RV Volunteers - A
Force to be Reckoned With
by Jaimie Hall
Volunteers have a big impact on the economy. The most recent
statistics
compiled (for 1998) show an estimated 109.4 million adults volunteered in
formal or informal activities, giving about19.9 billion hours. These hours
represent the equivalent of 9.3 million full-time employees. The value of
this volunteer time is about $225.9 billion.
Though statistics are not kept specifically for RVers, from personal
observation they are definitely an active part of the volunteer force.
RVers
volunteer at club activities and at RV parks and campgrounds. If a fellow
RVer needs help or has an emergency, other RVers will be there. While many
people have encountered an RV camp-host in a state or national park or
forest, this mobile force can and does do much more than camp-host. In
fact,
volunteer opportunities suited to RVing are limited only by your
imagination
and your skills!
Volunteering can have a personal payoff. You often get an RV site,
saving
money not only on the campsite but gas for traveling. As a volunteer, you
might have a place to park while being near to family. Volunteer RVers
have
successfully parlayed their volunteer experiences into paid positions. Jim
worked two seasons at Acadia National Park as a volunteer ranger. He was
asked to apply for a ranger position and was hired the following summer.
RVers may get tangible benefits like a site when volunteering, but the
biggest payoff is the satisfaction of knowing you are helping others.
Here's
how a few RVers are giving back to the community.
Local Community Organizations
Tom and Nancy volunteered last summer in Prescott National Forest to be
near Nancy's mother while she adjusted to a new living situation in nearby
Prescott, Arizona. As camp-hosts, they answered visitor questions, checked
permits and walked the trails and loops of the campground to pick up
litter.
They set their own schedule so had plenty of time to visit regularly with
Nancy's mother during the week.
In addition, Tom signed up as an "elder-mentor" with Big Brothers/Big
Sisters and worked on a site development committee for the local Natural
History Center by conducting research, surveys and whatever needed doing.
Remarks Tom, "We've had a very blessed life on the road and feel it
is
important to share wherever we can. We get to feel good about whatever we
do, but the benefits go beyond ourselves. It takes many caring communities
to build a world we can all be proud to live in."
Helping the Environment
Debbie and Les have had a number of "outdoor" volunteer
experiences. They
volunteered for the Virginia State Department of Forestry pine tree
nursery.
"We missed helping things grow since RVing, and we got to get our
hands in
dirt and satisfy gardening desires," explains Debbie. At the Disney
Wilderness Preserve run by the Nature Conservancy, they helped eradicate
exotic plants and restore the original ecosystem.
Another time, Debbie and Les worked on special projects like painting,
welding and cleaning for a Virginia State Fish Hatchery. "Working
with an
agency like the fish hatchery gave us contact with nature." Their
latest
volunteer venture was going out on a houseboat, the Trash Tracker, at Lake
Powell to pick up litter. This houseboat experience would have cost
thousands to replicate, plus they had the satisfaction of helping a very
high impact area.
Lighthouses and Litter
Ralph and Mary Lou also spent a week last summer volunteering on the
Trash
Tracker at Lake Powell. Later in the summer they returned to volunteer at
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Stationed on Manitou Island, they
gave several tours a day of the historic lighthouse to visitors who had
ferried over from the mainland. While on the island they lived in a
historic
village home, and stayed in their RV in the park campground on days off.
Ralph and Mary Lou usually pick places to volunteer where they want to
spend an extended period of time. If they really enjoy the people they
work
with and the working environment, they go back again. Explains Ralph,
"In
these places, we come away with a feeling of having made a solid
contribution and a sense that our contribution is indeed
appreciated." They
like staying busy but limit their volunteering so they can still do other
things they enjoy. "In short, we retain the best of both worlds and
still
have the satisfaction of giving something back," adds Ralph.
Community Safety
Dave and Sandy help the community in a different way. They bring past
skills to benefit the RV community. With extensive education and years of experience in law enforcement, they have developed and now teach three
courses to RVers: "Personal Safety for Women (and Men), RVers,"
"Guns &
RVs," and a pepper spray certification training, "Bear (and
other Vermin)
Repellant Spray Certification Training."
Dave has always enjoyed teaching; formally at the annual American
Society
of Law Enforcement Trainers International Training Seminars, and in local
Neighborhood Watch sessions. He explains: "Our teaching is a part of
sharing
with the RVing community We love what we do, and see it as a way of
continuing what very important parts of our lives were dedicated to. It is
a
form of continuing what our professions were all about, or should be,
crime
prevention."
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is another volunteer experience that fits with the
RV
lifestyle. Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) helps meet the needs
of
the over 1.5 billion people who lack decent, affordable housing. To date
HFHI volunteers have built or renovated over 100,000 houses. HFHI has over
1900 active affiliates in 64 countries, including all 50 states. RVers can
volunteer for a local affiliate or participate in a build with RV-Care-A-Vanners. The Habitat for Humanity RV
Care-A-Vanners travel in
their own recreational vehicles to Habitat affiliates across the United
States and Canada, building new friendships, building awareness of
Habitat,
and building decent homes in partnership with families in need.
Nan and Steve volunteered at a two-week RV-Care-A-Vanner build in
Kellogg,
Idaho "The work was very strenuous the first couple of days,"
relate Nan and
Steve, "but the community took really good care of us."
Townsfolk went out
of their way to feed and entertain the builders. Adds Steve, "We were
very
tired but so glad we did it. We made some wonderful friends and the
couple
we were building the house for were so appreciative." They plan to go
back
to the next build in Kellogg.
Jim and Kendra have participated in several Habitat builds, some with
local affiliates and three with RV-Care-A-Vanners. Says Jim, "In
addition to
the satisfaction of doing good works, we really enjoyed the sense of
community that developed at each of the builds."
Paul and Stephanie recently worked on an affiliate build in Tucson.
Explains Stephanie, "Paul and I selected Habitat for Humanity in
Tucson
because it allowed us to help build for several weeks, which gives more
continuity with the project, making it more rewarding for us. We hope to
find a few Care-A-Vanner builds along our travels as well, which will give
us an opportunity to bond with other full-timers who build for Habitat.
Full-timing is a dream come true for us. Now, with Habitat and our
full-timing lifestyle, we can help others dreams come true."
International Projects
If you have a yen for overseas travel, you can volunteer and do just
that.
Habitat volunteers can travel to other countries, temporarily leaving
their
recreational vehicle behind.
Mercy Ships voyage to Third World countries to provide much needed
medical
care. Other volunteers help on projects in villages so a medical
background
isn't necessary. And if traveling that far isn't for you, their
headquarters
in Garden Valley, Texas can also use volunteer help. Full hook-up RV sites
are available.
For volunteer ideas, check out some of the resources below. Whether you
want to travel in your RV or overseas, volunteer outdoors or in, there are
many organizations seeking your willing hands.
A Few More Ideas
Here are a few more RV volunteer activities:
