March 16, 2017
npc students volunteer for park service
National Park College (NPC) conducted a volunteer day at Hot Springs National Park Saturday. Volunteers removed trash in the Gulpha Gorge campground area and nearby hiking trails. Brian Schwieger, volunteer coordinator for Hot Springs National Park, and NPC history instructor Christopher Thrasher organized the event. NPC faculty T. J. Griffith, Dana Murphy, and Samantha Christian helped supervise 43 volunteers who participated. Another work day is expected to be scheduled in the fall.
Schwieger repeatedly expressed his gratitude for the excellent work performed by all
of the volunteers. “Volunteers are vital to the success of Hot Springs National Park
and the National Park Service (NPS),” said Schwieger. “The Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP)
program can accept and use voluntary help and services from the public in a way that
is mutually beneficial to the NPS and the volunteer,” he added.
In 2015, more than 400,000 volunteers donated over 7 million hours of service to the national parks and NPS national programs. Volunteers come from every state and many different countries to help preserve and protect America’s natural and cultural heritage for the enjoyment of this and future generations. For more information about volunteering at Hot Springs National Park, please contact Brian Schwinger at 501-620-6703 or brian_schwieger@nps.gov.
