Volunteer Opportunities
In order to volunteer for the Champaign Park District, one must complete a General Volunteer Application before signing up to volunteer.
Winter/Spring 2023 Volunteer Opportunities
CUSR Bowling Program
- Wednesdays at Old Orchard — 4-5p
Volunteers are needed to cheer on participants and help them retrieve their balls or hold the ramp for our ramp bowlers!
Egg Hunt Prep
- March 13-29 — 10a-3p | Hays Recreation Center
Help stuff eggs and prepare for egg hunts!
Douglass Egg Stuffing
- March 13-29 — 1-5p | Douglass Community Center
Help stuff eggs for the Eggs-ploration Easter egg hunt. Times are flexible!
Douglass Egg Hunt Prep Sign Up >>
Sensory Egg Hunt
- Saturday, April 8 — 12:30-2:30p | Prairie Farm
Help stuff eggs and set up prior to event, and tear down after.
Easter Bunny Open House & Eggs-ploration
- Saturday, April 1 — 9a-1p | Douglass Park
20 Volunteers – Help set-up and tear-down for the open house and egg hunt. Help facilitate the egg hunt.
Nite Lite Egg Pursuit
- Friday, April 7 — 9a-1p | Dodds 4-Plex
12 Volunteers – Help set-up and tear-down this fast-paced nighttime, adults-only event.
Nite Lite Egg Pursuit Sign Up >>
Eggstravaganza
- Saturday, April 8 — 10a-1:30p | West Side Park
20 Volunteers – Help set-up and tear-down for our annual egg hunt.
Boneyard Creek Community Day
- Saturday, April 22 — 9a-12p | Scott Park
Help clean up the Boneyard Creek in C-U and Campus. More info at www.boneyardcreek.org/
Touch-a-Truck
- Wednesday, May 10 — 8a-2:30p | Centennial Park
10 Volunteers – Help kids explore trucks and engage in fun activities
Day in the Park
- Saturday, May 28, June 25, July 23 — 1-3p | Locations vary
10 volunteers each event — Help with set-up, inflatables, games, and activities.
C-U Days
- Friday, August 11 & Saturday, August 12 | Douglass Park
20 Volunteers — Help at this great community event that has music, entertainment, softball and basketball games, and fun fun for every age.
Lego Club
- Dates split between 1st-3rd graders and 4th-6th graders. Dates listed in the sign up below.
Looking for volunteers for the 1st-3rd grade and 4th-6th grade Lego Club at the Martens Center. Recurring volunteers preferred!
Volunteer Coaches
Volunteer coaches are needed for various youth sports year round. Apply today!
Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation
Volunteer for Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation’s events like Cupcake 5K or ongoing programs like Special Olympics sports practices or afterschool programming.
Virginia Theatre
Do you like movies, concerts, comedians, and plays? If so, the Virginia is the perfect place for you to volunteer! Act as an usher, take tickets, work in concessions and merchandise sales, and act as crowd control as needed.
Other Programs:
- Natural Areas
- Cultural Arts
- Kid’s Programs
- Teen Programs
- Senior Programs
- Special Event Prep
Champaign Park District Volunteering Overview
Sports Coaches – Are you passionate about sports? Be a volunteer coach and share your love of the game with kids in the community. In our youth sports programs, we believe that winning has less to do with the scoreboard and more to do with core values of Sportsmanship, Opportunity, Fun and Instruction.
Complete our Youth Sports Coach Volunteer Application today! >>
Special Events – We have a variety of opportunities available at numerous events throughout the year. Help sell tickets at Taste of Champaign-Urbana, become Santa for one night to make children smile, stuff and scatter Easter eggs, and more.
Prairie Farm – Volunteers are needed May – August that love to work with animals and want to learn all about life down on the farm.
Virginia Theatre – Every performance utilizes several volunteers in the following areas: ticket-takers, users, concessions, crowd control, and merchandise. Be a part of the theatre experience!
CUSR – Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation is looking for fun energetic people to help with everything from one-time special events to weekly Special Olympics sports practices to daily after school programs.
Cultural Arts – We have a variety of programs from pottery to belly dancing that can always use a helping hand. We also invite instructors to volunteer their time to teach art classes of their own.
Preschool – Our early childhood programs include our art-focused Art Smart Kids, our kindergarten readiness program, Busy Bees, and our relaxed activities program, Creative Playtime. We also need help in the summer months with our kids ages 3-6!
Summer Explorers/Afterschool programs – Our summer explorers and afterschool programs are looking for responsible leaders to help with daily activities. We host summer explorers at Douglass Community Center, Leonhard Recreation Center, and Springer Cultural Center. Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation also needs volunteers to help with their summer and afterschool programs.
50 Plus! – The 50 Plus! program is always looking to volunteers to help with games, activities, potlucks, and more at Hays Recreation Center and Douglass Annex.
Teen Volunteering
If you are at least 13 years of age, enthusiastic, hardworking, and willing to learn, we can coordinate volunteer hours for you. This is a great opportunity to acquire new skills, gain valuable work experience, and complete high school volunteer hours.
Teen volunteers are only permitted to work a maximum of 25 hours per week.
A waiver must be printed, signed and mailed/dropped off:
Volunteer Coordinator
Hays Recreation Center
1311 W. Church St., Champaign IL 61821
For more information, please contact volunteer@champaignparks.org or 217-819-3926.
