C O L O R A D O
P A R K S
&
W I L D L I F E
Tracks, Trails & Tales
News from the CPW Volunteer Program
©CPW/MIKE DELLIVENERI
Spring 2016
CPW volunteers, staff, and community partners—this is your newsletter about volunteer
engagement and volunteer-related educational events, people and happenings within
Colorado Parks & Wildlife. We welcome all contributions and ideas for articles. f you
would like to contribute, send articles and photos to Fletcher Jacobs, Statewide Volunteer
Coordinator at [email protected]. Please keep articles to 250–300 words in length.
We reserve the right to edit any contributions.
Table of Contents
The Value of Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Volunteer Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Regional Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–18
Camp Host Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19–21
Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
More Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
& Ser ve
The Value of Volunteers
International Sportsmen’s Expo 2016
This year’s ISE was another success for CPW as over 25,000 folks visited the show and
a large chunk of that attended CPW’s Booths and Youth Fair. We had 107 volunteers
help us out over the course of the 4-day show in January answering questions at
booths talking about General CPW Information, Hunter Education, helping 1800
kids catch at our Fishing Tank or hike along the Junior Nature Detective Trail, and
creating 700 iron on t-shirts for children at our Boat Safety booth.
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped again to make our
agency’s participation possible at this show. Special thanks to
the scouts and leaders from Boy Scout Troop 459 and the
students and teachers from Warren Tech High School for each
covering a full evening shift at the Kid’s Fishing Tank. Your
dedication and effort are greatly appreciated by CPW as we
know we couldn’t do these booths and activities without your
help!Photos by Mike DelliVeneri
Monte Vista
Crane Festival
by Catherine Brons,
Southwest Region Education
and Volunteer Coordinator
The 33rd Monte Vista Crane
Festival was held March 11-13 to
once again celebrate the arrival
of thousands of Sandhills in the
scenic San Luis
Valley. Dedicated Colorado Parks and Wildlife Volunteers
Kevin Corwin, Dan Frankowski, Dave & Haydee Ullrich,
Mike & Sara Oldham, and Jim Ozzello were readily available
along with Area 17 DWM Luke Hoffman and SW Region Ed
& Volunteer Coordinator Cathy Brons to share their passion
and knowledge with the many birdwatchers in attendance.
Hands-on learning resources and information was provided
to the many visitors who stopped by the indoor booth, while
spotting scopes were hosted in the comfortable weather
to offer up-close avian viewing opportunities for all. The
success of CPW’s role in the Festival is significantly due to the
generous participation of this wonderful group of volunteers!
2
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Mt. Evans Interpretive Volunteers Needed
How do mountain goats navigate the steep and rugged terrain of Mt. Evans? How
do animals survive the harsh alpine environment? Such questions and many more
are answered every summer by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) volunteers at
Summit Lake on Mt. Evans. And more volunteers are needed this summer to help!
At 14,264 feet and with a paved road reaching its summit, Mt. Evans provides the
perfect opportunity to observe wildlife living amid the severe climate of a tenacious
tundra ecosystem. Here, where land meets sky, visitors during the summer can see
chubby yellow-bellied marmots sunning themselves on rock outcroppings, fast-paced
pikas scurrying across trails collecting vegetation, bighorn sheep and mountain goats
grazing on exposed grasses, and much more.
©WAYNE D. LEWIS
Stationed about 2,000 feet below the summit, knowledgeable CPW volunteers are positioned with wildlife artifacts, (such as
skulls, skins and field guides), as well as binoculars and spotting scopes to help guide visitors to the many wonders of life above
the trees and how people can safely view wildlife on such fragile terrain.
“Mt. Evans sees hundreds of visitors from all around the world on weekends in the summer,” observes Mary McCormac,
northeast region education coordinator for CPW. “Volunteers are critical in helping educate visitors about the alpine
environment and how to recreate responsibly in such a sensitive ecological area.”
Volunteers are stationed on weekends from June through Labor Day, with the possibility of some weekdays if interested. If you are
interested in participating in this project, please contact Mary McCormac at [email protected] for more information.
Barr Lake State Park Volunteers
by Michelle Seubert, Park Manager
High School Seniors help out at Barr Lake!
Bear Creek high school kids volunteered 20 hours each this week to meet
their graduation requirements.
They worked on chipping our
wood pile and stabilizing a historic
barn on the park. I’d like to thank
our park resource technician,
Arland Huff, for taking the extra
time to teach these students new skills. Great job Bear Creek seniors!
Barr Lake’s New Interns
Barr Lake has welcomed two new interns this month. Shursteen from
Metro State University will be helping at the nature center. Rylan
from Bayfield High School will be with us for a short 3 weeks to meet
a high school requirement as our park resource intern. Welcome to
both of them and we are excited to share our natural resource jobs
with them.
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
3
Regional Highlights
Northeast
On March 12th, Barr Lake
held a volunteer training
for new volunteers!
Welcome to all of the new
volunteers!
