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.
And this year happens to be the 50th anniversary of the National Park Service VIP program.
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,
Sophie Gardner, so she can tell us some stories about her volunteer work.
[Doug] Hello Sophie. Thanks for being with us today.
Hi Doug. Thanks for having me.
[Doug] It's great to have you here.
[Doug] How long have you been volunteering at Point Reyes and what do you do?
I've been volunteering at the Morgan Horse Ranch in Point Reyes since summer of 2019.
[Doug] Great, can you tell us a little bit more about what you do as a Morgan Horse Ranch volunteer?
Yeah...uh...well, I'm volunteering at the ranch.
My main responsibilities are caring for the horses on specific days throughout the week.
Um...each volunteer has a day where it's treated like their job.
Um...you get there in the morning, feed the horses, administer any medication.
Just check on their well-being. Check their hooves, groom them.
Uh, some days we do exercises with the horses, which can be either groundwork training,
or even patrolling the trails in Point Reyes.
[Doug] Oh, fabulous.
[Doug] Can you tell us about one of your most memorable moments as a volunteer?
One of my most memorable days being out there was when we rebuilt the fence...
uh, that encloses the pasture in the visitor parking lot.
That was a really great project because...um...
so much of the staff and volunteers in Point Reyes all came out and did it together.
And it was really laborous [sic], too, and hot. But it felt really good doing it.
And seeing it afterwards, when all the horses came out into the pasture,
and the visitors could see them from the parking lot,
it felt really great to have that accomplished.
[Doug] Great.
[Doug] When you are not volunteering at the seashore,
what would we most likely find you doing?
Uh, I love hiking around Marin.
We're really lucky to live out here where it's pretty much just in my backyard.
I have a dog, Leo, who I am with all the time, as well.
[chuckling] He comes with me on hikes.
[Doug] What advice would you give someone who is thinking about volunteering at Point Reyes?
Um... I would say, definitely be creative.
If there's something that you think could be improved throughout the park,
a project that you would like to work on,
everyone's always really open for new ideas and really supportive.
Whether you're a volunteer or an employee, there's always someone there to listen.
[Doug] And what is your favorite place to visit at Point Reyes National Seashore?
Definitely...uh...Inverness Beach.
Yeah, I love that beach. It's...it's just a special one. The sunset hits a different way.
[Doug] Wow, sounds like a great place.
Mm-hmm.
[Doug] Well, thank you Sophie, for sharing with us your experiences as a volunteer.
[Doug] And thank you for your service to the park.
Thanks for having me. I'm happy to be here.
If you are interested in volunteering at Point Reyes National Seashore,
please visit our website at
nps.gov/pore
Thank you for spending time with us today.
We hope you all have an opportunity to visit Point Reyes National Seashore in the future.