The Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs volunteers to help staff a new visitor-contact station at Clingmans Dome when it opens on Saturday, June 19. According to one volunteer, the training is great, the atmosphere is supportive, and yes, you get to wear a uniform. “It’s a blast!” she says.
The building that served as a comfort station —constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps — is being renovated and converted into a seasonal information center that will also include a bookstore/sales area managed by Great Smoky Mountains Association. The center sits at an elevation of 6,300 feet. Volunteers will provide visitors information on the national park and on this high-elevation, spruce-fir ecosystem. Volunteers are needed to assist in educating visitors about the park, as well as providing recreational and trip-planning information and directions to other destinations. You don’t have to be an expert in the park — this is a chance to learn as well.
Volunteers will be working alongside Association employees, and each volunteer is asked to work at least one four-hour shift per week, (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Those interested in volunteers will undergo orientation and training before beginning at the contact station. The volunteer period covers the peak season, June through October.
To sign up for this volunteer work or for more information, contact Florie Takaki at 828-497-1906 or Florie_Takaki@nps.gov, Wednesdays through Fridays.
Thanks for reading through to the end…
We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.
We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.