Chatfield State Park
by Jerry Donovan, CPW Volunteer
Colorado Parks and Wildlife puts on a show at Sportsmen’s Expo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife once again attended the Denver International
Sportsmen’s Exposition to showcase the angling, hunting, and outdoor
recreation activities at its 42 state parks.
The Chatfield crew consisted of volunteers Charlie Schmucker,
Gary Ingram, Nancy Romero, Suzanne Peterson, Mike Outlaw,
Jerry Donovan and Vince Trujillo.
First Day Hikes January 1st
Thank you to everyone who helped out this year with Chatfield
State Park’s First Day Hikes! We held two hikes with twentyseven participants (and seven dogs) and hiked six miles of trail
with the help of eight volunteers!
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
4
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Chatfield’s New Volunteer Open Houses
Chatfield State Park recently held two New Volunteer Open House events
to spread the word and to get people excited about becoming a volunteer.
The Open House events were held on January 30th and February 3rd in
the multi-purpose room, at the park headquarters.
We had 36 participants over these two days and a lot of positive feedback
from everyone.
Thank you to all the current Volunteers for your help with planning and exceeding all
expectations for pulling off this incredible 2016 New Volunteer Open House!
After those Open House events, we asked those interested Volunteers to join us for a fiveweek intensive training program...and they agreed!
With topics like Authority of the Resource, Inquiry Learning, Ecosystems, Interpretation,
History, Fish, Wildflowers, and much more, we have put together a training program
dedicated to informing our Volunteers about our park and its resources.
Thank you to all the current Volunteers and staff who have contributed so much time
and energy and helped to make this training such a success. This program depends on people like you and you help make this
park what it is!
The New Volunteer Graduation was held on March 19th to welcome the 25 dedicated
individuals to our Chatfield Volunteer Family!
Chatfield Service Day—Mullein Madness
With 13 participants and a combined 52 hours
worth of work, we were able to make any weed
warrior proud and cleared almost 18 acres of
mullein on January 18th. What a day!!!
Special thanks to our volunteers David Taylor and
Bill Kuenning for all their hard work!
With the momentum continuing we had a second
round of Mullein madness on February 15th to
celebrate President’s Day. We had 24 participants
work a combined 72 hours, and we were able to
clear a substantial section of mullein on the park.
Thank you to all our new
volunteers who came out for
their first project!!!
Congratulations for a job
well done!
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
5
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Cherry Creek State Park Eagle Scout Project
by David Close, Parks Officer
In January 2016, Zachary
Harrison completed his Eagle
Scout Project of making five 8’
wooden benches for our Nature
Center. The benches will be
used in the Nature Center to
accommodate approximately 25 visitors to sit on during programs.
The benches allow the Nature Center staff to quickly modify the layout
of the presentation room to deliver programs from any of the four
information walls. Zach and eight scouts contributed over 20 hours
of labor. Zach used a “GoFundMe” website to raise half of the $350
needed for materials. Cherry Creek State Park extends a big thank
you to Zach and his Troop for their contribution to improving the
educational program.
Staunton State Park
Volunteers lead First Day Hikes
Led by over a dozen intrepid Staunton volunteers, nearly 75 park
visitors participated in this year’s five hikes totaling 26.5 miles. Thank
you volunteers for leading the way!
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
6
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Jack Darnell 2015 volunteer of year
Article from Staunton’s Marmot Messenger Newsletter
Long-time state parks volunteer Jack Darnell is Staunton State Park’s
volunteer of the year for 2015. Darnell, along with his volunteer wife
Deborah, heads up the plant team, but he also contributes to the park in a
myriad of other ways.
“This year (2015) was a very diverse year with project activities,” Darnell said.
At the risk of understatement, Jack’s contributions to Staunton in the past
year were massive and invaluable. His volunteer log time was “huge,”
according to park manager Zach Taylor.
In addition to heading up both the plant team with Deborah and the geo-cache team, Darnell used his expertise as a volunteer
for Habitat for Humanity to make improvements at the newly-acquired Dines House. Along with volunteer Ed Samberg and
other experts he brought in from Habitat, Jack assessed and helped determine what work needed to be done on the electrical
wiring at Dines, a job Taylor said took many hours to complete.
“Jack saved the park thousands of dollars,” the park manager noted. As the leader of the geo-cache team, Darnell also
added three more sites this past year for a total of seven, significantly improving the program’s presence in the park.
Jack and Deborah were also volunteers at Roxborough State Park for years, but transferred to Staunton when they
discovered the park was going to be opened.
Darnell said he received this award “doing things I enjoy doing anyway,” and added the coveted prize was “just icing on
the cake.”
In the future Jack is looking forward to expanding his service to the park. He sees his responsibilities as a “stewardship”
over the natural resources.
“I want to understand and document changes (in the park) over time and lead our team as a consultant,” he said.
Denver Boat Show
The 2016 Denver Boat Show was
a very collaborative effort, as
seven members from local United
States Coast Guard Auxiliary
flotillas joined with Colorado
State Parks and Wildlife, Larimer
County Natural Resources, and
the Double Angel Foundation
to promote recreational boating
safety over the three-day event.
