Volunteer

Volunteers are our backbone

We could not offer our programs without volunteers. They lead walks, prepare for and host retreats, assist with administrative work, fundraise, and more. We would love to welcome you to the community!

Read the position descriptions for:

Walk Leader

As a Walk Leader, you will spend time planning a series of easy walks in parks and on multi-use paths, and leading small groups of cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers (usually 4-12 participants) accordingly.

Schedule
Flexible. You may schedule walks during daylight hours, anytime of the week or weekend. Walks are held year-round, weather permitting.

Location(s)
Various. Walk Leaders may choose walks from an existing Live By Living walk inventory, or may propose new walks. Recommended distance for walks is from one to three miles. Paths should be paved or improved (e.g., gravel), and fairly flat.

Responsibilities

  • Upon completion of orientation and training walks, plan and lead at least one series of 4 walks per year. Frequency of walks is at leader’s discretion – e.g., weekly, every two weeks, monthly, etc. Weekly walks tend to attract better participation. You may collaborate with other walk leaders in offering regular walks (e.g., lead alternate weeks).
  • Identify specific walks and locations, and advise Live By Living administration at least two weeks in advance, so that walks may be posted and adequately promoted.
  • Electronically check-in participants and communicate via the LBL event management software of any changes to the scheduled walk.

Requirements

  • Must be able to walk three to four miles at a moderate pace
  • Basic CPR/AED and First-Aid training/certification are required; Live By Living will reimburse training tuition upon successful completion
  • Participate in an orientation session
  • Read the Volunteer Manual
  • Attend one to two training walks, shadowing an experienced walk leader
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

Hike Leader

As a Hike Leader, you will spend time planning a series of easy to moderate or difficult hikes and leading small groups of cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers (usually 4-12 participants) accordingly.

Schedule
Flexible. You may schedule hikes during daylight hours, anytime of the week or weekend. Hikes are held year-round, weather permitting.

Location(s)
Various. Hike Leaders may choose hikes from an existing Live By Living hike inventory, or may propose new hikes. Recommended distance for hikes is from two to six miles.

Responsibilities

  • Upon completion of orientation and training hikes, plan and lead at least 4 hikes per year. Frequency of hikes is at leader’s discretion – e.g., weekly, every two weeks, monthly, etc. However, weekly hikes tend to attract better participation. You may collaborate with other hike leaders in offering regular hikes (e.g., lead alternate weeks).
  • Identify specific hikes and locations, and advise Live By Living administration at least two weeks in advance, so that hikes may be posted and adequately promoted.
  • Electronically check-in participants and communicate via the LBL event management software of any changes to the scheduled hike.

Requirements

  • Must be an experienced hiker with good route-finding/GPS skills
  • Basic CPR/AED and First-Aid training/certification are required; Live By Living will reimburse training tuition upon successful completion
  • Participate in an orientation session
  • Read the Volunteer Manual
  • Attend 1-2 training hikes, shadowing an experienced hike leader
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

Walk-Hike Supporter

As a Walk/Hike Supporter you will assist the leader in guiding and supporting small groups of cancer survivors and caregivers (usually 4-12 participants) on Live By Living walks and hikes.

Schedule
Flexible. Walks and hikes are scheduled during daylight hours, any day of the week or weekend. Walk and hikes are held year-round, weather permitting.

Location(s)
Various. Live By Living offers walks and hikes at multiple locations in Colorado. The walk or hike leader chooses the event location. Supporters may collaborate with leaders to propose new walk or hike locations.

Responsibilities

  • Provide support and encouragement to participants during the walk or hike
  • In the event of an incident, follow the Leader’s direction and ensure the safety of participants

Requirements

  • For walks- must be able to walk three to four miles on level ground at a moderate pace
  • For hikes- must be a reasonably experienced hiker who is able to hike 4-6 miles at a moderate pace on uneven terrain, potentially at high altitude
  • Basic CPR/AED and First-Aid training/certification are recommended; Live By Living will reimburse training tuition upon successful completion
  • Participate in an orientation session
  • Read the Volunteer Manual
  • Attend 1-2 training walks or hikes
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

Retreat Leader

As a Retreat Leader, you will lead groups of cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers (16-20 participants) on 3-day, 2-night retreats. This includes overall management of retreat operations.

