Opportunities From: City of Thornton - Volunteer Programs

We are looking for help with the fun sport of Bocce Ball this summer! You will be assisting athletes with playing the game of bocce ball and preparing for Special Olympics competitions in late July and August. Practices are on Thursdays at Woodglen Pavilion and the competitions will be on Saturdays. You aren't required to do the competitions but we'd love to have you there. 

You might be assisting athletes with their throwing technique, helping keep score, and helping set up/take down the courts. Most importantly it's about getting to know the athletes and having fun together! 

A brief disability awareness training and background check for volunteers over 18 are required. 

Yardbusters is a summer volunteer program running from June 1 through October 1 that brings neighbors together to support income-qualified seniors and income-qualified individuals with disabilities. Volunteers are matched with a resident for the entire season and help with basic yard care such as mowing lawns, raking, light hand pruning, and weed removal. This assistance helps residents maintain safe, well-kept properties and remain in compliance with municipal codes.

Residents provide the needed tools and lawn equipment, and gloves are available to volunteers upon request. To meet code requirements, volunteers typically visit each home about twice per month during the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to participate on their own, with family members, or as part of a team—making Yardbusters a meaningful way to give back and strengthen our community.

For more information about becoming a Yardbuster, contact Belia at 303-255-7831.

Community Connections will be hosting a Produce/Food Box distribution for community members in need, and we are looking for volunteers to help make the event welcoming and successful! Volunteers will assist with greeting residents, helping with check-in at the registration area, carrying boxes to vehicles when needed, and supporting the overall flow of the event. Your time and kindness will make a meaningful difference for families in our community.

Meet at Community Connections located at 9471 Dorothy Blvd.

Join Ward 2 Councilmembers Roberta Ayala and John Alge for a community clean-up at Grandview Ponds! This popular fishing and trail area is a valued community space, and we’d love your help keeping it beautiful for everyone to enjoy.

This is a wonderful opportunity to give back, connect with neighbors, and make a positive impact in the community. Gloves and water will be provided. Please wear closed-toe shoes and come ready to help make a difference!

Date:  Saturday, July 18

Time:  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

We’re looking for community volunteers to help clean up and beautify the area surrounding this historic farm site. Volunteer activities will include painting fencing, picking up trash in the surrounding areas, and assisting with general site improvements. This space will one day be an environmental education area, and your support will help bring that vision to life.

Students: This is a great opportunity to kick off the new school year while earning community service hours for school requirements, clubs, jobs, and scholarship applications!

We will provide water, gloves, and any tools or materials that may be needed.  Please dress for outdoor activity. 

Duties may include:

Backpack & School Supply Distribution (10+ Volunteers)

Help students start the school year with confidence by distributing backpacks and school supplies while welcoming families with a smile.

Activity Guides (5 Volunteers)

Direct families between activities and help everyone find their next stop.

Haircut Check-In Team (4 Volunteers)

Be the connection between families and our volunteer barbers and stylists by checking in guests, collecting contact information, and texting them when it's time to return for their haircut.

Barber & Stylist Assistants (4 Volunteers)

Support our haircut team by sweeping between cuts, keeping stations clean, and assisting barbers and stylists so they can focus on serving families.

Eye Clinic Family Assistants (1–2 Volunteers)

Help families navigate the eye clinic by answering questions, providing directions, and serving as a friendly point of contact.

Vaccine Clinic Family Assistants (1–2 Volunteers)

Support clinic staff by guiding families through the vaccination process and helping create a welcoming, organized experience.

Food Service Team (4+ Volunteers)

Fire up the grill, serve meals, and help ensure every guest enjoys a delicious meal.

Meal Ticket Team (2 Volunteers)

Keep the food line running smoothly by collecting meal tickets and greeting guests.

Bounce House Monitor (1 Volunteer)

Help children have fun safely by supervising the bounce house and creating a positive, family-friendly environment.

Community Partner Support (1 Volunteer)

Assist one of our community partners at their resource table by welcoming visitors, answering basic questions, and helping them connect with valuable services.

Photo Booth Assistant (1 Volunteer) Help families capture lasting memories! Welcome guests, keep the line organized, and make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy the photo booth.

An inclusion partner helps to include an athlete with diverse learning needs and abilities in general city recreation programs. They may assist with giving reminders, demonstrations, and encouragement while working with the  participant and others in the lesson. The inclusion partner also helps the participant to interact with their peers and is sure not to lead a separate lesson from the rest of the group. This is a great way to have fun with a sport or activity you enjoy while helping out and gaining meaningful volunteer experience. 

For summer 2026, we would appreciate help potentially in Track, Tennis and potentially Gymnastics Lessons. We work to make sure it's a good fit between participants, coaches and volunteers before moving forward. Contact becky.post@thorntonco.gov for more info. 

