TXiceman Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Resident Volunteers needed at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Now through mid-October (will be flexible with dates) Live among bald eagles, swans and wolves in NW Minnesota Maintenance Assistant- duties include mowing visitor center and shop area grounds, weed-whipping. Must be comfortable in loading and unloading a trailer, have knowledge of mowers and an interest in grounds keeping. Manage recycling program. Other duties as assigned including hosting the visitor center. Visitor Center Host- greet visitors,answer phone, show movie, operate cash register, assist with interpretive programs. Lead or assist with fall environmental education programs. Must enjoy working with people, good communication skills. Some minor maintenance duties as assigned including cleaning restrooms, stocking information kiosks. Positions would require 24 hours/week in exchange for a campsite. Time frame: now through mid-October. For more information, check out www.volunteer.gov and/or contact Janice Bengtson, Volunteer Coordinator at 218-844-1756 orJanice_Bengtson@fws.gov. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We are currently hosting here and the refuge (43,000 acres) is beautiful and abundant with wildlife. The RV site is 30/50 amp, sewer, softened water, gravel RV pad, large concrete patio and a lockable storage building. Great staff and Friends group to work with. If you are interested, please contact Janice, Volunteer Coordinator. Ken Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarDreamers.us Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 Welcome! Perhaps a good opportunity for someone here on this website. Thanks for sharing. Safe Travels! SKP #89742 - Lifetime membership - Member of the SKP Class of 2007Good Sam Club - Lifetime MemberDataStorm #5423Passport America - Lifetime MemberSons Of The American Revolution (SAR) - Lifetime MemberAmerican Legion - USAF - Lifetime MemberRotary Club Member - 30 years Escapee CARE Supporter National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXiceman Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 Bump Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXiceman Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Bumpity Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarDreamers.us Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Sounds like a lot of work for one person. You have no other paid staff? I have found that there are many state and Federal agencies that over use the natural good nature and work ethic of many of the folks that come to help them. Some may think that it is less work for them. Could that be a sign of our future? I know we have many in our new generation that have never had to work at a real job, not protected by the government. For a long time agencies turned their jobs over to a volunteer, so they stopped hiring workers. For those of us that provide volunteer labor and talent this good and bad for everyone. Pick the answer you like! Safe Travels! SKP #89742 - Lifetime membership - Member of the SKP Class of 2007Good Sam Club - Lifetime MemberDataStorm #5423Passport America - Lifetime MemberSons Of The American Revolution (SAR) - Lifetime MemberAmerican Legion - USAF - Lifetime MemberRotary Club Member - 30 years Escapee CARE Supporter National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Sounds like a lot of work for one person. You have no other paid staff? I have found that there are many state and Federal agencies that over use the natural good nature and work ethic of many of the folks that come to help them. We have been doing volunteer for RV site positions for state and federal agencies as well as some county positions since 2000. In our limited experience, we have only had two bad experiences, one a COE location where the problem was boredom and make-work, and the other a federal fish hatchery where we were mislead about what the duties would be. The way we see it, two bad experiences in 30+ tours of volunteering is not a bad thing. Only one time did we feel really over worked, and while we would not go back to that one location, it was a memorable experience so we have no regrets for having accepted the position. Visitor Center Host- greet visitors,answer phone, show movie, operate cash register, assist with interpretive programs. Lead or assist with fall environmental education programs. Must enjoy working with people, good communication skills. Positions would require 24 hours/week in exchange for a campsite. Now that part would be just what we love to do! Is this 24 hours/week/person or 24hours/week in total? If the latter it is really a bargain but each is just fine with us and has been pretty common for a very long time. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXiceman Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 It is 24 hours per week per person. This is a bit much, but it is doable. WE are doing 4 days at 6 hours each and off for three days. The couple that left was working 3 days at 8 hours each. We prefer the 24 to 30 hours total for two people. Seems more of the jobs are going to the 24 hours each per week. My wife is working in the visitors center some and out side with gardening some, We do some trash pick up, trimming around and repairinf signs. I help in the shop some and do mowing at the lake access ramps and information centers. Since we are short one host, I have also been doing the mowing at the visitor center. All of the lawn equipment is on a trailer with an E-Z lift tailgate. The lawn tractor has power deck lift and power steering. You spend as much time loading and unloading the lawn tractor and driving around as you do mowing. Contact Janice at the number in the listing in post #1, Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana25k Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 24 hours each is what we like. While the list of duties sounds like a lot most refuges are not swamped and there is lots if down time. We also find that the staff do not expect you to "work yourself to death". Our hardest times are usually when we are in the busy school field trip season and doing lots if educational programs. However since its what we love to do its no big deal. We have only had one gig where we felt over worked and it was a very busy USFS VC that had hundreds of visitors each day. 4 days a week,6hr a day. Would rather have done 3 8's. Ron & LindaClass of 20072000 Monaco Diplomat 2005 Honda Element"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail""When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 . We have only had one gig where we felt over worked Same with us. That one was in Everglades NP and we loved the work and the experience, but the fact that we each did 32 hours over 4 days just left us too tired to want a return visit. The experience was one of our best, but we would have enjoyed it more if we had gone there 10 years younger! We were deeply involved in the visitor programs and worked every Friday through Monday. Had they been willing to cut this by one day, we probably would have considered going back. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXiceman Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 Some of you good Escapees surely need a nice end of summer into fall volunteer position. Ken Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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