Dave Stark (Flotilla 2), Vinnie
Del Giudice (Flotilla 4), and
CPW's own Talon.
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
7
Regional Highlights
Northeast
2016 Northeast Opportunities
To sign up for opportunities in this section, or for more information, please contact the person in the Contact column.
PROJECT NAME
Front Desk
Assistance
LOCATION
DESCRIPTION
DATE(S)
CONTACT
Denver – Jenny Campbell
[email protected]
303-291-7353
Northeast Region
1-2 volunteers are needed at each
Service Center
service center to help the Customer
6060 Broadway Denver Service Representatives answer
hunting and fishing questions and
Fort Collins Office
sell licenses. Knowledge of hunting
317 W Prospect Ave
and fishing is required. Assist with
Fort Collins
stocking brochures in front lobby and
general office support.
Ongoing,
Monday-Friday
Jane Doe Sewing
Assistance
Front Range
Flexible
Rod/Reel Delivery
Various Front Range
locations
Volunteers will haul rods/reels
and tackle to various Front Range
locations to support angling clinics.
Most rods/reels are stored at 6060
Broadway for pick up but possible
pick up in Loveland area as well.
3/30/16-9/1/16
Bryan Posthumus
[email protected]
Blue Heron Pond
Trail Construction
St. Vrain State Park
Volunteers 12 and up will work
in crews to top the new trail with
crushed rock material. Easy to
moderate in difficulty.
4/30/16
8:00am-4:00pm
http://www.voc.org/
project/blue-heron-pondtrail-construction-st-vrainstate-park-0
Hudson
Fishing Clinic
Hudson Pond in
Hudson
4 volunteers needed to help with fish
ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc.
4/30/16
8:30am-12:30pm
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Cabela’s Spring
Great Outdoors
Days
Cabela’s – Thornton
2 volunteers needed per shift to help
answer general CPW questions.
4/30/16 & 5/1/16
Shift 1
9:30am-12:30pm
Shift 2
12:30pm-3:30pm
Michelle Seubert
[email protected]
Northern Colorado
Wildlife Transport
Team Training
Fort Collins Office
317 W Prospect Ave
Fort Collins
Interested volunteers must attend
Wildlife Transport Team training
5/7/16
9:00am-5:00pm
Northern Colorado Wildlife
Transport Team RSVP
Are you crafty? Do you love to sew?
8:00am-5:00pm
1-3 Volunteers needed to sew or
crochet a new “Jane Doe”. “Jane Doe”
is a cloth deer with removable inner
organs which is used to teach people
how to field dress a deer. We have a
pattern that you can look at for ideas.
Sewing machine needed, materials
provided.
Fort Collins – Jody Hergott
[email protected]
970-472-4327
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
8
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Erie Fishing Clinic
Thomas Reservoir in
Erie
4-5 volunteers needed to help with fish
ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc.
5/7/16
8:00am-12:00am
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Barr Lake Fishing
Clinic
Barr Lake State Park
2-3 volunteers needed to assist with
5/7/16
fish ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc 7:30am-10:30am
Michelle Seubert
[email protected]
Boulder Foster Care Viele Lake in Boulder
Fishing Clinic
3 volunteers needed to assist with
5/7/16
quick poster presentation, teach
8:00am-11:00am
casting, lure/bait options, and then get
them fishing.
Bryan Posthumus
[email protected]
Frederick Fishing
Clinic
Milavec Lake in
Frederick
4 volunteers needed to help with fish
ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc.
5/14/15
7:30am-12:30pm
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Highlands Ranch
Fishing Clinic
Highlands Ranch
3-4 volunteers needed to help with
casting and fishing
5/14/16
8:30am-1:00pm
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Pine Valley Ranch
Outdoor Skills Day
Pine Valley Ranch
Open Space in Pine
3-6 volunteers needed to bait fishing
poles, untangle, take fish off, etc.
5/21/16
9:30am-1:30pm
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
COPS and
BOBBERS Kids
Fishing Day
Near I25 & Lincoln
5 volunteers needed to help with
casting and knot tying
5/21/16
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Wildlife Host
Watson Lake State
Wildlife Area
Hosts will help with trash collection,
outhouse cleaning, mowing and
trimming around the picnic areas.
Mid-May-MidSeptember
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Wildlife Host
Tarryall Reservoir
State Wildlife Area
Memorial Day –
The duties of the host consist of
informing visitors regarding camping Labor Day
and fishing regulations, trash pickup,
light maintenance and some painting. The site is 15 miles
Medical facilities and groceries are
southeast of Jefferson
available in Fairplay, 25 miles to the
on the northern
northwest.
boundary of
The camp host at this SWA must
Colorado’s South Park. provide a self-contained shelter. Fresh
water available at the house we have
there but if trailer is in one of the
campgrounds, there is no electricity.
