info@friendsofthe500th.org
About Us
The Friends of the 500th was established in 1996 as a nonprofit corporation that supports the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. We work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and our local community to meet wildlife and biological management objectives, recreational and educational goals, and to support diverse programs related to the Refuge.
We are part of a network of over 250 Friends groups committed to supporting, protecting and improving National Wildlife Refuge resources.
donatE/join
Whether by becoming a member or a one-time donor, you financial contribution is crucial to our to the success of our organization and to our continued support of projects and educational programs at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
We use Zeffy to process our donations and membership, and 100% of your contribution goes directly to the Friends of the 500th. Zeffy automatically adds a tip to each transaction, which is used to cover Zeffy’s fees. The tip is optional, and you have the ability to change the amount or remove it. The Friends of the 500th appreciates any tips you give to Zeffy as they help keep Zeffy’s service free for us.
volunteer Opportunities
The Friends of the 500th is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that provides labor, funding, and advocacy to support to the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. There are several hands-on ways to help the Friends as we help the Refuge, listed below.
Don’t live nearby or don’t have the time or interest in hands-on volunteering? Donating or becoming a member of the Friends is always a great, and much-appreciated, way to support our mission!
Native Garden
The Native Garden needs you! Located at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Center, volunteers may weed, water, plant, or propagate! Choose your time and your preferred job! The times are flexible. Contact Liz Olmo at olmoed57@gmail.com with “Native Garden” in the subject for more information or to volunteer.
Environmental Education (EE) Committee
The EE Committee develops and supports various educational programs at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge including Wild School, Wild Wednesdays and outreach programs. If you would like to join the EE Committee or help with our programs, please contact Jackie DeScisciolo at jdescisciolo@gmail.com.
Visitor Center and Bookstore
Join us in the Visitors Center! Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, help children and sell nature-themed merch. Time commitment?: flexible. The Visitors’ Center is staffed from 10 – 4, Wednesday – Saturday. You may volunteer just during certain seasons, just once or twice a month, or only occasionally. We provide lots of training. Work with a partner or by yourself—but Refuge staff is always available to help you. Want to learn more? E-mail Gail Seekins at gseekins73@comcast.net.
master naturalist PROGRAM
The West Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a statewide volunteer training program sponsored by the WV Division of Natural Resources (WV DNR). The Canaan Valley chapter of the state Master Naturalist program is a committee of the Friends of the 500th. Classes are generally held at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and usually include a lecture and field portion. Participants generally say the program is a great way to learn about the area’s nature and to meet others with similar interests.
To become a state-certified Master Naturalist, you must complete 62 hours of instruction and 30 hours of approved nature-related volunteer work. Class topics include: Aquatic, Wetland and Terrestrial Habitats, Mammals, Insects, Wildflowers, Fish, Geology, Trees, Amphibians and Reptiles, Habitat Improvement for Wildlife, and many others. The Canaan Valley program is designed so that you can complete the coursework portion of the program in 5 full weekends held during the spring, summer, and fall months, but you have up to 4 years to complete coursework and volunteer hours. There are no tests.
The cost of the program is $175 which includes all classes until you are certified (up to 4 years). Scholarships are available.
2026 Canaan Valley Master Naturalists classes begin on Friday, April 24. For more information, contact Andrea Dalton at AndreaDalton64@gmail.com, or 304-704-2476. The cost of the program is $175 which includes all classes until you are certified (up to 4 years). Scholarships are available.
bookstore/visitor Center
The Friends of the 500th manages a wonderful bookstore, located in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The bookstore is stocked with a wide selection of books on local flora and fauna, publications by local authors, and nature-related reference materials. Gifts, children’s toys and books, and refuge apparel are also featured.
The bookstore is run entirely by Friends of the 500th volunteers. Money earned at the bookstore is used to finance native tree planting on the Refuge, offer local students educational field trips in our annual Wild Schools, and support two AmeriCorps members who assist the Refuge staff in biological research and other areas.
These volunteers also back up the refuge staff in the Visitor Center, including answering questions from visitors to the Refuge and offering suggestions to visitors on how to make the most from their visit to the Refuge and surrounding areas.
environmental education
The Friends of the 500th Environmental Education (EE) Committee assists the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in carrying out its educational, interpretive, and public use missions, particularly in the face of persistent under-funding in the federal budget.
