Get Involved at the Crooked River Wetlands Complex

WE HAVE 15 VOLUNTEERS NOW AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN OUR TEAM:  MARY ANN POGANY, CHUCK GATES, MADELINE DRESHER, RON HALVORSON, JOANNE DYER, MARTY SCHWAN, SUE BRITTAIN, DIANA ROBERTS, JAN McDANIEL, SHIRLEY JAYNES, CAROL DALLAS, MARY JEAN LUCKEY, PAM LOONEY and REBEKAH LAMBERT .

There are many ways you can get involved. If you love nature and enjoy meeting people, consider joining the Crooked River Wetland Volunteers.  You can spend time meeting, greeting and guiding visitors at the complex. This can be as simple as saying hello and pointing out the trails and kiosks, answering general questions about birds, ponds and other wetland questions or taking people out in the 4 person electric cart to see the birds and ponds.

  • You might like to spend time on tasks. You can spend as little or as much time as you want.

  • You might like to: Keep the trails in order, plant native plants, monitor milkweed plants and Monarch butterflies, and do other seasonal tasks.

We have joined with the Crook County Foundation into a fiscal sponsorship relationship. What that means is that any money donated to the Wetlanders can be accepted by the CCF and the donor will have the option of claiming this as a charitable contribution. Get your wallets out and send a contribution to Crook County Foundation, P. O. Box 1061, Prineville, OR 97754, or you can donate online at https://www.crookcountyfoundation.org/donate. If mailing a check, make sure you include the words "Wetlanders" or "Wetlands Volunteers" on the memo line.

For more information: 

Contact -  Karee Miller (HR Director), kmiller@cityofprineville.com

or one of our volunteers -  Mary Ann Pogany, 520-591-2810, mapogany@msn.com or Chuck Gates, cgates326@gmail.com                                                                                                                                  

Mary Ann Pogany

Mary Ann Pogany

  • Retired Aerospace Sales Engineer
  • Prineville Bird Club Member
  • Gardening, Monarch Waystations, Native Bees

I love being at the wetlands during all the seasons and sharing what I love about them with fellow volunteers and the public.  I have had a unique opportunity to design, develop and maintain pollinator gardens to protect endangered species such as bees and butterflies. When creating the Monarch Butterfly Waystation, I wanted to showcase our beautiful native plants hoping that visitors will enjoy their experience and possibly feel compelled to consider native plants in their own yards.  I look forward to expanding my knowledge about birds, bees, butterflies, and more.

Chuck Gates

Chuck Gates

  • Retired Teacher
  • Birder
  • Prineville Bird Club Facilitator

I’m a Crooked River Wetlands Volunteer because I enjoy birds.  These ponds attract spring migrants who are fueling up for their trip north, summer nesters who raise their young here, fall migrants who loiter on their way back south, and winter residents who find sustenance and protection from the elements.  It’s a regular avian wonderland for birds and birders alike.  I want to make it even more attractive to birds by increasing habitat and improving existing habitat.  I want to increase and enhance the encounters between birds and people by leading bird walks and giving cart tours.  More than anything, I want everyone out there to feel what I feel when I’m touring the Crooked River Wetlands Complex.  I feel fulfilled. 

Madeline Dresher

Madeline Dresher

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Ron Halvorson

Ron Halvorson

  • Natural Resource Specialist, U.S. Bureau of Land Mgt. (retired)
  • Birder
  • Member of Prineville Bird Club

I'm a Wetlands volunteer because Jim Van Vlack (the original volunteer) twisted my arm until I said yes, and I remain as such just so I won't get fined. Volunteering at the Wetlands is simply an opportunity to enjoy Creation while serving the community and working with other volunteers.

Joanne Dryer

Joanne Dryer

  • Retired Legal Secretary
  • Quilter

Someone told us about the Wetlands as a good place for walking, and we decided to check it out.  We were so impressed and met Mary Ann working away in the flower garden area.  She told us about the volunteer group and invited us to attend their next meeting.  We did!  Such a great area to walk, enjoy all the varieties of birds, and meet many nice people.

