The Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) program of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently recruiting for a variety of volunteer opportunities at Oconaluftee and Clingmans Dome for busy seasons of 2012. Positions are available for volunteers who will work information centers and rove trails. These Positions help to educate park visitors about the Park’s natural and cultural features as well as assisting in trip planning assistance.
Volunteers are needed at Clingmans Dome visitor contact station to work alongside Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA) employees in the GSMA bookstore from April 1 through Dec. 1. Each volunteer will be asked to serve at least one 4-hour shift per week where they will be working at the information desk and roving the trail to the Dome Tower from 11am – 3pm. Interested persons will be required to attend one of two 7 hour orientation and training sessions which will be given on March 9 at the Sugarlands Training Room and March 20 at the Oconaluftee Multipurpose Room.
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center, near Cherokee, North Carolina, is also recruiting for new volunteers. Volunteers will work behind the visitor center desk assisting visitors plan their trip and answering questions about the park as well as the interpretive programs offered. Volunteers will be asked to commit to four or eight hour shifts once per week and must be able to stand for long periods.
Positions are available in the Oconaluftee areas for roving volunteers. These positions are needed to walk the River Trail, Mountain Farm Museum and fields along Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) to provide information to visitors about various park regulations including littering and viewing wildlife. In addition, these volunteers serve as a point of contact in the field to educate visitors on the park history and natural features. Interested persons will be required to attend one 7 hour orientation and training session on Friday, April 13 at the Oconaluftee Multipurpose Room.
Info: Park Ranger Florie Takaki 497-1906.
– NPS
