Tongass National Forest

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Volunteer Campground Host Positions

Juneau / Sitka

Sitka Recreation Hosts

Number of positions available: 4

Responsibilities and duties:

Recreation Hosts (couples preferred, individuals considered) represent and are the “eyes and ears” of the Forest Service. Hosts are to be courteous, helpful, enthusiastic, are expected to positively convey the recreation facility rules as necessary and be visible to the visiting public. Hosts are provided a short orientation to the recreation facilities, necessary materials and information. Hosts are provided phones or portable radios to contact police for help or in cases of emergencies. Hosts live are provided a special Host campsite or Host cabin during their entire time in Sitka. The Host is expected to set a good example by role modeling a clean and uncluttered living site. Each Host position listed has different reimbursements and "perks" for volunteer service rendered.

Basic Requirements:

• Enjoy working positively with the public and being visible.
• Provide own self-contained living unit (two RV host positions only).
• Commit to volunteering fulltime for dates specified.
• Agree to a background check as Hosts handle sensitive information, have access to police frequency on radio and in some cases handle cash.
• In good health and physical condition (repeated bending and lifting to clean restrooms and fire rings, litter pickup, filling potholes, splitting firewood and pulling vegetation.)
• Able to wear a backpack leafblower (Starrigavan Hosts only).
• Able to lift wood rounds to splitter and handle split firewood.
• Maintain a valid driver's license (Cabin Hosts only).

Duties (under direct supervision) include:

• picking up litter in and around campsites or picnic sites, along roadways, pathways and in parking lots.
• cleaning campsites and picnic sites, fire rings and restrooms to a required standard.
• opening and closing gates daily at 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (Starrigavan Summer Hosts only, Winter gate openings and closures during daylight hours only).
• providing light maintenance i.e. brushing, thinning, pruning or pulling vegetation; filling potholes in roadway, etc.
• monitoring use of trails, trailheads, campsites and picnic sites (involves keeping mandatory handwritten records).
• providing split firewood for campers (rounds are already provided and cut, a commercial log splitter assists with splitting the wood).
• providing information to visitiors as needed
• and other necessary duties as assigned.

Starrigavan Recreation Area – Estuary Loop RV Host position (summer only):

Applications accepted October through January 15th or until position is filled.

Requires commitment from May 15 through August 15th. Provide own self-contained living unit i.e. motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer. In return for volunteer work, electric, water, sewer vault and phone hookups may be available depending on funding. Passenger type vehicle necessary for transportation within recreation area and to Sitka 7 miles away. No pets. Retired couples and experienced Hosts preferred.

Starrigavan Recreation Area – Bayside Cabin Host summer position:

Applications accepted October through December 15th or until position is filled.

Requires commitment to be in Sitka from April 1 through October 5. Panabode type cabin provided for living quarters. In return for volunteer work electricity, indoor plumbing, sewer, and phone service is provided. Vehicle necessary for work within recreation area and for access to Sitka 7 miles away. Non-smokers and no pets. Retired couples and experienced Hosts preferred. See NOTE below.

Starrigavan Recreation Area – Bayside Host Cabin winter position:

Applications accepted April through June 15th or until position is filled.

Requires commitment to be in Sitka from October 1 through April 5. Panabode type cabin provided for living quarters. In return for volunteer work electricity, indoor plumbing, sewer, and phone service is provided. Vehicle necessary for work within recreation area and for access to Sitka 7 miles away. Non-smokers and no pets. Retired individual (no couples) with Hosting experience preferred. See NOTE below.

NOTE - Starrigavan Recreation Area – Bayside Cabin Hosts (summer and winter): Starrigavan Recreation Area is open year around. Bayside Hosts live in a new pan abode log cabin, which provides the center of operation for the recreation area, especially in the off-season September 16 through April 30. In addition to the duties listed above these Hosts must be able to provide basic maintenance to the interior and exterior of the cabin under direct supervision; vegetation management in the yard; have experience operating and maintaining an ATV and providing snow removal at cabin in winter with a shovel and ATV (winter host only); have experience with power and hand tools; be willing to be outdoors daily in all kinds of weather; have basic computer and office skills. The one bedroom accommodates a queen-size bed.

