Keweenaw National Historical Park Welcomes Community Volunteer Ambassador

CALUMET – Alan McTaggart of Houghton, MI is making a difference in Keweenaw National Historical Park. He is one of 52 recent college graduates working in a national park this year to “Get Things Done” as an AmeriCorps Community Volunteer Ambassador. Alan will spend a year working with park partners, known as Keweenaw Heritage Sites, and the park to recruit, train, and coordinate community volunteers throughout the winter and on designated stewardship days like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, National Volunteer Week, National Trails Day, and National Public Lands Day.

“Alan continues the long legacy of young people devoted to conservation stewardship and heritage preservation” said Keweenaw National Historical Park Superintendent Wendy Davis. “I have already witnessed the impact he is making by helping people forge lasting connections with the park and local heritage sites.”

The Community Volunteer Ambassadors (CVA) Program is a partnership between the National Park Service, Northwest Youth Corps, and Conservation Legacy. The program provides work and training opportunities to young adults, ages 21 to 30, in national parks throughout the country. Each of the 52 CVAs will work in collaboration with local communities to mobilize volunteer groups and individuals to share in the protection of our nation’s natural and cultural resources.

CVAs will support a wide variety of park operations and programs that address the priorities of the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and local communities. Activities include facilities and trail maintenance, research and education, health and recreation, and disaster services.

CVAs work closely with other National Park Service staff to strengthen community partnerships, recruit others into volunteer service, and coordinate national stewardship events, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, National Volunteer Week, National Trails Day, and National Public Lands Day. More information about volunteering in national parks can be found at www.volunteer.gov.

“Experiences like these are truly transformative,” said Conservation Legacy Co-CEO Amy Sovocool. “They instill life skills and character traits that build on one another, strengthen over time, and foster optimal advancement and a service ethic. The partnership creates a skilled and diverse workforce of educated and active citizens, future leaders, and stewards of natural and cultural resources and communities.”