The EE Committee supports a number of programs serving communities in Tucker and Randolph County, with a particular focus on youth.
Some of the programs the EE Committee supports are the 1st Saturday “What’s Blooming” walks, 2nd Saturday Bird walks, 3rd Saturday “Wild Wonders” programs, 4th Saturday “Busy Beaver” walks, Wild Wednesdays, Canaan Valley Master Naturalists, outreach to local schools in the area and other local events. See the Events section for the current schedule and more information on these and other programs.
Wild School
The Wild School program is an annual sixth-grade program focused on wetlands that engages all the sixth-grade students in Tucker County. Each spring, the refuge goes to the classrooms to talk about wetland functions and the wildlife that depend on them. To close out the program, all the schools come out on a field trip to the refuge sponsored by the Friends of the 500th. During the field trip, students explore the largest wetland in West Virginia and rotate through educational stations that take a deep dive into wetland plants and animals, recreational opportunities, and ways they can help wetlands. The EE Committee provides volunteers and bus funding for this program.
If you have any additional questions or would like to volunteer for any of the Environmental Education programs, please contact Jackie DeScisciolo at jdescisciolo@gmail.com.
tchhep PROGRAM
Tucker County Highlands History and Education Project, or TCHHEP, is a committee of the Friends of the 500th.
Since its inception 25 years ago, TCHHEP’s mission has been to collect, document, and preserve historic records including oral histories to chronicle the cultural and natural history of the Tucker County highlands, and to make these stories of the people and the land accessible to the public. This has been accomplished by many efforts by the members of TCHHEP to encourage interest and education in our heritage and provide a better understanding of the place in which we live.
TCHHEP has contributed over 100 history-focused articles included in the Friends newsletter, “The Timberdoodle” as well as producing 4 volumes of a series of books called Behold! The Land of Canaan. TCHHEP has also developed, designed, and installed history-themed interpretive panels for Refuge trailheads depicting the cultural, historical, and landscape history of Canaan Valley; created historic panels with captions displayed in public spaces around the area; conducted history-focused interpretive walks for Refuge programs; and recorded and documented cultural sites on the Refuge as part of an Historic Site Survey.
TCHHEP has an extensive collection of oral histories and interviews that are now being transcribed and, along with the audio portion, will be shared with the West Virginia and Regional History Collection at West Virginia University. This effort will make this information available to the broader public in this area and across the region.
Native garden
The Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge (CVWR) Visitor Center Native Gardens highlight the unique and diverse plants of the Canaan Valley. Located at the Visitor Center, the gardens are open to visitors during daylight hours seven days a week.
The gardens are curated by volunteers and are constantly being upgraded. They serve as a resource for gardeners, Master Naturalists, and nature lovers to learn about the vital relationship between local plants, ecosystems, and the “inhabitants” of the wetlands on the CVWR.
Work in the garden is primarily conducted between April and November. If you are interested in learning about refuge plants, want to establish your own native garden, or just enjoy gardening, please join us.
Elizabeth Olmo is the lead gardener and can be reached by text at 703-869-9856 or via email at olmoed57@gmail.com. Please include “CVWR Native Garden” in the subject line of any inquiries.Refuge Native Garden. More information coming to this site soon. Thank you for your patience.
timberdoodle
The Timberdoodle is the newsletter of the Friends of the 500th. It is sent automatically to Friends members every other month. The Timberdoodle is packed with interesting articles about the flora and fauna found on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Friends and Refuge programs, volunteer opportunities, and much more. To start receiving your copy, join the Friends of the 500th!
“Timberdoodle” is a nickname for the American Woodcock, a migratory shorebird that breeds on the Refuge. Timberdoodles are attracted by the Refuge’s shrublands, early successional forests, and wetland edges, and are one of the earliest migratory birds to return to the refuge in the spring. Their signature quirky gait as they walk and the male’s elaborate courtship ritual make them a fan favorite on the Refuge.
Not only is The Timberdoodle the name of the Friends of the 500th newsletter, but a sketch of a timberdoodle is also featured prominently on the Friends logo!