Marty Schwan

Marty Schwan

  • Retired Financial Services Management
  • Cyclist
  • Hiker

I enjoy outdoor activities and volunteering at the Wetlands because it gives the perfect opportunity to enjoy those things while participating with others in community service.  I enjoy the association with other volunteers and watching all of the various birds even though I don't have a clue what species they are.

Sue Brittain

Sue Brittain

  • Retired Phone Company
  • Prineville Bird Club Member
  • Volunteer Humane Society of the Ochocos 

A feeling of serenity comes over me when I’m at the Crooked River Wetlands.  The birding is always great & I especially love to see & hear the geese when they fly over to land in the ponds or fields.  I also enjoy helping The City of Prineville plant pollinator & native plants for the birds, butterflies & bees to enhance visitors on their walks.  Lastly, I feel safe being outside, enjoying Mother Nature.

Diana Roberts

Diana Roberts

  • Retired Oregon DHS Child Welfare Manager
  • Certified Oregon Master Naturalist
  • Birder

I volunteer at the Wetlands because I feel happiest when I'm outdoors.  I delight in the hope that my Wetlands volunteering, particularly work on native gardens, might help a butterfly, bee, or bird find a resting place, a drink or a spot where she can lay her eggs. I also enjoy talking to visitors about critters who hang out at the Wetlands and the amazing way our Wetlands clean and restore water.   I would like nothing better than help a visitor figure out how to place a bird nest box in their backyard or to plant some native plants.  I hope my contribution helps visitors and my fellow volunteers enjoy a fun and relaxing time at the Wetlands.

Jan Mcdaniel

Jan McDaniel

  • Retired Teacher
  • OSU Master Gardener, Naturalist, Melittologist
  • Fused Glass Artist

Nature - Learning - Sharing - Collaborating 

I volunteer in the Wetlands to observe plants in bloom, listen to birds sing, and marvel at native bees sip nectar and gather pollen. I always get a warm feeling when I hear children laugh or receive a smile or friendly "good morning" from the many walkers that stop by the bee garden where I am often found.  I relish sharing with others nature's marvels and glean information from those who know more than me. But most of all I volunteer because I enjoy working with a "jolly good group" of likeminded people who collaborate to make the Wetlands Complex what it is today.  

Shirley Jaynes

Shirley Jaynes

  • Retired hairdresser\visual display at JC Penny's
  • OSU Master Gardener Associate
  • Member of Ochoco Forest Restoration Collaborative

I volunteer at the wetlands because I wanted to do volunteer work that is important for our community and the environment.  It is important that the wetlands provides education and the opportunity for people of all ages to be outdoors getting physical exercise.  The wetlands complex is a great place for all people to visit.  I am glad to be a part of keeping this park an inviting place to visit.

Carol Dallas

Carol Dallas

  • Retired, licensed Oncology RN
  • Birding especially waterfowl 
  • Volunteer Crook County Health

I love nature, especially waterfowl and small creatures.  I never tire of the discovery I find at the wetlands.   The area offers promise of sustainable feeding, breeding and thriving for those creatures. Working as a team with like-minded people is rewarding.  I find gratitude and belonging from guests and my fellow volunteers. Simply put, volunteering is a gift I give to myself.   

Mary Luckey

Mary Jean Luckey

  • Retired House Painter
  • Softball Player
  • Outdoor Enthusiast

To be an integral part of something that is important in the grand scheme of life while satisfying my need for human contact, exercise and interest in God’s living earth.

Pam Looney

Pam Looney

  • Retired Medical Technologist
  • Specialized in Microbiology

I volunteer at the Crooked River Wetlands because I love the place and want to help keep it such a wonderful environment for everyone to enjoy! I love walking and being outdoors so it is a perfect fit for me!

Rebekah Lambert

Rebekah Lambert

  • Executive Director, Crook County Foundation
  • Management Consultant/Nonprofit Organizations
  • Flora, fauna, and landscapes of the sagebrush ocean
  • Especially raptors and pronghorn

The Crooked River Wetlands Complex is an extraordinary environmental, social, and economic asset for our community. It’s also a beautiful place. I enjoy working with the other talented and interesting volunteers, who always teach me something new about the birds, native plants, bees, or some other aspect of the wetlands. 

Supporting Documents

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