|
Lucy and Pete Smith
working the Information Desk.
|
| |
Volunteer in the
Parks Program
Volunteer to be a part of our staff
at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, which serves over 18,000 visitors
each year!
 Each
year millions of visitors enjoy our national parks. Today, the National
Park Service includes over 386 sites. Employees have been challenged
with a dual mission of conserving and protecting our natural, historical,
and cultural resources, as well as providing recreational opportunities.
Many individuals assist our parks and their employees by volunteering
their time and talents. Those who work in partnership with park
employees are called Volunteers-In-Parks, or VIPs.
At
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve volunteers work side-by-side
with National Park Service employees at the Park Headquarters/Spring
Hill Ranch and at the Lower Fox Creek School. VIPs may work on week-days,
weekends, mornings, or afternoons. The schedule and amount of time
worked will be negotiated. Training for all duties is provided.
Uniforms are provided for volunteers who work with the public.
As
a volunteer, you will not be paid by the federal government. However,
you will have the benefit of working with a national park, and there
will be other rewards as well. Volunteers are not considered to
be federal employees for any purposes other than tort claims and
injury compensation. You will meet people from all over the United
States and abroad. You will have the opportunity to make the most
of talents that you have. You will develop new skills and gain experience
that will enrich your life and assist you in present or future careers.
Volunteer opportunities abound as
you may choose from working the Visitor Center desk, presenting Living
History demonstrations, volunteering at the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse,
assisting with Education Programs, working in the tallgrass prairie, researching
special history projects, storytelling, conducting Oral History Interviews,
etc. If you would like to voluneer and have a talent or skill not listed
above, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 620-273-8494.
It is very easy to apply. You can even
print out a Volunteer-In-Parks application
and simply mail it to the following address.
|
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
|
|
ATTN: Eric Patterson
|
|
Rt. 1 Box 14, Hwy 177
|
|
Strong City, KS 66869
|
Volunteer
Opportunities at the Spring Hill Ranch
Visitor Information
Desk
Greet
the general public, provide information regarding park activities
and local points of interest, answer the phones, operate the park
audio visual program, and assist park rangers with projects. Assist
with lost and found items.
Roving
Interpretation at the Spring Hill Ranch
While
roving, provide dual role of answering questions about the Spring
Hill Ranch and protecting the museum displays. Possible opportunities
to present formal interpretive programs for the general public and/or
school groups exist after the appropriate training.
Presenting
Living History Demonstrations
As part of the new Living History Program, you will dress out in
period clothing and demonstrate the life and workof people living
and working on a 19th century working ranch. All Living History
clothing will be provided, however you may provide your own as long
as it fits the time period being presented.
Susan and Tanner Koch
churning butter. |
Luke Koch making soap boxes. |
Gary Hawk presenting
watercolor techniques. |
Lower
Fox Creek School
Volunteer
at the Lower Fox Creek School during May through June and September
through October on weekends, or as the weather permits. The one-room
school is not air-conditioned and temperatures may reach in the
upper 90s. Answer visitor questions and give information on the
history of the Lower Fox Creek School.
Education
Programs
Volunteer at the Lower Fox Creek School in the spring with our new
Education Program. Assist park rangers with children as they experience
school life of the 1880s in a one-room country school house.
Working in the Tallgrass
Prairie
Assist
the seasonal Bio-tech with special projects in the prairie. Such
projects may consist of gathering seeds, taking water samples, conducting
special research projects, and other projects as they arise. Working
in the prairie can be very hot, tiring, and dirty work. Volunteers
should wear appropriate clothing and use insect spray to protect
from ticks and other insects.
Researching Special History
Projects and Conducting Oral History Interviews
Assist
park rangers with special research projects using microfilm and
by conducting Oral History Interviews with local citizens who have
a connection with the history of the ranch. Projects will also include
the transcription of past oral history interviews onto computer.
Potential
opportunities include working in the park library; here volunteers
work on special library projects or process archival collections.
With the ranger staff VIPs assist in the maintenance of permanent
exhibits and development of special exhibits. In the administration
division, volunteers provide clerical assistance, and in the maintenance
division VIPs may provide clerical assistance or assist with grounds
or building maintenance.
Print
and fill out the Volunteer-In-Parks Application. Please be specific
in describing your talents, skills and interests; this makes it
much easier to place you. Once your application is completed, send
it to the address shown below. It will be reviewed to determine
if your skills and our needs match. Should you have any questions,
please contact Eric Patterson at (620) 273-8494, Saturday
- Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
|