Schedule
Flexible. Retreats are scheduled throughout the year, with most reserved during the summer and fall. Retreats are typically scheduled Saturday morning until Monday afternoon, but this may vary depending on availability.

Location(s)
Retreats are held at various locations, including cabins (“huts”) managed by the Tenth Mountain Division Hut Association; YMCA-Estes Park; YMCA- Snow Mountain Ranch; YMCA- Camp Shady Brook; and private residences.

Responsibilities

Retreat Leaders are responsible for overall management of the retreat operations. This includes the following:

  • With input from our medical advisor, review participants’ medical forms in advance and ensure appropriate and safe retreat participation.
  • Review volunteer lists in advance and ensure volunteers’ ability to meet necessary requirements for a successful retreat.
  • Assist LBL leadership with logistics and planning (i.e., menus, food preparation and storage) prior to the retreat, as well as with organizing and transporting provided equipment.
  • Plan and implement a schedule of activities consistent with LBL guidelines during the course of the retreat. Provide leadership and support for such activities to include group orientation (i.e., introductions, ground rules); room assignments; meal preparation, service and clean-up; planned walks, hikes, and potentially other therapeutic offerings such as yoga, meditation, etc.
  • Ensure the safety of all participants. This includes:
    • understanding any dietary restrictions and ensuring they are addressed throughout the retreat;
    • monitoring participants’ physical condition especially during hikes (e.g., checking for signs of dehydration, low blood sugar (“bonking”), hot spots, insect bites, sunburn and other common maladies);
    • monitoring weather forecasts and the actual weather while on hikes;
    • taking appropriate action in event of adverse weather conditions;
    • providing or arranging for any first aid in response to medical needs (e.g., dressing hot spots or blisters, cleaning and bandaging abrasions, encouraging participants to eat and drink, contacting search and rescue as needed, etc.); and
    • documenting responses to any incidents.

Requirements

Retreat Leaders must have a current Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certificate for retreats at the YMCAs and private residences. For hut retreats, Retreat Leaders must have a current license/certification as any of the following:

      • Wilderness First Responder (WFR);
      • Medical doctorate
      • Registered nurse
      • Nurse Practitioner
      • Physician’s Assistant
      • EMT
  • Must be a strong, experienced hiker
  • May not exhibit signs of infectious respiratory or other communicable disease one day prior to or during the retreat
  • Participate in an orientation session
  • Read the Volunteer Manual and other supplemental materials
  • Attend one retreat prior to leading one
  • Must commit to leading at least one (1) retreat per year
  • Electronically check-in participants and communicate via the LBL event management software
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

Retreat Prepper

As a Retreat Prepper, you will assist in various pre-retreat preparation activities, primarily food shopping, food preparation, and food/equipment packing.

Schedule
We usually shop for food one or two days before a retreat, and prep the day before. In late spring, we also prepare and freeze some dishes for later use at retreats. Prep for frozen foods usually occurs on a weekend in May or June.

Location(s)

Prep work occurs in Lakewood or Silverthorne, depending on the retreat location. Location will be specified in the particular volunteer opportunity.

Responsibilities
Retreat preppers will do one or more of the following tasks:

  • Shop for food at local grocery stores and transport it to the prep/packing location in Lakewood or Silverthorne.
  • Package and prepare food items to facilitate cooking at the retreat location by, for example, washing and drying fruit, measuring and packaging food items, chopping vegetables, baking cakes, dicing and cooking chicken, filling water jugs, packing items in coolers, etc.

Requirements

  • Personal or professional cooking experience
  • Be handy with a chef’s knife
  • Able and willing to wash dishes
  • Maintain good food hygiene
  • Some tasks require ability to carry 15-40 pound jugs or bins (inability to do this does not preclude you from volunteering to perform other tasks which you are able to do)
  • Must be 18 or older.

Apply to Volunteer​

Retreat Supporter

As a Retreat Supporter, you will provide support and encouragement to the retreat leader and to groups of cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers (14-20 people total) on 3-day, 2-night retreats.

