Benefactors of Red Rock State Park

Interested in becoming a volunteer? There are many volunteer roles at the Park, ranging from greeting visitors at the Entry Station or working in the Visitor Center, teaching school children a variety of science subjects in the Connection Program, leading nature hikes, providing trail maintenance, or assisting with Park landscaping, repairs and upkeep. The environment is perfect and the personal rewards are many!

Once a volunteer graduates from the training program, s/he participates in short internships in various service areas of the Park. These areas include the school Connection Program, Entry Station, Visitor Center, hikes, and maintenance. The internships help match the volunteer's interest with the needs of the Park. No matter what a volunteer chooses to do, it benefits both them and the Park.

The Volunteer Program

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

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)

Volunteers Make It Happen!