Volunteer Opportunities

To get involved or learn more, contact us at Volunteer@CoMo.gov or self-schedule. Volunteer opportunities are for all ages. Some events or programs may have specific age requirements, please reach out if you are unsure. Family volunteering is always welcome!

COMO Trail Association (COMOTA) Join COMOTA on helping improve our trails! Below are upcoming workdays volunteers are invited to take part. Tools will be provided, but volunteers will need to wear closed-toe shoes, work gloves, and clothes they don’t mind getting dirty. 
  • Saturday, March 30 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Rhetts Run. Meet at back parking lot by the T-Ball fields. Working on building new trail and clearing the trail corridor. 
  • Saturday April 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. am at Rhett’s Run. Meet at back parking lot by the T-Ball fields. Building new trail by the new bike park. 

Register for their events here

Missouri Conservation Corps (MCC) – Join MCC in helping remove honeysuckle from our City parks and trails! Below are upcoming workdays volunteers are invited to take part. Tools will be provided, but volunteers will need to wear closed-toe shoes, work gloves, and clothes they don’t mind getting dirty. 

  • Saturday, March 30 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. – Hacking and pulling invasive honeysuckle, and starting work on an erosion control project near the Odor Shelter parking lot  

Reach out to [email protected] to register for their events!

 

Egg Hunt Eggstravaganzas! – Saturday, March 30 at Douglas Park (400 N. Providence) and Indian Hills Park (5009 Aztec Blvd). Join us for spring holiday fun! Volunteers will be assisting with children’s activities, games, and hiding of the eggs. Volunteers are needed for Indian Hills Park from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Cleanup Columbia – Registration is now open for our annual city-wide litter pick up event that will be held throughout April. Individuals, families, businesses, and groups of all sizes and types are welcome to join the fun to see what surprises they encounter while volunteering! Volunteers pick the time, date and location that works best for them, and we provide the supplies. Register here! 

Blue Thunder Track Club assistant coaches are needed! Consistent, dedicated volunteers are needed to help coach children and teens in the sport of track and field. The season runs from April-July, with the first practice being on April 2. For those interested in getting involved, reach out to Camren Cross at [email protected] or 573.874.6378. Visit BlueThunderTrackClub.com to learn more. 

Douglass Youth Baseball League is looking for coaches and umpires for this season! This is a non-competitive, instructional league that takes place in May and June, with coaching clinics starting in April. There are three leagues: T-Ball (5-6 year old), Coach Pitch (7-8 year old), and Kid Pitch (9-10 year old). Reach out to Camren Cross at 573.874.6378 or [email protected] to get involved!

Household Hazardous Waste – First and third Saturday, April-November. Volunteers are needed for some messy fun! Volunteers will be consolidating paint at the collections that is repurposed for the public to obtain at no cost. Shifts are available from 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Volunteers will be provided gloves, aprons and shoe covers but it is recommended to come in old clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty/stained.

Kite Flying Day – Saturday, April 6. Volunteers are needed to assist children with putting together kites and flying them at both Douglass Park and Again Street Park. Join us to help kids have a fun spring day! Volunteers are needed for Douglass Park (400 N. Providence) from 11:45 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and Again Street Park (1200 Again Street) from 1:30-3:00 p.m. All volunteer positions have been filled, thank you!!

TreeKeepers – Current and new TreeKeeper volunteers are invited to join us for the tree wrap on Friday, April 19 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Parks Management Center (1507 Business Loop 70 W) to prepare the trees for the annual Arbor Day tree giveaway. 

TreeKeeper volunteers are again needed on Saturday, April 20 for the annual tree giveaway at the Farmers Market (1769 W Ash) from 7:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. to help distribute the trees to the community.

Bike Safety Rodeo – Saturday, April 20 at Karis Church (606 Ridgeway Ave) from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Help educate Columbia youth on bike safety! Volunteers will help along the 9-step skill course for ages 3 to 16. 
 
Columbia Youth Track Meet – Saturday, April 20 at Hickman High School Track from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to assist with the start and finish lines, timing, recording, awards, and photography for this intro to track event. Join us to share the fundamentals of track and field, and cheer on youth interested in the sport! 
 
Earth Day – Sunday, April 21 at Peace Park (401 S 9th St). Volunteers are needed from 2:30-5:30 p.m. to assist with children’s activities and games at the annual Earth Day Festival. Get involved  to engage youth in sustainability awareness! All volunteer positions have been filled, thank you!!
 
Heritage Day – Saturday, May 4 at Douglass Park (400 N Providence Rd). Volunteers are needed for this community event that is the unofficial opening of Douglass Park for the summer! Volunteers will be assisting with children’s games, activities, food service and more! Volunteer shifts are available from 1:00-2:15 p.m. (set up), 1:30-5:30 p.m. (games, activities, food service), 4:30-5:30 p.m. (tear down/clean up). 
 
Family Fun Fest – Third Wednesday, May-September from 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Join us for these family friendly monthly entertainment events! Volunteers will be assisting with children activities and games. May and June Family Fun Fest will be held at Cosmo Park, and July-September will be held at Albert-Oakland Park.
 
Superhero Sports Challenge – Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed for this sports obstacle course for youth ages 6-14 at The Armory (701 E Ash St) to help facilitate the course. 
 
Parks and Recreation is looking for adults to teach a variety of classes at the Armory, 701 E. Ash: cheer, dance, jump rope and other activities and hobbies.  If you have a skill to share, we would love to talk with you!  Contact Mary Dewey to get involved. 

Share your time with Special Olympics! To get involved email Tyler Armstrong with Parks & Recreation. We prefer that volunteers commit to helping throughout the season; skill in the sport is desired but not required. Volunteers should be positive and supportive of the athlete.

Litter Team Cleanups

Volunteers are instrumental to keeping Columbia’s streets, parks and streams clean. Litter Team events are scheduled monthly. A volunteer or staff leader provides gloves, bags, safety vests and direction. Drop ins are always welcome! Self schedule, or email us here. Those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Litter Team events are not intended for large groups. Please reach out to us if you have a group and we will support a litter service specific to your group.

Saturday, April 13 – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Meet at the Downtown Optimist Park (100 E. Forest Ave)

Sunday, April 14 – 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Meet at Nifong Park, parking lot off Nifong Blvd near Maplewood Barn. Good Deeds Day Lunch and Clean! Join us for a picnic lunch and cleanup of Nifong Park and the surrounding area! 

Saturday, May 4 – 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Meet at MBA Textbooks (2711 W. Ash)

Litter Event Leaders help us engage  other volunteers in caring for our environment! Tasks include bringing supplies (provided by the City), checking in volunteers, providing basic instructions, and helping them have a great cleanup.  

Group Specific Litter Service

If you are interested in arranging a litter event specific to your group, we are happy to assign a location and provide necessary supplies. For more information email Jody.cook@CoMo.gov or call 573.874.6271

Composting Workshops

Volunteer Columbia provides free compost workshops to those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Check out our 2024 schedule here!

Compost Workshop Leaders and Assistants – Food and yard waste make up close to 40% of what Columbia throws in the landfill. Our Compost Workshop Leaders and Assistants help lower that percentage by leading and supporting our annual Backyard Composting Workshop series for Columbia residents. Volunteer Columbia provides the curriculum and workshop support. Volunteers need to be active composters, comfortable with public speaking, and attend one workshop as a participant prior to assisting or leading. Workshops are held at the Compost Demonstration Site in Capen Park and at other locations throughout the city.

Board & Commission Openings

There are many great ways to serve our City! Volunteer to serve on one of our many boards or commissions.