Volunteers help Ranger Suzanne Buchanan during a "Big Night" salamander crossing.

The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor has a very active Volunteer In Parks (VIP) program. Corridor volunteers can be found across the Blackstone Valley doing everything from river clean ups to interpretive tours.

The Volunteers-in-Parks Program aims to create a mutually rewarding experience for the volunteer and the Park Service. Check out our new Volunteers in Parks Scrapbook, where we highlight what our volunteers have been doing in the Corridor.

Our growing Volunteers-in-Parks program has a dual purpose. It provides the ever-growing number of heritage sites in the Blackstone Valley with volunteers, and it provides volunteers the opportunity to communicate with visitors and to give of themselves.

Volunteers can be scheduled on a regular basis at a specific site or help with a specific one-time event. In appreciation of their efforts, volunteers are provided with VIP uniforms, hats and nameplates. Monthly meeting are held at different sites so volunteers can get to know each other and become familiar with the various sites within the Blackstone Valley. Take a look at the Volunteers in Parks Training Manual to find out more about the variety of opportunities for putting your skills to work in the Blackstone River Valley - and have fun doing it !

For more information, or to join please contact Ranger Suzanne Buchanan at (401) 762-0440 or send an e-mail.