Volunteers truly do make the world go ‘round and that spirit of volunteerism is the backbone of what we do here at the ERT Foundation. Our trail was literally built by a passionate group of volunteers who believed in the possibility of this trail and what it could do for our city and the larger region. Operating with a very lean staff and resources, the Foundation would not be able to accomplish our mission without the help of committed volunteers. Whatever your time, talents or interests we have an opportunity for you!
trail ambassador
- Travel sections of the trail by bike or on foot at least twice a month.
- Complete easy reports that help us record the number of users, maintenance issues, and trail conditions.
- Help with litter clean up, graffiti removal and trail safety alerts.
- Ambassadors get to rep the trail with a cool orange ERT vest!
- Current ambassadors submit your trail reports here.
events & project volunteer
- Assist the ERT at events like Tour de ORF, Celebrate Trails Day, the Elizabeth River Run and other special events and projects.
- You could be asked to assist with manning our table at a community event and educating the public on the ERT or being a volunteer on a group bike ride or walk.
beautification & maintenance volunteer
- Provide help with on-going maintenance of the managed meadow, Plum Point Park, watering trees at the fitness course, future planting projects, and more.
- Do people tell you, there’s nothing you can’t fix? We need volunteers that are handy with a variety of maintenance needs along the trail.
- Do you have a green thumb and a weed whacker? We need volunteers that can tackle overgrown foliage and beautify our landscaping.
- ERT Volunteers can submit trail cleanup and beautification reports here!
corporate, club or individual adopt-a-section volunteer
- Whether you’re with a military command, a university/college Greek organization, a trail business or sponsor or an individual wanting to better connect with your community, we’d love for you to adopt-a-section on the ERT to care for.
- Commit to a quarterly clean-up, maintenance check-in and beautification of a section of trail that’s important to you.
- Current Adopt-A-Section volunteers submit your quarterly report here.
internships
There are many opportunities for college students to explore internships with the ERT Foundation. (P.S. All interns receive great ERT swag!)
BIKE MONTH INTERN: Every year we need a Bike Month intern to help us organize and support Norfolk Bike Month, a program that has continued to grow in energy and size every year. This part-time intern will attend events throughout Norfolk primarily in May, but with a few organizing and early events in March/April, to help grassroots event leaders produce quality, diverse, regional events, as well as assist Downtown Norfolk Council featured events. Riding to events is encouraged when possible, and access to an automobile is a bonus.
ONGOING – MAINTENANCE: If you are looking to spend more time outside than inside, this internship will be perfect. The Elizabeth River Trail is a well-used multi-modal trail and has regular maintenance needs. Maintenance interns will also be integral in helping us move into Phase 2 of our wayfinding signage program. Tasks for this part-time internship also include regular maintenance work in areas like Plum Point Park and the Managed Meadow. A knowledge, (or love), of plants is a plus. This internship is great for college students majoring in areas such as Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Studies, Agriculture, Conservation and Environmental Science.
ONGOING – COMMUNICATIONS INTERN: We are always in need of a media intern to assist with our communications and marketing. Media Interns are needed to keep our social media outreach innovative as well as grow our LinkedIn and Twitter following. Media interns will spend some time with the ERT staff in the office, work from home, as well as capture moments on the Elizabeth River Trail and at events. Tasks include developing a social media content schedule, identifying opportunities to build brand awareness, creating engaging content, and presenting ideas for our monthly e-newsletter. This internship is perfect for college students majoring in marketing, design, communications, and public relations.
ONGOING – ERT BRAND AMBASSADORS: We are always in need of brand ambassadors to represent the trail in diverse, creative and innovative ways. ERT Brand ambassadors help take our brand to the next level. They share content on social media, take to the trail to interact with users, and find ways to elevate our brand on social media and at events. Build brand excitement with new, existing, and potential trail users and share the impact the ERT has on the community around it. Brand Ambassadors will be asked to take over one social media account (Instagram or Twitter) for a set period of time and regularly post or share content to engage and increase followers.
Email us and let us know why you would make an amazing ERT Brand Ambassador.