Volunteer docent training planned at CALM

If you love animals and have a desire to share your knowledge with others, the California Living Museum’s (CALM) Docent Program is for you! The first of the seven week Docent Training sessions is scheduled for Feb. 4, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at CALM, located at 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway, between Lake Ming and Hart Park in Bakersfield. Classes will be held each Saturday, through March 24. There is no charge for the training sessions. Contact Don Richardson at (661) 872-2428 to register for the classes. Minimum age requirement is 18. Minimum time commitment is four hours per month for two years, after training.

The word “docent” comes from the Latin meaning to teach. CALM docents are volunteer “teachers” who educate school children and visitors about California wildlife and their habitats. Not only will you learn about the wildlife in a classroom setting, you will be trained to handle CALM’s ambassador animals.

For the first time, CALM is offering a Biofact Docent training class, too. This is a two week training workshop (open to ages 14 years-adults) and involves no animal handling. Biofact Docents help educate visitors and work with a wide variety of carts containing specimens and themed presentations. Minimum time requirement is four hours per month for two years after training.

CALM has for the past 27 years provided residence for animals native to California that because of injury or abandonment can no longer survive on their own in the wild.