10/02/2026
Three cheers for our October Volunteer of the Month, Craig!
Craig first started volunteering in 2024 and in just a few years has volunteered ~100 hours to Olbrich! He primarily can be found volunteering with our Phenology team, but he's willing to step in and help in other areas as needed. Craig has been a dedicated and committed member of our Phenology team spending hours and hours out in the gardens collecting valuable data for us. Check out what our staff had to say:
"We are so grateful for Craig’s commitment to the Phenology volunteer crew at Olbrich! This is a new program (only 3 years old!) where volunteers independently track the phenophases that plants go through during a growing season (leaves emerging, flowers blooming, fruiting, etc.). Over time, we will use the data collected by volunteers to track how climate change is affecting how our plants grow, so the more data we have, the better! Thank you so much Craig!"
"Craig has been very dedicated to our Phenology team! We don’t get to interact with him a lot since it is primarily an independent role, but the fact that he is so consistent with his hours really shows his dedication and hard work toward this new Phenology volunteer team. Having someone who routinely comes in on his own to do his Phenology route is extremely valuable to us! We’re very happy to have him on our team."
"Craig (and the rest of our Phenology team)'s contributions can be hard to see by our guests, but the work they do is extremely important. Craig collects valuable data for us so we can monitor and track how our garden changes as our world and climate changes. This is a very independent role and Craig always goes above and beyond with his observations and committed hours, without any promting from staff. We are so lucky to have him helping us with this project and behind-the-scenes work!"
Congratulations Craig! You have been a key element on our Phenology team. Working behind-the-scenes isn't always easy but your continued work and commitment are noticed, valued, and appreciated. Thank you!
