Volunteer on the Centennial - August 25th

Join us on August 25^th at 9am for volunteer projects to celebrate the 100^th year of the National Park Service. There will be celebrations at all of our visitor centers throughout the day, which means plenty of time to get in some hours of service and to soak in the celebration.

Project details:

Meet at 9:00am at the Longmire Museum for campground maintenance projects.

Meet at 9:00am outside the Jackson Visitor Center at the Muir staircase for a trail brushing project.

Please RSVP to Mark_Loper@partner.nps.gov for more details or if you plan to attend. We will accept walkup volunteers but would like to have an idea of numbers for these volunteer projects.

Longmire Campground Improvements

What's new in the Longmire Stewardship Campground? For starters, we've refurbished a number of campsites by gravelling tent pads and pull-ins and adding picnic tables built in the old CCC style. New fire pits have been installed at selected locations, including one specifically designed to be ADA-accessible. The group site has also been improved, with benches arranged so that volunteers can gather and socialize around a common fire. The rocks lining many pathways have been reset to better define the routes to the comfort stations, and much of the debris has been removed.

What plans do we have for the future? The middle comfort station will be restored and a picnic shelter will be built just north of the group site. Both projects should be completed by the end of the season and will be ready for use by volunteers next year.

Sites are available to volunteers who are actively working in the Park and should be reserved at least two weeks in advance of your anticipated tour of duty. You may specify which site you'd prefer, but remember that the best ones fill up fast! Platform tents are also available if you would prefer to camp off the ground. Contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov for more information.

Volunteers will work on trails and campground restoration at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 28 – Entrance fees to be waived

Mount Rainier National Park News Release

September 23, 2013For Immediate ReleaseKevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager360-569-6567, Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov

Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 28, 2013, with several volunteer projects open to public participation. The work day caps a busy summer in which nearly 2,000 people have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 170,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association will help coordinate registration for the event beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Longmire, six miles inside the southwest entrance to the park. After a brief welcome at 9:00, participants will divide into work groups. The Washington Trails Association and Park Service crew leaders will lead trail maintenance projects around Paradise, while other crews will continue historic restoration work in a campground at Longmire that is used by volunteers, school groups, and other park partners. Trail work is suitable for ages 16 and up, while campground restoration is good for all ages.

Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.

Free camping at the Longmire Campground is available both the day before and after National Public Lands Day for event participants. Contact Joshua Jones at Joshua_Jones@partner.nps.gov to reserve a campsite.

Volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park maintain trails, patrol wilderness areas and climbing routes, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, plant native plants, and catalogue historic records. Last year, 1,804 volunteers contributed 74,615 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.65 million.

Information about Mount Rainier’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website atwww.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge Receives National Recognition

In recognition of their conservation project ArrowCorps502, the T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge received the 2012 OA National Service Award, making the lodge the first in its section to receive the Award, and only the second lodge in Washington State. The National Service Award was established in 1999 to recognize lodges in each region which have performed outstanding service to their council. ArrowCorps volunteers built trails and restored campsites during August 2011. Congratulations to all who made ArrowCorps502 a success!