Ready to help kids unleash their inner scientists? We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to bring Dino Fest 2026 to life! This is a fantastic, free community event packed with interactive STEM activities, hands-on exhibits, and dino-themed adventures for the whole family.

Whether you want to help us build the prehistoric world in the morning, lead mind-blowing science experiments, or help us pack up at the end of the day, we have a shift for you!

Date: Saturday, August 8, 2026

Event Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Volunteer shifts vary from 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM)

Location: Thornton Arts & Culture Center, 9209 Dorothy Blvd

Choose the shift (or shifts!) that best match your interests and availability:

Shift 1: Load In and Set Up (7:00 AM – 9:00 AM) Help us set the stage! This active role includes setting up outdoor tents, tables, and chairs for booths and snack stations, prepping activity stations, placing wayfinding signage, hanging decorations, and greeting/assisting our participating vendors and organizations as they arrive.

Bring the fun to life by guiding kids through hands-on STEM experiments and crafts!

Shift 2: Indoor Activities - Morning (9:00 AM – 11:00 AM) Facilitate indoor stations like fossil impressions, painted dino eggs, and the marble run.

Shift 3: Outdoor Activities - Morning (9:01 AM – 11:01 AM) Facilitate outdoor science stations like Elephant Toothpaste, Sand Pendulums, and Quicksand.

Shift 4: Indoor Activities - Afternoon (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) Facilitate indoor stations like fossil impressions, painted dino eggs, and the marble run.

Shift 5: Outdoor Activities - Afternoon (11:01 AM – 1:01 PM) Facilitate outdoor science stations like Elephant Toothpaste, Sand Pendulums, and Quicksand.

Shift 6: Snack Table & Water Misters - Morning (9:02 AM – 11:02 AM) Keep our guests happy and cool! Supervise the snack and water table and manage the outdoor water misters.

Shift 7: Snack Table & Water Misters - Afternoon (11:02 AM – 1:02 PM) Supervise the snack and water table and keep the refreshing water misters running through the heat of the day.

Shift 8: Load Out and Strike (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM) Help us wrap up a successful day. This role involves taking down and storing tables, chairs, and tents, as well as packing up decor and supplies to return them to their proper storage spaces.

Step outside, explore, and discover the incredible biodiversity right in your backyard at Niver Open Space! Join us for a hands-on BioBlitz, where community members team up with scientists to identify as many plant and animal species as possible—all in just a few hours.

With guidance from experts at the Butterfly Pavilion, you’ll learn how to spot and identify local vegetation, insects, and wildlife while contributing valuable data that supports conservation and helps us better understand our natural spaces.

We’re hosting two exciting BioBlitz events:

Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or just curious to learn something new, this is a great opportunity to connect with the outdoors, support local science, and be part of something meaningful. Come ready to explore!

Meet at the parking lot located at 88th and Conifer (north side of 88th Ave).  Water will be available. 

This opportunity is for volunteers interested in helping with one or more various Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation (AIR) Programs. This may include assisting with Art Classes, Social Activities, Gymnastics, Dance, Boxing, Archery, or Sports. One hour per week for 5-10 weeks is the general commitment depending on the program. Volunteers assist with set-up/clean-up at the programs, encouraging participants, giving reminders of the instruction, demonstrating the skills, playing as a teammate or partner, at times pairing up 1:1 to assist with the skills. 

A brief disability awareness training for all volunteers and background check for volunteers over 18 are required. 

Introducing AIR Buds! Through this program, a participant with a disability is paired up with a volunteer based on age and common interests. A brief interview and background check (ages 18+) are required for volunteer buddies over 18. An orientation with the AIR Coordinator is required. After that, buddies are responsible for scheduling when and how they use the recreation center. Examples could be using the pool together, attend a Zumba class together, etc. 

Join us in making your neighborhood entrance or a local park bed shine! This is a great chance to connect with Mother Nature and improve your community. Whether you choose to work alongside neighbors or enjoy some solo time, let’s discover who has a green thumb! Help us by adopting an area that you’d love to see transformed and bring some extra beauty to the space.

This position assists teachers in working with preschool children between the ages of 3-6 in a formal, licensed program.  Requires fingerprinting and background checks.

Volunteers are needed to sit on two public art review panels. Each public art project has a unique selection panel to help advise on the artist review process. Volunteer panel members will meet twice, with one meeting to review and score artist application materials, and a second meeting to recommend the artist (or artist team) that best meets the scope of the project. Learn more about the Public Art Goals and Commission Process.

Questions: Contact PublicArt@ThornotonCo.gov or call (720) 977-5881

Special Event volunteers play a vital role in making events smooth and enjoyable for attendees. We need help with assisting with tasks like decorating for events, set-up, clean up, registration, providing information, along with meet and greet. Volunteer hours are typically week day afternoons from 12p-5p, but we do have a few weekday time events too.