Ty Anderson
[email protected]
Mt Evans
Interpretation
Summit Lake on Mt
Evans
Mary McCormac
[email protected]
Knowledgeable CPW volunteers are
June-Labor Day
positioned with wildlife artifacts,
(such as skulls, skins and field guides),
as well as binoculars and spotting
scopes to help guide visitors to the
many wonders of life above the trees
and how people can safely view
wildlife on such fragile terrain.
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
9
Regional Highlights
Northeast
Huck Finn Day
Fairplay Beach in
Fairplay
10 volunteers needed to help with fish
ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc.
Meet DWM Tyler Stoltzfus at 8am at
the Forest Service office in Fairplay
6/4/16
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Johnstown Fishing
Clinic with
Johnstown Police
Department
Johnstown
6 volunteers needed to help with fish
ID, knot tying, casting, fishing, etc.
6/4/16
8:00am-2:00pm
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
National Get
Outdoors Day
Sloan’s Lake Park
National Get Outdoors Day (NGOD) 6/11/16
is an event featuring over 100
organizations that will connect people Fishing at Sloan’s
Lake Park
to the outdoors.
(registration,
casting, fishing)
CPW volunteers will work with the
public to encourage families and
8-10 volunteers
individuals to get outside and enjoy
10am-3pm
state parks and wildlife.
Lunch will be
provided
Evergreen Outdoor
Skills Day
Evergreen Lake in
Evergreen
Join us in helping kids connect to
6/26/16
wildlife and wildlife related recreation
including fishing, viewing, and more.
Howard Horton
[email protected]
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
3-5 Volunteers needed to staff
stations, teach kids about various
outdoor skills, or help with support
and logistics.
Leftover Day
Northeast Region
Service Center
6060 Broadway
Denver
Variety of areas to assist (license
purchases, line control, answering
questions, parking, etc.)
8/2/16
7:00am-2:00pm
Denver – Jenny Campbell
[email protected]
303-291-7353
Fort Collins – Jody Hergott
[email protected]
970-472-4327
Fort Collins Office
317 W Prospect Ave
Fort Collins
Lori Morgan
[email protected]
Hunting
Reservation System
Assistance
Fort Collins Office
317 W Prospect Ave
Fort Collins
Volunteers needed at front desk to
ease staffing shortages particularly
in the fall with Hunting Reservation
System.
Fall
Elk Tooth Aging
Project
Fort Collins Office
317 W Prospect Ave
Fort Collins
12 volunteers needed to stuff envelope 8/17/16
mailers for elk tooth project.
9:00am-4:00pm
Lori Morgan • 303-291-7369 • [email protected]
Jody Hergott
[email protected]
970-472-4327
Ben Kraft
[email protected]
10
Regional Highlights
Southeast
Dedicated Winter Volunteers at Mueller
by Linda Groat, Program Coordinator
Denise Fronko is a very dedicated volunteer that has operated the entrance gate at Mueller
every weekend, all winter long, for the last several years! When visitors come out on cold,
snowy days to go snowshoeing or sledding, they are greeted with her warm and friendly
smile. Denise is such a wonderful first contact for
visitors, she was awarded Volunteer of the Year for 2015!
Denise is a gem!
Rhonda and Ellie Holden were given the award of
Outstanding Volunteers for 2015! They arrived
October of 2014 from Texas with their RV. They braved
living in the campground at 9600 ft in that RV all
winter! Their volunteer job was that of Cabin Tech,
taking care of the 3 rental cabins, cleaning, mopping
and making beds, and other maintenance support. The
cabins were spotless for all our guests! They did such a
great job, they stayed on until March 2016, although in
different living quarters! They are moving on to their
next adventure and we will miss them! Happy trails!
SE Region Festivals
Eagles, Bighorn Sheep and Snow Geese Take Front Row in
the SE Colorado
Winter is a popular time to get outdoors and learn about fantastic
spots across southeast Colorado for recreation, wildlife viewing,
history tours and more. CPW Staff and volunteers work together
to make these annual events a success. Hours of volunteer training,
pre-planning and preparation with community partners build
community collaboration. Here are three of the more popular
winter SE Festivals with some highlights from each.
Celebrating Eagles at Lake Pueblo
For the SE Region the CPW Festival season begins each year
with Eagle Days at Lake Pueblo. This was the 20th year of this
community-based festival. The State Park and the State Wildlife
Areas are prime eagle viewing sites for wintering bald eagles and year-round golden eagles that gather on the winter ice for
feeding.
Nearly thirty CPW volunteers worked alongside staff and partners to help visitors experience Colorado raptors at their best
during this 3-day event, including the US Air Force Academy Cadets and their falcons; the Pueblo Raptor Center live birds of
prey and the release of a rehabilitated bird back to the wild; and agency mascots including Talon and Smokey Bear.
Jena Sanchez • 719-227-5204 • [email protected]
11
Regional Highlights
Southeast
Bighorn Sheep Fest at Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs
This winter festival on the west side of Colorado Springs is a great viewing location for Bighorn Sheep from the Rampart Range
Herd. 2016 was no exception as part of the herd sat in full display for the festival from CPW viewing stations. More than
fifteen volunteers and CPW staff partnered with the Garden of the Gods Park to put on this popular urban event.
