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Volunteers Make It Happen!
Be a Volunteer at Red Rock State Park
Become a volunteer and make a significant contribution at Red Rock State Park.
The volunteers of Red Rock State Park help provide the staffing of the many, varied activities of the Park, giving the Park visitor a rich educational experience.
The State of Arizona has greatly restricted the funding of tax revenues to Arizona State Parks. These tax monies go toward the staffing and upkeep of the parks, but it cannot pay for enough staff to provide the current level of programs that many parks provide. It has been necessary for the parks to try to find other methods of supporting themselves. One way is through volunteer programs. Red Rock State Park recognized this need early on, even before it opened to the public in 1991, and has developed a comprehensive volunteer training program to help support these vital programs. It is estimated that the volunteers at Red Rock State Park provide the equivalent of seven full time staff.
Red Rock State Park is a valuable asset to the local Verde Valley Communities. Its role as an Environmental Education and Preservation park offers a superior nature experience for local residents and the many visitors to the area.
Not only does the park provide a wonderful natural place for a picnic, a hike, a wedding, or a gathering, it also offers a wide range of Environmental Education Programs such as: daily guided hikes, bird walks, geology hikes, the School Connection Program school class visits and the First Sunday Guest Speaker programs. Each of these programs requires staffing. Most of this work is done by the many dedicated volunteers. For the park to continue to expand programs and keep the depth of its current programs, it is necessary for the park to not only replenish, but increase, volunteer participation from the local communities of the Verde Valley.
Volunteers at RRSP have varied career backgrounds and life paths. Some have been nurses, college professors, school teachers, computer specialists, physicians, dentists, stay-at-home moms, horticulturists, corporate executives, carpenters, bankers, farmers, administrative assistants and machinists. Their diversity only adds to the richness of what they have to contribute. What all our volunteers share is a feeling of stewardship for RRSP, a dedication to supporting the park's mission, and a sense of accomplishment by contributing their varied talents in a community of likeminded volunteers
Training
Six four-hour training sessions in the fall provide new volunteers with information about the park and the local area, and introduce them to the volunteer roles in the Park. After completion of training, the new volunteers do a short internship rotation in each of the primary volunteer work areas. They get to know the staff and other volunteers, and become part of the Red Rock State Park team.
Class content:
- Red Rock State Park history
- Arizona State Parks system & organization
- Entry Station & Visitor Center operation
- School Connection (Environmental Education) Program
- Botany
- Geology
- Archeology
- Birding
- Hike Leading
- Park Maintenance
Volunteer Opportunities
- Work in Entry Station
- Work in Visitor Center Gift Shop
- Welcome visitors - providing helpful information on hikes and other Park activities
- Work with the Connection Program - the environmental education program for school groups
- as teacher/leader
- as teacher assistant
- behind scenes helping to prepare material
- Maintain trails
- Work on landscaping
- Maintain library, research & resource files
- Lead nature walks, moonlight walks, & bird walks
- Operate audio/visual equipment
- Photograph or collect specimens of plants and wildlife
- Work on special projects for the Park as needed
Awards, Rewards, Incentives:
- Free entry to park for volunteers and their guests
- After 100 hours of time volunteered, free admission to all Arizona State Parks
- Special recognition and awards for hours of service
Requirements
Volunteers must:
- Complete a minimum of 24 hours of initial volunteer naturalist training
- Work an average of eight hours per month during the year (96 hours per year)
Benefactors of Red Rock State Park
PO Box 525
Sedona, Arizona 86339
email: benefactorsofrrsp@earthlink.net