Woodstock
Volunteers are needed for an array of positions at both Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock and at Saint-Gaudens National Historical Site in Cornish. Both sites feature historic buildings gardens and trails. The National Parks Service relies on volunteers to help deliver information to visitors and also to help run specials events.
“We are able to achieve so much of a greater level of capacity with the help of volunteers,” said Stephanie Kyriazis, chief of interpretation for both sites.
At Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, volunteers are needed to work the front desk to help familiarize visitors with the site.
“We’re so blessed to have volunteers who are so welcoming and friendly,” Kyriazis said. “They make a great front line.”
Volunteers are also needed outdoors on the site’s trail network to give directions, answer questions about the site and its natural surroundings, and provide other information to visitors.
At Saint-Gaudens, volunteers are needed to help answer questions during open houses, and also to assist with the Sunday concert series that attracts hundreds of visitors to the site during the summer.
“We’re two small parks, but when we do have larger events, we literally couldn’t do it without those extra folks who care about parks there helping us,” Kyriazis said.
People can volunteer on a one-time or ongoing basis, and are needed seven days a week. In addition, the parks encourage people to think about how their unique talents can be used in untraditional volunteer roles. For example, the parks have had volunteers lead art lessons in the past.
“If you have a particular skill, we’re happy to work with you to craft a position to utilize that,” Kyriazis said.
Regular volunteers have access to many of the same trainings that park rangers get, so volunteering with the National Parks Service is a great way to learn more about these historical sites and ecology in the Upper Valley.
“For people interested in lifelong learning, this is a great change to learn about community, nature and more,” Kyriazis said.
Editor’s note: Those interested in volunteering should contact Alexandra Conrad, volunteer intern for the sites, at 802-457-3368 ext. 222 or Alexandra_Conrad@partner.nps.gov.