According to the Garden of the Gods Park, over 3,600 people attended the festival from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 on Saturday,
February 13. Volunteers and Staff presented bighorn programs, staffed the CPW information table and helped showcase the
bighorns from viewing stations nearby.
Snow Goose Festival in Lamar Draws the Birding Crowd
Mid-February is the time for the annual High Plains Snow Goose Festival in Lamar. This partnership involving the Lamar
Chamber of Commerce and local businesses provides programs and tours for a loyal birding crowd each year, bringing people
to southeastern Colorado to see the amazing natural and cultural sites. Eight to ten CPW volunteers assisted Lamar CPW staff
with the event. Popular tours include
Picture and Carizzo Canyon tours
and early morning birding tours.
Cheyenne
Mountain Chili
Cook-off
by Darcy Mount, Senior Ranger
Our volunteers had a chili cookoff in
February, as a way to “spice” up the
winter blues.
SE Walleye Spawning
Here is CPW aquatic biologist
Carrie Tucker in the boathouse
during the annual walleye
spawning operation. With her are
long-time volunteers Mark Elkins,
DOW retiree and Larry Mack.
Mack has been helping with the
walleye spawning since the early
1990s. Nice fish!!
Jena Sanchez • 719-227-5204 • [email protected]
12
Regional Highlights
Southeast
Lathrop State Park Volunteers
Remove Russian Olives
by Tom Macedo, GOCO Interpreter
At Lathrop State Park we feel privileged to have a devoted and hardworking
group of volunteers who help to keep the park clean and work to eradicate
plants that alter or cause damage to the natural environment.
Photos taken by Camp Host Donna Strantz Janssen.
What makes a person volunteer their time to do work that is sometimes
strenuous; often times dirty, and on occasion—as with the removal of Russian olive trees—can even be painful and bloody?
When asked this question, Lathrop’s volunteers’ answers were as individual as the persons themselves. What they did all share
was an appreciation for the natural world, and for many of them the fact that they were near or beyond retirement age. One may
say it’s obvious that volunteers would be of a certain age; being retired, they of course have the time to volunteer. What would
seem less than obvious is that these people often work harder than others younger than half their age. Or at least that is what this
writer has observed.
Lathrop’s volunteers come to the park from as close as Walsenburg, and as far as Colorado Springs. One local volunteer, 74 yearold David, who is a relative new-comer to Walsenburg, saw an ad in the local newspaper asking for volunteers to help remove
Russian olives from around the park. He decided it would be “fun,” and that he’d get some good exercise while “getting rid of
that insidious weed.” Volunteerism is nothing new to David, who’d participated in volunteer projects in New Mexico before he’d
moved to Colorado.
Sixty three year-old Peter, who lives in the Gardner area, has a nine-year-long history
of volunteering in Colorado. Peter states that he has a “general interest in riparian zone
restoration.” He’s participated in wildland restoration projects in Gunnison, in addition to
his continuing commitment to seeing the eradication of Russian olives at Lathrop State Park.
When talking about volunteerism, Peter references the CPW mission statement which calls
for opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active
stewards of Colorado’s natural resources; he takes his role as a steward seriously.
Pueblo retirees Joyce and Steven learned about trail maintenance volunteers while hiking at
Cheyenne Mountain State Park in 2012. They soon found themselves volunteering at the park
at such varied projects as fire mitigation, raptor monitoring, Visitor Center duties and archery instruction. It was there they met
Stacey Lewis who at the time was the park’s senior ranger; the three became friends. Lewis’ and the couples’ friendship continues
today, and now that she is the manager at Lathrop State Park, Joyce and Steven have become regular volunteers here.
Other loyal friends of Stacey Lewis and volunteers at Cheyenne Mountain for a number of years are Jeff and Sandy, who’d signed
up to volunteer at the park at an open house when they’d retired and moved to Colorado Springs. Jeff Stated that volunteering
helped to keep them from getting into a “retirement do-nothing rut.” Jeff and Sandy now have the distinction of being the
volunteers who travel the greatest distance to help clean Lathrop of trash and have on more than one occasion subjected
themselves to the messy, scratchy, thorny task of removing Russian olive trees. They stated that they like the physical work and
also enjoy meeting other people—which seems to be a sentiment shared by all of the volunteers.
Volunteers like John and Donna, a gregarious couple who are the campground hosts at Lathrop and who not only work
diligently to help keep the Piñon Campground running smoothly, but also make themselves available to help with any other
volunteer project at the park. For Donna this includes assisting with naturalist-led hikes and activities. Their commitment to
Lathrop State Park and the commitment of Jeff and Sandy as demonstrated by their willingness to travel so far perform hard
tasks, is something this writer truly admires; an admiration that is extended to all of Lathrop State Park’s volunteers.
Jena Sanchez • 719-227-5204 • [email protected]
13
Regional Highlights
Southeast
Southeast Opportunities
To sign up for opportunities in this section, or for more information, please contact the person in the Contact column.
