Call for Volunteers

Are you interested in becoming more involved in matters regarding our Seattle Olmsted parks and boulevards? Consider joining us!

Historical photo showing rustic road bridge in Interlaken Park

We are currently seeking new members to serve on our Board of Directors. Board activities include consulting on park improvement projects, creating and organizing walking tours, advocating for our historic parks, and partnering with community groups to help meet shared goals. Included on our current board are landscape architects and designers, a horticulturalist, a lawyer, a business manager, retired park staff, graphic designers and community relations professionals. We seek additional individuals with expertise and/or interest in at least one of the following areas:

  • Historical Research – looking for a candidate willing to do in-depth research for specific properties or projects, one of which is expanding our narrative to include related instances of racial injustices
  • Community Outreach – looking for a candidate who will identify and work with community groups and individual Olmsted Parks groups to help with park improvement projects
  • Educational Programming – looking for candidates who can help lead walking tours and/or identify and develop additional teaching opportunities
  • Accounting – looking for a candidate who can assist with our bookkeeping
  • Landscape Design – looking for candidates who are comfortable reviewing design proposals
  • Fund Raising — looking for candidates that are interested in leading our fund raising initiatives
  • Strategic Planning – looking for candidates who can help direct and implement our long-range planning
  • Communications – looking for candidates who can spearhead letter-writing campaigns and help build our social media presence
  • Anyone with an interest in the importance of unique urban parks and a willingness to advocate on their behalf

Terms begin in September immediately following our annual meeting on September 14, 2020, and run for three years. Our board meetings are typically held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. We are currently holding our meetings remotely via Zoom. As conditions allow, we will hold in-person meetings again at the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation headquarters in Denny Park (plenty of free parking available).

Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks (FSOP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Seattle’s unique Olmsted landscape heritage and raising awareness of the Olmsted philosophy of providing open space for all people.

Please contact FSOP President Douglas Luetjen at friends@seattleolmsted.org if you are interested in getting more involved!

Color photo of about 25 people gathered together in middle of vegetated meadow.
Walking tour through WA Park Arboretum

Looking for New Board Members

Are you interested in becoming more involved in matters regarding our Seattle Olmsted parks and boulevards? Consider joining us!

We are currently seeking new members to serve on our Board of Directors and/or our committees. Our board is typically composed of citizens with expertise in landscape architecture, history, horticulture, business management, project management and urban planning. We would like to further diversify our board to include individuals with expertise and/or interest in at least one of the following:

  • Community Outreach – looking for a candidate who will identify and work with community groups and individual Olmsted Parks groups to help with park improvement projects;
  • Accounting – looking for a candidate who can assist with our bookkeeping
  • Historical Research – looking for a candidate willing to do in-depth research on specific projects
  • Landscape Design – looking for candidates who are comfortable reviewing design proposals
  • Fund Raising — Looking for candidates that are interested in leading our fund raising initiatives

Terms begin in September immediately following our annual meeting on Sept. 21, 2019, and run for three years. Our board meetings are typically held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation headquarters (100 Dexter Ave N, 98109) in Denny Park.

Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks (FSOP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Seattle’s unique Olmsted landscape heritage and raising awareness of the Olmsted philosophy of providing open space for all people.

Please contact Douglas Luetjen at dluetjen@karrtuttle.com if you are interested in getting more involved!

Color photo of old cottonwood tree in mown lawn by the shore of Lake Washington on a sunny day.
A view of Colman Park

Volunteer Docents Needed for “Picture Yourself on Azalea Way”

The Arboretum Foundation is looking for volunteer docents for their display garden, “Picture Yourself on Azalea Way,” at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. The theme of this year’s show is “Romance Blossoms” and their garden will recreate all of the romance of Azalea Way at the Washington State Convention Center. Docents help hand out brochures and answer questions about the garden and the Washington Park Arboretum. You do NOT need to be an plant expert to be a docent. The Arboretum Foundation will offer a training session on Saturday, January 31 from 3?4 p.m. at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum. Docents receive a wristband for FREE admission to the show for the whole day of their shift.

For more information or to register, contact Megan Meyer at mmeyer@arboretumfoundation.org or 206-577-0549.

color-pencil sketch showing flowering shrub beds and pink-white flowering trees in a section/elevation of a shallow swale. Two women in long flowered frocks blend in with the flowering shrubs.
Sketch of the 2015 display garden, by Rhonda Bush.

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