Sawmill Creek Campground RV Host position (summer only):

Applications accepted October through January 15th or until position is filled.

Requires commitment to be in Sitka from mid May through end of August. Provide own self-contained living unit i.e. motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer. In return for volunteer work, electric and water hookup service provided at Host Site. Passenger type vehicle necessary for transportation to Sitka about 11 miles away. Dump station in Sitka. Host must provide a portable method of disposing of black and gray water to the dump station about 13 miles away in Sitka. Campground access requires travel across 1.5 mile narrow, winding gravel road that is not maintained for passenger vehicles and has poor site distances. Retired individual or couple. No pets. Experienced Hosts preferred.

Reimbursements

Volunteers must commit to serve in Sitka for the specified dates above to qualify for certain reimbursements. Because Sitka is only accessible by boat or air, limited ferry service out of Bellingham, Washington may require the Starrigavan Hosts in the cabin to be in Sitka one week earlier and able to stay one week later than the six month timeframe mentioned above. Volunteers must have sufficient finances to carry them through the first six weeks and to supplement daily reimbursements thereafter. Reimbursements do not cover daily living expenses and are made through direct deposit.

Host Application

For futher information contact the Starrigavan Recreation Area manager at (907) 747-4216 or email at r10_sitka_rd@fs.fed.us.

Juneau

Mendenhall Campground – Occupy Host Site at Campground Fee Station

Deadline to apply - April 20.

Requires a commitment from May 25 to September 6. Provide own self-contained living unit i.e. motor-home, fifth wheel or travel trailer. Electrical, sewer, water and phone hookup provided at Host Site. Additional vehicle necessary for transportation within campground and to Juneau 15 miles away. Dump station located in campground. Retired couples and experienced Hosts preferred.

Responsibilities duties and law enforcement:

Campground Hosts (couples preferred, individuals considered) represent and are the “eyes and ears” of the Forest Service. A courteous, helpful, and enthusiastic attitude is required. Hosts are provided an orientation to the campground, necessary materials and information. Hosts live in the campground the entire time in Juneau. The Hosts are expected to set a good example by role modeling a clean and uncluttered living site and keeping pets leashed as required by regulation. Hosts are expected to positively convey the campground rules as necessary and be visible to the visiting public. Hosts are provided portable radios and reimbursed for personal cell phone use to contact law enforcement for help in cases of emergencies.

Duties (under direct supervision) include: picking up litter along campground roadways, trails and campsites; cleaning restrooms, showers, campsites and fire rings to an acceptable standard; restocking fee envelopes and toiletries; providing light maintenance i.e. painting, brushing, thinning, pruning or pulling vegetation; sweeping pathways and side walks; conducting a daily survey of each campsite in the campground; accepting daily arrival reports from the National Recreation Reservation Service for campground reservations; insuring that reserved sites are posted so reserved sites are available when campers with reservations arrive; providing information and assistance to campers as needed and other necessary duties as assigned.

Law Enforcement: As a campground host, you will be the “eyes and ears“ of the Forest Service. Every so often problem situations occur where alcohol is being abused and regulations are being broken. Hosts act as observers and take down information in problem situations and relay it to law enforcement personnel. Law enforcement and fee collection are not part of the job of the Hosts. The hosts do give friendly verbal or written reminders for campers to pay their fees and abide by campground regulations and leave the problem situations for trained law enforcement personnel to deal with.

Reimbursements

Volunteer hosts receive free campground site use (current fee $28/day). Hosts must commit to serve in Juneau for the specific dates above to qualify for certain travel and daily subsistence reimbursements. The hosts are also compensated for personal vehicle and cell phone use for Forest Service business. Depending upon one’s lifestyle, these reimbursements may not be sufficient to cover all costs of daily living.

For further information contact the campground manager at (907) 790-7494 or e-mail at: mscholten@fs.fed.us

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest
Last Modified: April 11, 2008