<uf602>By Don Brosius ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT - Since this is the last column of the season, I'd like to share some ideas about how to lower your camping expenses.
While visiting Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah this summer, we took a side trip to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area were we met volunteers working in the Ashley National Forest.
They had been volunteering at various places the last couple of summers in order to escape the heat of their home state of Texas. They explained that they worked four days, then had four days off. In exchange, they received a free site with full hook-ups and were able to take a small deduction off their federal income taxes.
They gave us information about acting as volunteers for the National Parks and Forest system and told us that the Army Corps of Engineers and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) also utilizes volunteers and seasonal workers.
Needless to say this piqued our interest, and on our way east, we stopped in Denver to interview Doug Caldwell, head of the division of interpretation of the Rocky Mountain regional office in Denver.
Caldwell, who began his career in the Boston area, described the plentiful opportunities available for volunteers as well as seasonal workers. He also spoke about job opportunities with concessionaires in the national parks.
Upon returning home, I called David Day, director of the volunteers in the National Parks North Atlantic region. Day did confirm the need for volunteers of all types in his area.
""Approximately 4,600 hundred volunteers gave an aggregate of 400,000 hours of voluntary service in the northeast,'' stated Day.
""In this region there are a lot of historical parks and sites. We need people to staff information desks, tours, curator services, living history actors as well as campground hosts and maintenance workers.''
""If someone wants to act as a volunteer or get a job in a national park or forest for next year, they should write that park directly now,'' he advised. ""Especially for places like Acadia National Park.''
For further information contact Dave Day at (617) 223-5073.
My next call went to Bob Heald, Chief of Natural Resources for the New England Army Corps of Engineers. Heald also confirmed that there is as need for volunteers in corps projects throughout New England.
Heald emphasized that anyone who has a desire to volunteer their time and talents is encouraged to do so. There are many jobs for volunteers and may range from one-day events to longer-term projects.
""We even had a snowmobile club go out and secure an iron bridge that was used to complete a snowmobile trail,'' Heald explained. ""We are currently looking for someone to do survey work during the summer season.''
Some of the work volunteers can do include clerical, computers, campground hosts, interpretive services, fisheries management, historical preservation, trail maintenance and wildlife management.
For more information contact Bob Heald (617)647-8107; or write Dept. of the Army, New England Corps of Engineers, 424 Trapelo Rd, Waltham, MA, 02254-9149.
Another guide to opportunities to working in the outdoors is the American Hiking Society's Helping Out in the Outdoors, a directory of volunteer work and internships on America's public lands.
The annual publication presents job listing arranged alphabetically by states or regions. The name of the agency, forest, or park is followed by a description of the area, the types of volunteer positions available, requirements for positions and benefits available. The name of contact person with complete mailing address and phone number is also given.
To order the publication send a check or money order for $15 made payable to AHS Helping Out to American Hiking Society, 1015 31st St, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20007.
If you're more interested in getting a salary, then Workamper News may be for you. The bimonthly newsletter list positions in private and membership parks, seasonal entertainment, private businesses, theme parks and craft work as well as volunteer jobs with trailer space and hook-ups in lieu of a salary.
""We work with many of the major employers in the travel industry,'' stated publisher Greg Robus. ""Employers who have recruited through Workamper News include KOA, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Parks, Holiday Trav-L-Parks, TW Recreational Services, Yosemite Park, Thousand Trails, Silver Dollar City, AstroWorld and Adventureland.''
For further information write Workamper News, 201 Hiram Rd, HCR 34 Box 125, Heber Springs, AR, 72543.[
