Sleeping Bear Dunes Volunteer Training ~ Saturday, May 18th

If you are thinking about volunteering at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (NPS) but aren’t sure where to start, Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes (Friends), is hosting a training day from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, May 18 at the Empire Township Hall. Following this training, NPS staff will be hosting a meet and greet for potential volunteers at the maritime museum in Glen Haven.

Training begins with a general orientation at 1:00 p.m., which is applicable for all volunteers both experienced and new. This training is a once-a-year chance for volunteers to hear the latest park news from Friends and NPS staff.

The general training will be followed by breakout sessions at 2:00 p.m. During these sessions, new and experienced volunteers can learn about various volunteer programs supported and managed by the Friends like the Adopt-A-Beach and Adopt-A-Trail programs or volunteer positions organized by NPS staff like Glen Haven docents and avian botulism monitoring. Whichever way volunteers choose to help, they will soon realize what a real and lasting difference they are making at their National Lakeshore!

Anyone interested in history or teaching others can also join Glen Haven volunteers at the maritime museum from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for a meet and greet! Volunteers will talk one-on-one with anyone who wants to learn more about these exciting volunteering opportunities in the Historic Village of Glen Haven.

Another favorite site for families to visit in Glen Haven is a working blacksmith shop. The National Lakeshore also needs volunteers with blacksmithing experience to keep this living history alive for visitors. If you are interested in becoming a blacksmith, please reach out directly to Matt Mohrman, Volunteer Coordinator, at matthew_mohrman@nps.gov.

You can click for more info about Sleeping Bear Dunes’ volunteer opportunities and those at Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes.