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Volunteer and Internship Programs
Extended Volunteering at Ekone
Come live at Ekone and help with allllll the things! Ekone volunteers help with feeding chores, cleaning and organizing projects, cooking and dishes, gardening, invasive plant removal, stacking firewood, stacking hay, moving things from one place to another and then later moving them back, rummaging through storage looking for random things we need, and all the other tiny and gigantic things we do to keep this place up and running. Ranch volunteers must be 18+ and stay on site for 1-2 months, living in a room, trailer, tent, or your own camping set up, eat heartily, and become masters of finding the fun in everything.
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For more information and application materials, contact: michelle@ekone.org
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Want to volunteer but can't commit to living at the ranch for a month? Come for a workparty!
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Want to volunteer but not 18 yet? Check out our Youth Volunteer Program!
Ekone Internships
Internships are a form of extended residential volunteering, but have a slant toward a particular facet of ranch life. Interns still participate in lots of general volunteering activities, but spend 50-70% of their time on their focus area. Interns are generally expected to stay 2-6 months, and offer a deeper dive into ranch skills and mentorship from staff. Interns also build leadership in their area and may lead general volunteers in projects as well from time to time.
Garden Internship (April – September)
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Prep garden beds, set up and maintain irrigation, plant seeds and transplant starts, identify pests, harvest fresh veggies, keep the garden shed ship-shape, and do an absurd amount of weeding!
Forestry Internship (October – December)
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Help to keep our forests healthy and fire-resilient. Learn how to use and maintain a chainsaw, and how to fell small and large trees. You’ll learn a ton about the ecology of our dry East Cascades landscapes, and why this kind of management is good for the forest.
Cemetery Internship (Year-round)
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We prepare burial sites by hand. It’s hard work, and such meaningful labor to tend a person’s final resting place in this way. Cemetery interns also support burials, give cemetery tours, and learn all about what it takes to run a natural burial conservation cemetery.
Horse & Admin Internship (spring and fall)
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Help with hoof care, supplements, grooming, and allllll the horse equipment, as well as help with wrangling spreadsheets and data entry!​
Kitchen Internship (spring and summer)
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Help to feed the people! Learn all of Chris and Liz's amazing Ekone recipes and all their secret tips and tricks for cooking delicious, healthy food for large groups of hungry campers.
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Facilities Internship (fall, winter, spring)
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Mill lumber, fix broken stuff, help build things, drive the tractor, maintain the power tools, cut firewood, and learn all about how the shop and facilities crew keeps the ranch going.
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Programs Internship (spring and summer)
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Learn about all the behind-the-scenes wrangling that it takes for Ekone magic to happen! Navigate spreadsheets, camp handbooks, schedules, group orientations, staff station inventory, and all the other important pieces that keep programs running smoothly.
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Summer Camp Internship (summer - for ages 16-22)
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Our Intern program applies to youth aged 16-22 seeking an in-depth volunteer leadership opportunity at Ekone Summer Camps, usually for 3 weeks at a time. Interns will work closely with camp staff, and participate in planning the camp program, daily decision-making, and leading activities as appropriate.
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More info and application materials can be found HERE
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For more information about Ekone internships and application materials, contact: michelle@ekone.org
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