Why should I volunteer

[cyndi]

You may never get this but I'll say it anyways. Even causes have expenses.

 

[cyndi]

I'd like to personally thank those of you who give of themselves to volunteer so that our children and their children may continue to enjoy and learn about our National Forests, Parks and landmarks. Also, thank you to those whose gifts of time keep services running that provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. Thanks, too, to the volunteer First Responders who save lives without compensation, just because they can.

 

[cyndi]

"...Camp hosts are frequently a good example.  If your time is worth anything, you are actually paying more for your campsite, and the ??privilege?? of working your butt off, than the paying visitors are.  They're on a paid vacation and relaxing, while you're working for nothing.  I don't consider a campsite as fair compensation, because I can camp for free anywhere, and not have to do any work..."

again, a narrow view of camp hosting and volunteering at our federal and state public lands. The state and federal volunteer camp host jobs I am familiar work only 20 to 30 hours a week. Besides the free campsite you get to stay longer in an area that limits stays to 2 weeks. You get free hook ups and possibly propane. And you may get a stipend for travel time and laundry for a uniform.

Judy who writes at this blog: 
http://travels-with-emma.blogspot.com/
does important work while volunteering. She does clean toilets, occasionally. But most frequently she is educating the public and documenting species through photographs. She takes beautiful photographs.

There are plenty of unhappy campers who work for private camp grounds for hook-ups only. I don't know any unhappy campers volunteering for state and federal parks that are unhappy for any amount of time. I've met a lot of them in person and follow even more of their blogs. Everyone is going to have a bad day now and then. The great thing is, as always, we're mobile. If we don't like something we can move on.

I wonder, though, do those of you who think our state and federal lands don't need volunteers sanitize the bathrooms when you're done? Bring your own toilet paper into the bathroom? Do you pick up the trash that others leave behind?

 

[GotSmart]

When I hit the road to get to point B, I use the main highways with rest stops.  Some states have paid workers running them, others have private firms, then there is the volunteers.  The states with state paid travel by workers usually have dirty facilities.  Most of the public are pigs and do not care about the needs of others.  The workers have only a limited time to clean and move on to the next stop.  

The facilities that have on site people are usually nice, clean, and safe.  A place where I feel safe catching a few hours sleep and using the bathrooms.  

Those with volunteers are almost without exception clean, and friendly.

 

[Canine]

Maybe these companies that want people to work for nothing should give out campsites for nothing.Come to think of it ,why would someone with a camper/van with everything they need want to camp in a pay campsite.Lonely?Like crowds and noise?If you think no one is profiting from these campgrounds,you are naïve.

 

[cyndi]

Maybe these companies that want people to work for nothing should give out campsites for nothing

We're not talking about privately owned companies. The discussion is with regard to public lands and the people that choose to volunteer at them

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm not going to get too into this debate, but I will point out that there have been so-called "charities" that, when you follow the money, it turns out that MOST of the money raised goes to pay for fund raising and scandalously high salaries for the people running them, and damn little to the actual "cause" donors thought they were supporting. 

There are now organizations that track charities to make sure they are not bogus.  See:  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/12/make-sure-your-donation-counts/index.htm

It's not hard for ANY organization to claim that "We're a worthwhile cause.  Please help us."   If you're smart, you'll exercise due diligence before giving either your money or your time to ANYONE.  Use your own standards to decide who's a worthwhile cause and who isn't.

Regards
John

 

[[email protected]]

I volunteer for the NPS in Yosemite. I get a primitive campsite($26) free showers ($5) and 50% off food( still expensive).

My 4 day work week consists of educating people, giving directions, and best of all swearing in Junior Rangers.

This is easily the best decision ive made in my life.

 

[GotSmart]

So should we call you Yogi or Ranger Rick?  

An old GF was the daughter of a Ranger.  His day never ended.  Always someone coming by and asking him questions.  He was the person I remember as being happiest with his job~~~  The kids would usually be the ones who would direct the tourists around to the campsites, or take care of noise problems.  I remember seeing Lori (at 10 years old) with her hands on her hips shaming a bunch of drunks for making noise and littering.     Nothing like a child telling you how to act in public.  Everyone there was automatically on her side.   Dad would show up a little later, and if things were not corrected he would call the sheriff and eject them.

 

[cyndi]

I'm not going to get too into this debate, but I will point out that there have been so-called "charities" that, when you follow the money, it turns out that MOST of the money raised goes to pay for fund raising and scandalously high salaries for the people running them, and damn little to the actual "cause" donors thought they were supporting. 

we're not talking about charities. We're talking about public lands.

Good information, and I do the same; before I donate or volunteer.