Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes seeks volunteers
From staff reports
The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is always looking for new volunteers. If you enjoy being outdoors and being part of a group of dedicated park volunteers, this is the place for you. Some volunteer positions like Adopt-A-Beach, Adopt-A-Trail and Adopt-A-River can be completed on your own or with family and friends, when you are here and when you have time. Other positions provide the opportunity to meet and learn from park professionals and trained volunteers in a group setting.
One of our important volunteer activities is maintaining the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. The time to groom depends on the amount of snow, as well as on the outside temperature. The grooming crew prepares some trails with a corduroy base for skate skiing, and they prepare others with classic tracks for traditional cross-country skiing. Different attachments are pulled by the Gator to create a corduroy or classic surface.
The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes has been grooming the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail from Empire to Glen Arbor, the Crystal View Trailhead to the Lawr Farm (Wheeler Road), and the Palmer Woods Trail in partnership with the Leelanau Conservancy. Come appreciate this winter wonderland, whether it be for skiing, snowshoeing, or photography. The trail conditions are updated regularly on the Winter Trails report page.
Kerry Kelly, past president, board member and manager of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail says, “I love being out in nature: hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, etc., and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers so many options to recreate and explore. The only thing better is doing those things I love with a purpose and feeling like I’m part of a larger community with the common goals of keeping this part of the world clean and safe. I’ve also made a lot of friends through volunteering at the Park.”
To join the trail crew or many of the other Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes volunteer opportunities, visit FriendsofSleepingBear.org and click on the volunteer tab. Check out all the volunteer job descriptions and complete your volunteer profile with your contact information and volunteer areas of interest. Whatever your interests, skills, and time, there are many opportunities to enjoy Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore while being part of an enthusiastic group of park supporters.
The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization whose mission is Protecting resources and heightening visitor experiences in partnership with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