PROJECT
LOCATION
DESCRIPTION
Camp Host
Lathrop
State Park
Greet campers, collect fees and
May - September
dispense park information at an
entrance station. Assist in daily
campground operations and
posting campground reservations.
Tony Johnson
Cheyenne
Mountain
State Park
Volunteers 16 and up will work in 6/4/16 -6/5/2016
crews to continue last year’s efforts 8:00am-4:00pm
constructing the new Dixon Trail, both days
which will allow visitors to access
some of the most spectacular
places in the park. Free camping
and meals prepared by our
volunteer chefs will be provided.
http://www.voc.org/
project/dixon-trailconstruction-cheyennemountain-state-park-1
Wildlife Transport
Training – CO Springs
Volunteers are on-call for sick,
injured and orphaned wildlife
capture and trans-port calls as
needed across southern Colorado.
Sat. May 7th from
9am-12 pm
Jena Sanchez
[email protected]
Mueller State Park
Outdoor Skills Day
Volunteers assist with skills
stations and with overall event
jobs.
Sat. May 21st
(All Day)
Jena Sanchez
[email protected]
Dixon Trail
Construction
DATE(S)
CONTACT
[email protected]
719-357-2329
SE opportunities continued on next page
Wild turkeys by the Arkansas River
by Lawrence Sanchez
Jena Sanchez • 719-227-5204 • [email protected]
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Regional Highlights
Southeast
Arkansas River
Greenup/Cleanup
Help CPW Staff remove plastic
and trash from around reservoir
Sat. May 21st
Jena Sanchez
[email protected]
Family Fishing Events
Join us in helping kids and their
families learn more about
fishing.
Clinics at Lake
Pueblo SP:
Thurs, May 19
Mon, May 23
Jena Sanchez
[email protected]
Pueblo West
Cattails Crossing:
Sun, June 5
Free Fishing Weekend
Assist CPW Staff with fishing
event including staffing stations
and helping kids fish around lakes
and ponds.
Jena Sanchez
Sat. June 4 (times
TBA) in Pueblo and [email protected]
Colorado Springs
Injured great horned owl by Vickie Moss,
SE Region Wildlife Transporter 2016
Jena Sanchez • 719-227-5204 • [email protected]
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Regional Highlights
Southwest
Dedicated Russell Lakes SWA Volunteers
by Luke Hoffman, DWM Area 17 Monte Vista
John Vigil has been working at Russell Lakes SWA for a collective time of 14
years. During this time, his job responsibilities included general property
maintenance, including herbicide application, water management, equipment
maintenance, heavy equipment operation, fence repairs, sign installation...the
list goes on and on. John has demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, work
ethic, self-discipline, and teamwork during his time at RLSWA.
In addition to his daily duties at RLSWA, John and his wife Joan, have been
volunteering their time each year cleaning toilets off of Highway 285, a popular
spot for people to pull over. CPW has received exceptional compliments during
this time on how clean and nice the restrooms are at this location. These are
just a few examples of the dedication John and Joan have to CPW, Russell Lakes
SWA, and Colorado’s wildlife resources.
Ridgway Ice Reports
by Kirstin Copeland, Park Manager
It all started when two crazy guys were
coming into the office in the winter after
ice skating on the lake when we didn’t
even know there was enough ice out there
to skate on. Their names are Bill Dwelly
and Dee Fogelquist. We started relying
on them to update us on ice conditions
and developed volunteer job descriptions for that purpose. For the
past three seasons they have provided the staff (and by extension the
public) better information about the ice conditions not only on the
lake, but also the two fishing ponds and incoming river. This year the
ice formation was particularly unusual.
Catherine Brons • 970-375-6709 • [email protected]
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Regional Highlights
Southwest
Thanks to Long Time Sweitzer Lake Volunteers
by Scott Rist, Senior Ranger
Richard and Sherryl O’Donnell have been volunteers for CPW since 2005.
They are from San Antonio, Texas and started out as Campground Host for
Ridgway State Park. Richard started helping out with maintenance tasks at
Ridgway, while Sherryl was a great fit for helping out in the Visitor Center. In
2007, they started with new roles developed by Ranger Scott Rist. Richard
chased water leaks in the irrigation system,
saving the park money on its water bill.
Before long, Sherryl became the ‘goto’ person for the front office. In 2012,
the O’Donnell’s began volunteering as
Campground Hosts at Crawford State Park.
By 2013, they began volunteering at
Sweitzer Lake state Park. Richard was in
charge of lawn care and excelled at taking
care of the turf. Sherryl took control of
the Visitor Center Office, operating the
office by herself four days a week and
would even gladly stay late when the park
was full with visitors. Richard and Sherryl
have volunteered over 6,400 hours since
they started in 2005. This year, we are so
happy to have them back at Sweitzer Lake.
Richard will be chasing water leaks and
mowing grass while Sherryl will be the in
the office, ready to assist!
