And when you come, bring a camera!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Every day at Antietiam is a good day!
Sun, rain, or snow - Antietam National Battlefiled offers the visitor - or volunteer, one of the most tranquil experiences available anywhere.
Nestled between the Potomac River and the shoulder of beautiful South Mountain, the Antietam Creek Valley of Sharpsburg is characterized by rolling pastorial fields, dotted with sheep and watched over by century and a half old farmsteads with names like Otto, Mumma, and Roulette. The stone, three arch bridge spanning Antietam Creek - Burnside Bridge- provides one of the most scenic places in Maryland.
Unlike like its sister park to the north - Gettysburg, Antietam National Battlefield has not been encroached upon by over-developement, chicken stands, fudge and tee shirt shops, or tacky art galleries. The people of Sharpsburg and the staff of the park have worked as partners over the years to preserve the beauty of the area and the integrity of the village and battlefield.
Antietam is not overly marked either. There are far fewer monuments and statues than at Gettysburg, but those that do grace the terrain are very beautiful and thoughtful testimonials not only to the people and deeds they honor but also to the sculptors and artists who created them. Fewer monuments allow the eye of the visitor to fall upon scenery undisturbed by intrusion, providing viewscapes that are identical to those of 1862.
This is a beautiful place. Come visit.
Nestled between the Potomac River and the shoulder of beautiful South Mountain, the Antietam Creek Valley of Sharpsburg is characterized by rolling pastorial fields, dotted with sheep and watched over by century and a half old farmsteads with names like Otto, Mumma, and Roulette. The stone, three arch bridge spanning Antietam Creek - Burnside Bridge- provides one of the most scenic places in Maryland.
Unlike like its sister park to the north - Gettysburg, Antietam National Battlefield has not been encroached upon by over-developement, chicken stands, fudge and tee shirt shops, or tacky art galleries. The people of Sharpsburg and the staff of the park have worked as partners over the years to preserve the beauty of the area and the integrity of the village and battlefield.
Antietam is not overly marked either. There are far fewer monuments and statues than at Gettysburg, but those that do grace the terrain are very beautiful and thoughtful testimonials not only to the people and deeds they honor but also to the sculptors and artists who created them. Fewer monuments allow the eye of the visitor to fall upon scenery undisturbed by intrusion, providing viewscapes that are identical to those of 1862.
This is a beautiful place. Come visit.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
The Volunteers-In-Parks insignia
Here's a pic of the VIP insignia, old and new.
The new style is on the left and the older (and preferred by many volunteers) is on the right. Luckily, I got in on the tail-end of the issue of the old style, which is a richer-looking patch with really nice color, detail, and embroidery. Also that distinctive NPS "arrowhead" is much larger. Guess I'm a traditionalist...or just another ranger wanna be!
By the way, having this patch on my jacket got me free parking at Harper's Ferry today!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
How to volunteer in the parks
Seems I lost the thread of why I started this blog in the first place...Its a resource for folks who are thinking about joining the Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) program of the US National Park Service.
Its very simple. Locate a national park that suits your interest and go to www.nps.gov. There'll be a drop-down menu of all the parks and each will list who to contact for volunteer opportunities. Please note that NPS is chronically understaffed, so it may take a little while for them to get back to you. please don't interpret this as a lack of interest on their part (like I started to), be patient and follow up with a reminder call. If all parks are anything like Antietiam, they'll be very happy to have you and will find flexible ways to match your interests with their needs. Though keep in mind...it is about the needs of the Park, that's why we do what we do.
My boss at Antietam is always on the lookout for professional development opportunities for her volunteers. On March 4 another Antietam VIP and I were selected to attend an all-day living history workshop at Harpers Ferry. It's a perk!, it's fun!, and...you can claim your mileage!
Questions:
- Do paid staff have a good working relationship with volunteers?
Oh yes, a very good relationship. They're very happy to have your help.
- Do you get to wear a snappy uniform?
Rest assured, ranger wannabees, there's plenty of official USNPS volunteer hats, shirts, jackets, and patches for everyone -
also VERY cool NPS name tags. Your insignia will be distinctly different from the rangers' to avoid any confusion among
visitors
- Will I increase my chances of being eaten by bears?
I'm with Steven Colbert on this one...
Soon, I'll be posting phots of Antietam, the C&O Canal and other NPS treasures in this region.
Best wishes!
Mannie
Its very simple. Locate a national park that suits your interest and go to www.nps.gov. There'll be a drop-down menu of all the parks and each will list who to contact for volunteer opportunities. Please note that NPS is chronically understaffed, so it may take a little while for them to get back to you. please don't interpret this as a lack of interest on their part (like I started to), be patient and follow up with a reminder call. If all parks are anything like Antietiam, they'll be very happy to have you and will find flexible ways to match your interests with their needs. Though keep in mind...it is about the needs of the Park, that's why we do what we do.
My boss at Antietam is always on the lookout for professional development opportunities for her volunteers. On March 4 another Antietam VIP and I were selected to attend an all-day living history workshop at Harpers Ferry. It's a perk!, it's fun!, and...you can claim your mileage!
Questions:
- Do paid staff have a good working relationship with volunteers?
Oh yes, a very good relationship. They're very happy to have your help.
- Do you get to wear a snappy uniform?
Rest assured, ranger wannabees, there's plenty of official USNPS volunteer hats, shirts, jackets, and patches for everyone -
also VERY cool NPS name tags. Your insignia will be distinctly different from the rangers' to avoid any confusion among
visitors
- Will I increase my chances of being eaten by bears?
I'm with Steven Colbert on this one...
Soon, I'll be posting phots of Antietam, the C&O Canal and other NPS treasures in this region.
Best wishes!
Mannie
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Sidetracked! (briefly)
Uh-oh, for a moment I took my eyes off the prize and accepted a full-time job!
For some reason I took a long-term substitute teaching position in a Western Maryland middle school. I'd forgotten that the whole reason my wife and I moved out here was to follow our bliss (more or less) and spending five days a week in front of 72 angry sixth graders was not particularly blissful. After a week, I gave the principal two weeks notice. He and his staff were very gracious and supportive and hope I'll return as just a regular day-to-day substitute, which I certainly will. The particular class I had was referred to as "feral children" by one of the other teachers. It was a weird situation, these kids have had seven teachers so far this year, following their original teacher's extended sick leave or something. The result that the kids are very angry and disoriented. Anyhoo...I'm back to volunteering, every Monday, at good old Antietam National Battlefield Park.
It's good to be back!
For some reason I took a long-term substitute teaching position in a Western Maryland middle school. I'd forgotten that the whole reason my wife and I moved out here was to follow our bliss (more or less) and spending five days a week in front of 72 angry sixth graders was not particularly blissful. After a week, I gave the principal two weeks notice. He and his staff were very gracious and supportive and hope I'll return as just a regular day-to-day substitute, which I certainly will. The particular class I had was referred to as "feral children" by one of the other teachers. It was a weird situation, these kids have had seven teachers so far this year, following their original teacher's extended sick leave or something. The result that the kids are very angry and disoriented. Anyhoo...I'm back to volunteering, every Monday, at good old Antietam National Battlefield Park.
It's good to be back!
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