Volunteer

Get Involved

The Gardens offer opportunities to get involved with the community, meet new people, & learn more about gardening in our mountain environment. Volunteers support the continued excellence of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens through their hard work & dedication. Here are just a few of the volunteer activities available with more details below:

Gardening – Monday and Thursday Mornings 9am-12pm May-Oct
Ambassador Program
Education Center Host
Garden Tour Guide
Event support -Butterfly Launch, Plant Sale and more!

Thank you for your interest in helping the Gardens grow!

Fill out our Volunteer Interest Form or email Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, Jeri Powles jeri@bettyfordalpinegardens.org, for more information.

Volunteer Form

More Ways to Give beyond Membership

Click on the text below to learn more about opportunities to give beyond a membership gift.

Volunteer Gardening - Mondays & Thursdays

Dig in the Dirt with Us

Mondays & Thursdays

9am-Nonn

Enjoy the magnificent surroundings of the gardens, learn more about growing plants in altitude & make remarkable friends.

We provide tools, gloves and gardening training. Dress comfortably for the weather conditions, wear sunscreen and a hat. Be sure to bring a water bottle.

Monday and/or Thursday mornings between 9:00 a.m. and noon. Volunteers meet at the tool cabin at the top of the Gardens; No sign-up necessary. Come check it out!

Garden Tour Guide

Share the beauty of the Gardens with visitors from around the world. No experience necessary – just a great attitude & desire to engage. Training is provided.

Guides are a vital part in creating a deeper experience for connecting our visitors with the natural world.

Public tours are Monday, Thursday & Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Guides also lead scheduled private tours. Private tour dates and times vary.

Contact our Development Office by email at 970-306-7616.

donation to Gardens in lieu of flowers

Celebrate the life of a loved one or honor someone special with a donation to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. Your gift supports the beauty and mission of the Gardens while creating a lasting remembrance.

You can make a donation in someone’s honor using the link below. If you’d like us to notify them or their family, please include their contact information in the comments box when you donate.

Families often choose to have donations made to the Gardens in lieu of flowers. Our Development Office can create a personalized donation link for you to share with friends and family.

Contact our Development Office here to request your custom link.

Make a Gift to Honor Someone

Celebrate, honor, or remember someone with a living gift that blooms year after year.

Give a gift that grows. Through our Bulb Dedication Program, you can celebrate a loved one, mark a meaningful occasion, or honor someone’s memory with the planting of beautiful flowering bulbs in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.

Donate here.

Leave a Gift in Your Will

Bristlecone Pine Legacy Society

Leaving a gift to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in your will is the most common way that individuals ensure the work of the Gardens’ continues for the next generation.

These gifts often take the form of:

Cash
Closely Held Stock
Real Estate
Appreciated Securities
Tangible Personal Property

Your tax advisor can guide you on the best way to take care of your family and the Gardens. Oftentimes, with strategic planning, you are able to do more with your assets because of the tax implications of different types of giving.

Our gift acceptance policy states that all undesignated gifts to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are put into capital reserve fund. If you would like to discuss different plans for your gift, please reach out and let us know.

Our Tax ID # is 74-2395097

*If you have made a plan for the Gardens in your estate plans, we invite you to share this information with us and join the Bristlecone Pine Legacy Society. We hope to celebrate this decision with you and understand your goals and intentions to make sure your wishes happen.

Make a Donation to the Endowment

Endowment gifts offer a meaningful and lasting way to support Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. When you contribute to the Endowment, your gift is permanently invested, with only a portion of the earnings used each year, ensuring the principal remains untouched. This ensures that your legacy will endure, providing vital support for the Gardens for generations to come.

Gifts to the Endowment are often made through a donor’s will, allowing individuals to leave a lasting impact on a cause they care deeply about. Our Endowment is managed with care through an actively overseen investment portfolio, designed to protect and grow our assets, ensuring the Gardens thrive long into the future.

Endowment Policy: The Gardens annually withdraw up to 4.5% of the Endowment’s earnings to support our mission.

Contact Development Office at 970-306-7616 or email to explore possibilities.

Volunteer Gardening

Dig in the Dirt with Us
Mondays and Thursdays

Tour Docent

Garden Guide
Summer

Share the beauty of the Gardens with visitors from around the world. No experience necessary – just a great attitude & desire to engage. Training is provided.

Guides are a vital part in creating a deeper experience for connecting our visitors with the natural world.

Public tours are Monday, Thursday & Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Guides also lead scheduled private tours. Private tour dates and times vary.

Spend a morning in the garden

Ambassador
Summer

Garden Ambassadors host a table in the Gardens on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am – Noon. Or step away from the table and stroll the pathways while engaging those discovering Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. Share a deeper aspect of the organization while informing visitors about the important work being done in horticulture, education and conservation.

Material and topics of conversation can be provided by our education team. Simply, your interaction provides the Gardens’ guests with a memorable connection and a lifelong appreciation for the alpine environment.

Education Center Host

Information Desk
Year-round

Greet Education Center visitors and orient them to the Gardens. Interact with children and adults in a warm and inviting space with hands on activities. Act as an Exhibit Host, help with office projects or should it be a slower day, catch up on your own reading while making sure each guest feels welcome at the Gardens!

Other opportunities depending on time of the year: Seed cleaning, plant labeling, library cataloging, organizing, preparation of bulk mailings, and member stewardship.

Special Projects

Day of Event and Planning Projects
Summer

Throughout the year, volunteer help is needed for special events.

Some of the annual favorites include the Butterfly Launch, camp field days and Chefs in the Gardens series.

Help needs vary from day-of event support, planning, logistics coordination and educational leadership.

See Current Project Needs

Street Team

Spread the Word
Year-round

Distribute posters and brochures throughout the Valley. Visit with concierges and information centers. Converse with people at the Vail Farmers Market and other events in an effort to inform the public of the programs and the mission of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.

Community Service

Useful Public Service Program
year-round

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens participates in the Useful Public Service Program with Eagle County Courts. If you have been referred to the Gardens to complete your community service hours, please email the number of hours needed, completion date and your availability to info@bettyfordalpinegardens.org.

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens