Whether it looks good on a resume, fulfills volunteer hours, or simply gets you out of the house – the San Francisco Botanical Garden is on the prowl for helpers to take on an array of interesting positions.

Perhaps you'd like to lead activities in the Children's Garden or tend to the herb, butterfly, and vegetable displays. At the Nursery, you'll encounter a chance to cultivate rare and odd-looking plants to be sold at the monthly public plant sales or the Annual Spring Plant Sale. Are you more of a bookworm? The Helen Crocker Russell Library is in need of library assistants to aid visitors who come to browse one of the best horticultural libraries in California.

Other volunteer positions could see you spending time at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Bookstore; the Plant Collections Department; the Botanical Garden Society office; serving time as a Garden Guide; or lending a hand during special events.

To learn more about this fascinating attraction found at Golden Gate Park – check out www.sfbotanicalgarden.org or call 415-661-1316 (ext 312). To receive additional details on other volunteer opportunities, send an inquiry to . The Botanical Garden is located at Ninth Ave at Lincoln Way.

For all of you looking forward to the free beginner swing dance lessons offered at the Golden Gate Park – I should alert you to a time change that will start this weekend. May 4th, 2008 will mark the first lesson showcasing an earlier time for Lindy in the Park. It's only 30 minutes earlier – but who wants to miss out on this amusing adventure filled with shaking, toe tapping, turning, and energetic fun? When weather is permitting – the swing lessons will be held between 12pm and 12:30pm on Sundays.

Instruction for the free beginner lessons are taught by Hep Jen, who has won a great deal of recognition from the likes of SF Weekly and SF Magazine for her participation in Lindy in the Park and Tuesday Night Jump. The overall experience is quite enlightening with infectious DJ music hitting the air and friendly faces at every turn. Don't miss out – Lindy in the Park is waiting for your attendance this weekend!

This weekend – why not take in the sights of one of the gardens at Golden Gate Park and pay homage to one of the most celebrated playwrights in history – all at the same time? While the exact birth date of "the Bard" is unknown – William Shakespeare enthusiasts usually send birthday wishes around April 26th – the reported date of his baptism.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. Today, his memory and works of literary art are alive and well – not only decorating the bookshelves of every shop and library in town, but also in gardens across America. Golden Gate Park is home to one of these gardens – known as a 'Shakespeare Garden,' which centers on plants and flowers mentioned in Shakespearean plays and sonnets – like poppies, daisies, roses, lilies, and violets.

To absorb the intriguing surroundings of Shakespeare's Flowers, make your way to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Middle Drive East – right in the same vicinity as the Japanese Tea Garden and Strybing Arboretum. The garden is free to enjoy and provides the perfect getaway for relaxation, daydreams, and catching up with a good book.

It’s that time of the year again – when the Golden Gate Park Band assembles for their weekly concerts held on Sundays between the months of April and October. Head for Golden Gate Park on April 20th, 2008 to take in the sounds of the first free Sunday afternoon concert of the year.

As music fills the air at the Spreckles Temple of Music (located at the Music Concourse), you never know what you will encounter. The band has performed entertaining sessions of classical ditties, marches, Broadway tunes, opera, swing, folk music, and other diverse presentations. At times, soloists strut their stuff and throughout the season – guest artists will also take to the stage.

It's pretty impressive that the Band has been supplying the public with free concerts on Sundays since September of 1882 – unwavering in their commitment to the arts. The shows begin at 1pm and continue to keep visitors amused for about two hours. You should also prepare for the delightful mixture of colorful costumes, dancing, and singing provided by various ethnic and arts groups about San Francisco.

Don’t miss out on your chance to explore one of the oldest professional concert bands in the United States. I encourage you to become part of this unique tradition.