Happy National Volunteer Week!
This week we're recognizing and celebrating our fabulous volunteers at Point Reyes National Seashore!
The National Park Service's volunteer program,
Volunteers-In-Parks, or VIP, program
engages thousands of volunteers across the country each year
in accomplishing priority work that would not be done otherwise.
My name is Doug Hee,
Park Ranger and acting Volunteers-in-Parks program manager at
Point Reyes National Seashore.
I'd like you to meet one of Point Reyes National Seashore's volunteers
Duane Fitzgerald, so she can tell us some stories about her volunteer work.
[Doug:] Hi Duane. Thanks for being with us today.
Hello Doug. I'm happy to be here and help you.
Tell you about my experiences at Point Reyes.
[Doug:] Thank you.
[Doug:] How long have you been volunteering at Point Reyes and what do you do?
Well, I started in 2004 as a snowy plover docent,
and then I was a tule elk docent,
and a docent for a winter wildlife docent, and
now I am the Sunday volunteer at the lighthouse.
[Doug:] Great.
It's been 16 years since I started.
(Doug:) Yeah! Well what kind of things do you do at the Lighthouse?
Well, I talk to the people about the wonderful Fresnel lens, which...is just an amazing artifact.
And I talk about the whales.
And try to help people understand how wonderful it is to be out there.
[Doug:] Fabulous!
Can you tell me about one of your most memorable moments as a volunteer?
Well, you know, I thought about that, and, oh my gosh,
and can you imagine in 16 years, how many there must have been?
So, I've had many experiences on myself.
For example, meeting up with a herd of tule elk in the road
and having a standoff for about 15 minutes.
Or the time that we had thousands of lion's head jellyfish come up from the bottom of the ocean,
and the whole sea was covered with them close to the lighthouse
That was amazing.
But I tried to think of something where I was...
a time that I really was with the volunteers and...
so, one of the things that really comes to my mind, is...the day, it was a Mother's Day
and all of...everybody that came seemed to have their mother with them.
And we were all down at the lighthouse looking out, and that particular day...
um...
about ten mother and baby whales came by, gray whales came by,
and within a term of about an hour and a half.
And it was so exciting to see the people see them on Mother's Day.
See the mother and daughter you know, and baby.
And the whales stopped and played under the lighthouse
and it was just a magical experience for everyone.
[Doug:] Great, wow that's fabulous.
[Doug:] When you aren't volunteering at the Seashore,
what would we most likely find you doing?
Well I am an artist.
I had a jewelry design...national jewelry design manufacturing business for 20 years
I have five children, and four grandchildren,
but right now I am doing fiber and metal sculpture.
I work on that. I have a studio at my house.
And I also work over at Richmond Art Center and do monitoring in the metal department.
[Doug:] And what advice would you give someone who is thinking about volunteering at Point Reyes?
Oh, I would definitely say do it!
It's such a wonderful experience.
I feel so privileged to actually have been able to do it...to be there.
And you get a chance to help people.
You meet some wonderful people from all over the world.
And you make some great friends. I've had friends that I went to Mexico to see whales with.
And I've been to Yosemite, camping with friends I've met there.
So, I would just say, do this if you can.
It's a wonderful experience in a wonderful setting.
To be with the woods and the ocean. Very exciting!
[Doug:] And what is your favorite place to visit at Point Reyes National Seashore?
Well, I guess you know the answer; it has to be, of course, the lighthouse.
Um. I...
If anybody wants to have an amazing experience,
walking down the steps to the lighthouse is just a magical experience and time
And seeing the gorgeous setting and the beautiful Fresnel lens and the lighthouse is truly amazing.
However, my second favorite place is Abbotts Lagoon.
And I love that because, when you walk out, you get to maybe see river otters
or I've seen coyotes up on the dunes,
and all the birds that are out there close to the ocean.
And what we've done...my family... for the last three Thanksgivings,
that's what we've done, hike to Abbotts Lagoon
and actually made turkey sandwiches and sat on the logs that were out by the ocean
and had our turkey sandwiches on Thanksgiving Day.
That's our favorite place.
[Doug:] How fabulous!
[Doug:] Well, thank you, Duane, for taking the time to share with us, your experiences as a volunteer.
Thank you for having me, Doug.
(Doug:) You're welcome.
If you are interested in volunteering at Point Reyes National Seashore,
please visit our website
at nps.gov/pore
Thank you for spending the time with us today.
We hope you all have an opportunity to visit Point Reyes National Seashore in the future.