Schedule
Flexible. Retreats are scheduled throughout the year, with most reserved during the summer and fall. Retreats are typically scheduled Saturday morning until Monday afternoon, but this may vary depending on availability.

Location(s)
Retreats are held at various location, including cabins (“huts”) managed by the Tenth Mountain Division Hut Association; YMCA-Estes Park; YMCA- Snow Mountain Ranch; YMCA- Camp Shady Brook; and private residences.

Responsibilities

Retreat Supporters assist the retreat leader in managing the retreat operations. This includes the following:

  • Review participants’ medical forms as directed by the retreat leader, and ensure appropriate and safe retreat participation.
  • May assist LBL leadership and retreat leader with retreat logistics and planning, including food shopping, preparation and storage, as well as with organizing and transporting provided equipment.
  • May be requested to drive the Live By Living 4WD ¾ ton pickup on rugged 4WD roads.
    • If so, must be familiar with operation of 4WD transmission systems.
  • May be requested to load and unload the LBL truck.
  • Assist the retreat leader in providing a 5-star participant experience by:
    • providing participants encouragement and any needed support along the trail (e.g., encourage hydration and snacking, bringing up the rear of the group, carrying a pack or lightening a pack load, assisting with stream crossings, etc.);
    • preparing for and cleaning-up after all meals;
    • ensuring availability of adequate drinking and wash water, and hot water for beverages (huts only);
    • preparing and serving beverages and snacks; and
    • carrying participants’ gear to/from their rooms.
  • With consent of LBL leadership, appropriately qualified support volunteers may offer therapeutic activities such as yoga, meditation, massage, etc.
  • Help ensure the safety of all participants. This includes:
    • understanding any dietary restrictions and ensuring they are addressed throughout the retreat;
    • monitoring participants’ physical condition, especially during hikes (e.g., checking for signs of dehydration, low blood sugar (“bonking”), hot spots, insect bites, sunburn and other common maladies);
    • monitoring weather forecasts and the actual weather while on hikes;
    • taking appropriate action in event of adverse weather conditions; and
    • providing or arranging for any first aid within the volunteers training in response to medical needs (e.g., dressing hot spots or blisters, cleaning and bandaging abrasions, encouraging participants to eat and drink, contacting search and rescue as needed, etc.)

Requirements

  • Basic CPR/AED and/or First-Aid training/certification are recommended; Live By Living will reimburse training tuition upon successful completion
  • Physically capable of completing any walks and/or hikes anticipated on the retreat without undue exertion
  • May not exhibit signs of infectious respiratory or other infectious disease one day prior to or during the retreat
  • Participate in an orientation session
  • Read the Volunteer Manual and other supplemental material
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

Volunteer Community Outreach | Special Events Supporter

The Volunteer Community Outreach & Special Events Supporter will assist with various community outreach and special events, including community development events, donor/volunteer appreciation events and other fundraising initiatives. The Supporter will work with the leadership team to increase organizational visibility and brand awareness within communities served, and may also assist in various capacities with internal special events and fundraising activities. This is primarily a constituent/community-facing role.

Schedule

Flexible. Hours may vary to accomplish Live By Living’s marketing goals. Some evening/weekend hours required.

Location(s)

Virtual/in-person. Locations will vary depending on community and/or special events supported.

Responsibilities may include:

  • Assist with booth/table set-up and tear-down, and with promotion of the Live By Living organization and programs at assigned community/special events
  • Nurture new and established relationships with collaborative partners and participants through video or in person meetings
  • Assist with other duties as assigned for internal special events and fundraising activities

Requirements:

Alignment with Live By Living’s mission and values

Familiar with Live By Living programs

  • Friendly, enthusiastic, and positive attitude
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Must be able to lift 10lb-20lb
  • Must be 18 years of age or older

Apply to Volunteer

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Volunteers help at stream crossing
UC Health volunteers at Buds Cabin
A volunteer with appetizers at Francie's retreat
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“On the emotional roller coaster that cancer diagnosis and treatment is, this weekend was the sky high, triple loop de loop of thrills!”