Welcome to the new Southwest Region Coordinator
My name is Catherine Brons, and I recently joined the Southwest Region as the Education and Volunteer
Coordinator! I am thrilled to be working for CPW in this spectacular Region and to share my excitement
for events and projects here. Volunteers are some of the greatest people to have the opportunity to work
with and I look forward to getting to know those who have an interest to or already commit their time &
passionate support. I hope to meet you soon!
Catherine Brons • 970-375-6709 • [email protected]
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Regional Highlights
Southwest
Southwest Opportunities
To sign up for opportunities in this section, or for more information, please contact the person in the Contact column.
PROJECT
LOCATION
DESCRIPTION
DATE(S)
Durango Wildlife
Museum
CPW Wildlife
and Fish Hatchery
Museum
Volunteers are needed to help with
Ongoing
hosting duties at the Museum. This is a
wonderful opportunity to educate yourself
and others about the wildlife of the four
corners region. No experience necessary,
training will be provided.
Leland Flores
[email protected]
Mancos Shoreline
Cleanup
Mancos State Park
Meet at the Group Picnic Area just inside 5/7/2016
the park entrance to assist with a shoreline 9am – 12pm
clean-up around the lake. Gloves, trash
bags , ‘grabbers’, snacks and water will
be provided. Be sure to stick around
afterward to fish, hike, or have a picnic!
Scot Elder
[email protected]
970‐882-2213
Camp Host
Mancos State Park
Greet campers, collect fees and dispense
park information at an entrance station.
Assist in daily campground operations
and posting campground reservations.
Scot Elder
[email protected]
970‐882-2213
May - September
Catherine Brons • 970-375-6709 • [email protected]
CONTACT
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Regional Highlights
Northwest
Outdoor Heritage Day at
Riverbend Park in Palisade
For going on almost 10 years, CPW along with many
partners have hosted Outdoor Heritage Day (OHD)
in Palisade. This year’s OHD will be on Saturday,
April 30 and volunteers are needed to help cook and
serve hot dogs, distribute “Passports” to attendees,
rig fishing poles, and help kids learn to fish. If you
are interested in helping with this fun event, please
contact Ryan Swygman at 970-255-6124 or
[email protected].
Volunteers Needed at
Steamboat/Pearl Lake
CPW Volunteers Art Bennett and Dean Talbot help with cooking and serving hot dogs at last year’s OHD!
Volunteers are needed to staff the Dutch Hill entrance
booth at Steamboat Lake during camping season. Volunteers are asked to sell vehicle and camping passes, handle money, and
provide general park information for visitors. A free full hook-up campsite is available for the duration of service. “Volunteers
are also needed to assist with park maintenance and construction at both parks. Contact Kirk Mahaffie at
[email protected] for more information.
Camp Hosts Needed at Rifle Park
Complex and Rifle Falls Hatchery
Join the team at the Rifle State Park Complex! Greet campers, assist
in the daily operations, and stay at our full hook-up camp host sites.
Come spend the summer enjoying the waterfalls, lush vegetation,
and the series of small caves that earned the complex a reputation
as one of Colorado’s best parks. Contact Josh DeVries at joshua.
[email protected] for more information.
-Area 8 DWM Matt Yamashita teaching kids archery
Rifle Falls Hatchery, the largest hatchery in the state, is located 11.5
miles north of the city of Rifle and is looking for two camp host
couples. East Rifle Creek flows between the two camp host pads
and the hatchery. The primary responsibility of the camp hosts is
conducting walking tours of the hatchery and providing information
about the fish and the hatchery operation. Any interested couples
should contact Desiree at [email protected].
Trina Romero • 970-255-6191 • [email protected]
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Camp Host Happenings
Camp Hosts Receive New Positions
Richard and Sherryl O’Donnell have been volunteers for CPW since
2005. They are from San Antonio Texas, where Richard worked for a
telephone company and Sherryl work for a doctor’s office. They started
out as Campground Host for Ridgway State Park. With the Richards
background in maintenance, he started helping out the maintenance
section at Ridgway. With Sherryl’s background in office support, she
was a great fit for helping out in the Visitor Center. In 2007, they stopped
being Campground Hosts and started with new roles developed by
Ranger Scott Rist. Richard volunteered full time with the maintenance
section and Sherryl was full time in the Visitor Center. They both
excelled in their new positions. Richard chased water leaks in the
irrigation system, saving the park money on its water bill. Sherryl became
the go to person for the front office. She could function at a high level
by herself. Then in 2012, they started volunteering at Crawford State
Park as Campground Host. They loved being hosts, but something was missing. In 2013, they went to Sweitzer Lake State
Park and volunteered there. Richard was in charge of lawn care. He excelled at taking care of the turf. The park received
many compliments about how well the grass looked. Sherryl took control of
the Visitor Center Office. She operated the office four days a week, by herself.
She would gladly stay late when the park was full with visitors. They have
volunteered over 6400 hours since they started in 2005. They will be back this
year at Sweitzer Lake. Richard will be chasing water leaks and mowing grass
and Sherryl will be the in the office ready to sell you want ever you need.
