Volunteers to congregate at Moraine
Just as the plants and foliage start to bloom at Moraine and McConnells Mill state parks, staff and volunteers will begin working on projects that help keep the parks in good condition.
Dustin Drew, manager of Moraine and McConnells Mill, said a volunteer kickoff event taking place Saturday morning, April 15, will give an overview of information to attendees, such as what assistance the parks need and what outside agencies are planning.
“This is more just to present what's out there on the horizon and see what the interest is,” Drew said. “We also invite our partner groups and they let (attendees) know what they need.”
According to Drew, the parks’ staff started hosting a volunteer kickoff meeting several years ago to help get together people who want to contribute to the park for the coming work season. In addition to park staff members, representatives from groups like the Moraine Preservation Fund; Moraine, McConnells Mill and Jennings Commission; and the North Country Trails Association talk about upcoming projects they could use a hand with.
Drew said that although the meeting takes place in early spring, the parks and partner groups have projects going all year long that need volunteers.
“It depends on the task — some can be year-round; some are spring to fall,” Drew said. “The trail work can be all year long. Things like assisting people and greeting them at the grist mill at McConnells, that's only until October.”
Natalie Simon, environmental education specialist at Moraine and McConnells Mill, also coordinates volunteers at the park. She said many projects, events and regular clean up days at the parks are done with the help of volunteers.
“Volunteers put in hundreds, even thousands of hours doing good deeds at the park,” Simon said. “There are accomplishments that are not reported. I wish they were, so that we could showcase all the good work done by volunteers.”
Drew said people who miss the volunteer kickoff meeting can still volunteer at Moraine or McConnells Mill, and volunteer opportunities are typically posted on the parks’ websites.
“They can call the park or stop in at the office, or they can go online and sign up as a conservation volunteer; they can get notified of things going on,” Drew said.
The volunteer kickoff event takes place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 15, at the pavilion at the McDanel’s Launch Area at Moraine. For more information, contact the park office at 724-368-8811.
