MRNPA Work Party and Potluck

 Editor's note: Please be aware that the MRNPA potluck is for MRNPA volunteers only!

From John Titland:

The August Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be on Saturday, August 13th. Following every August work party MRNPA volunteers are invited to assemble in a nearby campground for some relaxed time together, a potluck dinner, and an evening spent sitting around the campfire.

The August trails work party will be somewhere in the Ohana/Paradise area. I don't know the project or the location yet. After work party we will reassemble in the campground at Longmire (not the Cougar Rock campground). The Longmire VIP campground is not open to the public; only to park volunteers. Thus it is quiet and without the constant activity of a public campground. There is even a restroom with showers and hot water so you clean up after the work party. Dinner usually takes place about 6 PM. The potluck dinner selections are always great. People contribute whatever they want. No attempt is made to organize the menu. Not yet has everyone brought only desserts, but we can still hope. After dinner, it gets pretty mellow.

This August event always turns out to be a great day. Spend part of the day volunteering and then join other MRNPA volunteers in the "after work party" gathering. This is the only event each year where we take off the blue helmets and the work gloves, and really get a chance to meet and talk with our fellow volunteers. If you have other commitments and can't stay for the whole evening, then stay as long as you can. It's up to you. But if you don't need to leave, consider camping overnight. The group campsite at the Longmire VIP campground is reserved for MRNPA volunteers for both Friday night (dinner is up to you) and Saturday night. So bring your tent and sleeping bag and spend the weekend. On Sunday morning people tend to go in many different directions, but we are usually able to organize a short group hike somewhere close by. Everyone is invited to come along.

If you plan to attend this August 13th trails work party, please reply to volunteer(at)mrnpa.org indicating that you are coming and give me the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all. If you plan to camp, I also need to know if you will be there for one night (Friday or Saturday) or both nights.