-Scott Rist, Senior Ranger, Crawford, Paonia, and Sweitzer Lake State Parks
Thanks to Barr Lake’s Winter Hosts
A big thank you to our winter hosts Amy Radvany, and Linda and Jack Rietz.
They have been with Barr Lake all winter and will move on to new adventures
this spring. The park hosts work in the nature center, entrance station, park
maintenance and special events. Barr Lake is truly a better place because of
their efforts!
Become a Resident Host
Many state parks and fish hatcheries are still looking for resident hosts.
A great opportunity for adventurous folks who have an RV and are
willing to travel. Hosts contribute approximately 20 hours weekly in
exchange for a full or partial hook-up for their RVs. Duties vary. Park
campground hosts greet arriving campers, offer check-in assistance,
perform maintenance, and promote educational programs. Wildlife
hosts conduct hatchery walking tours, provide visitor center coverage,
and assist with maintenance.
Contact the Volunteer Program at [email protected] or
303-291-7325 for more information.
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Friends
quote
quote caption
Friends groups are generally defined as nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations established primarily to support
a specific Colorado State Park or a group of parks.
Friends of Barr Lake staying busy!
Friends of Barr Lake have been busy raising money and having fun. The
Friends group received a grant from the Brighton Legacy Foundation for
giving scholarships for schools in 27J for bus scholarships. They have been
planning the 4th Raptor Run and a successful Birds and Brew event. They
raised $450 at the Birds and Brew.
They continue to support education programs such as toddler time.
Great job Friends of Barr Lake!
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Partnerships
Colorado Addicted Trail-builders Society at
Lory State Park
by Bob Johnson, Director of CATS
Colorado Addicted Trail-builders Society (CATS) had a busy fall at Lory State Park. They
spent a weekend working on the Timber Trail at the top the mountain to the north of
Arthur’s Rock. CATS expanded a piece of trail that was pinched by slab rock – causing
all bikers to dismount and walk the bike over the obstruction. The crew chipped and
banged away for hours on the stone, busting it up and eventually enlarging the trail.
A new mono-wall was
installed in addition to
the clear passageway.
Other accomplishments
included: stone steps,
some social trail closures, rip-rap hillsides and drainages,
stone water bar enhancements and repairs, creation of several
new water bars/nicks, corridor clearing in all areas, limbing
a burned snag that was too close to the trail, and back slope
reconstruction. trail.
The dedicated CATS members spent Saturday, December 5 at
the Lory State Park maintenance facility to clean, sharpen, and
oil trail tools for the park. It was a cold day, but that did not stop
the CATS team from having a good time while performing a
necessary end of year chore. Trail tools, such as pick mattocks,
McLeod’s, Pulaski’s, shovels, rock bars, loppers all take a
beating from many users during the summer. Proper tool care
is needed each year as the trail maintenance season closes
and it is time to put the tools to bed for the winter. The team
gleefully took on the challenge of
cleaning/sharpening/oiling
over 90 plus tools and
even had time to eat
some delicious
pizza to end
the season.
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MORE TALES!
RECIPE
Campfire Pizza Log
With the camping season approaching, this pizza log is sure to please the campfire crowd!
Adapted from “10 Cheap and Easy Camping Recipes” from the site Happy Money Saver
Ingredients
• 1 container of refrigerated pizza dough
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 8 oz. mozzarella
• Variety of toppings
• Parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. R
oll out your pizza dough into a rectangle.
2. Add in tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and
your favorite toppings.
3. Starting at one end, roll the dough up as if you
are making cinnamon rolls and pinch all ends
to create a seamless log (can top with parsley).
4. Wrap it in foil and freeze (will help keep items in the cooler cold)
5. Remove log prior to cooking to allow to thaw, and cook it on a grill or directly in the
campfire for a total of 25 minutes, flipping often.
nce it is done, cut or pull it apart and serve!
6. O
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State and National Events
National Arbor Day
Lake Appreciation Month
April 29, 2016 (last Friday in April)
July 2016
https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/dates.cfm
http://eeinwisconsin.org/net/calendar/details.aspx?s=61681.0.
0.2209&noredirect=1
Join Hands Day
May 7, 2016 (first Saturday in May)
http://www.uct.org/uct-in-action/join-hands-day/
National River Cleanup
A year-long event
http://www.americanrivers.org/take-action/cleanup/
National Trails Day
June 4, 2016
http://nationaltrailsday.americanhiking.org/
National Get Outdoors Day
June 11, 2016
http://www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org/
National Public Lands Day
September 24, 2016
http://www.publiclandsday.org/about
Make a Difference Day
October 22, 2016 (fourth Saturday in October)
http://makeadifferenceday.com/
National Family Volunteer Day
November 19, 2016
http://www.pointsoflight.org/signature-events/familyvolunteer-day
International Volunteer Day
December 5, 2016
http://www.unv.org/what-we-do/intl-volunteer-day.html
Funded in part by
COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE
Volunteer Program
6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216
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