assisting vendors indoors. This may require standing at a parking lot station to direct traffic.
Assist team with the setup of AV equipment for presentations on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning. Help monitor rooms and alert the team for any AV issues. Does not require special technical skills.
Help maintain that the vendor room is clean and that food is not left sitting out. Make sure that the door remains closed and that the room sign is visible outside the door stating "Vendors and Volunteers only".
Work with the Silent Auction chair and the team as needed to collect Silent Auction items at registration, and to help collect sheets when bidding closes.
Assist with field trips that may include walks on the grounds, or assist at the mothing station, on Friday and Saturday evening. Also, may require help with field trips on Sunday morning that run until approximately 1:00 pm.
Please tell us what areas you are most interested in learning . Some areas could be native plant propagation, conservation, education about native plants, landscape design, wildlife/general nature, climate change, etc. We will do our best to connect you with people, programs and field trips that match your interest.
We provide shared lodging options at our events. Depending on the location, this could be in a cabin with bunk beds or a private room with two to three beds and a shared bathroom. If you’d rather not stay in shared lodging, you have the freedom to choose any accommodation you prefer. Onsite lodging is not mandatory. Some attendees also prefer to commute back and forth to the event.
