Each month we will be highlighting various opportunities, events, and notable volunteers. Check out our website, and call or email us for any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you at Indiana Dunes National Park!
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In memoriam: Roy Olson
The National Park mourns the loss of one of our longtime volunteers, Roy Olson. Roy had been with the park for about 40 years and was an invaluable help with a range of festivals and events. Among other positions, he manned the Sugar Shack at the Maple Sugar Time festival, drove the volunteer shuttle bus, assisted with the Duneland Harvest fest, operated the now-defunct contact station sales outlet, spearheaded pre-orders and box collecting for the Native Plant Sale, and worked the Apples Fest hayride and trebuche. Indiana Dunes will greatly miss his enthusiasm and dedication and we extend our greatest condolences to his loved ones at this time.
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Sometimes the greatest beauty of nature is hidden in the details rather than the sweeping vistas. Volunteer Mark Chantell captured this photo of a dead log supporting a variety of lichens while hiking in the park. How many different kinds of lichen can you spot in this small section of decaying tree?
See more of Mark's park photography on his blog.
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Congratulations to thE turkey Raffle winner!
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Congratulations to volunteer Jaime Golba on winning this year's heritage Thanksgiving turkey raffle!!
If you spent any time at Chellberg Farm this year, you may have noticed some new additions. Over the past four months, the volunteer Farm and Garden Crew has raised heritage turkeys in an enclosure in the cow pasture. This Thanksgiving, one of these tasty farm-raised turkeys went to a dedicated volunteer. Next year, keep an eye on the farm for a new flock and another Thanksgiving raffle for your chance at some truly local holiday fare. Happy harvest season!
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Thank you to the nine members of our Trail Crew who assisted the park's Resource Management division in installing 350 feet of new fence and removing invasives such as autumn olive and buckthorn at West Beach this week! Your hard work makes a huge difference and does not go unnoticed.
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Twilight Christmas Parade
Saturday, November 27th
Get into the holiday spirit and become a part of a unique Chesterton tradition! The Duneland Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Twilight Christmas Parade, generally held the Saturday following Thanksgiving. To kick off the event, the Duneland Chamber of Commerce sponsors festive carriage rides throughout the downtown area. The parade begins at 5:15pm with numerous entries ranging from floats to walking groups, all leading up to the arrival of Santa Clause on a fire truck. Local businesses stay open late and traditional holiday sweets including hot chocolate are available.
The Park Connection team also has a float in the parade and we need your help to decorate it! If you are interested in joining the float decoration team, email Jim Whitenack at james_whitenack@nps.gov for information on the meeting time and place.
If you'd like to walk with the float in the parade, please arrive and be ready to line up at 5:15pm. All parade lineup is off of Porter Avenue at the Westchester Township History Museum and to the right behind Chesterton Middle School by the track field. Look for the park's green wagon and John Deere tractor. Please wear your uniform if you can make it. Happy holidays!
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Drop-In Volunteering
Saturday, November 20th, 9am-12pm
Meet at Park Connection Office
Drop-in volunteering provides hassle-free opportunities at Indiana Dunes! With no previous sign-up or experience required, drop-ins are perfect for those with just a few hours of free time. Events are held on the third Saturday of the month at the Park Connection Office (618 N. Mineral Springs Rd.). Projects vary by date and season, but can include working with invasive species, and land and building restoration.
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Trash Trekkers
Every day 8:30am-4:30pm
Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center
Trash Trekkers is an easy way to get involved at the park at your convenience! Simply check in at the Visitor Center on Route 49 to receive trash bags, then choose from one of our many beaches or hiking trails to collect trash. Visitors are awarded with a free, reusable water bottle for filling up their bags. Together, we can keep our beaches beautiful!
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Fall Interpretive Programs
Indiana Dunes' interpretive rangers are continuing limited public programming throughout the fall! See the park's event calendar for the full schedule of guided hikes, interactive events, and presentations. From tree ID to Native American history, there's something for everyone!
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Fall Foliage
'Tis the season - for fall colors!! With the late bloom this year, November is one of the best month for viewing the foliage in Northwest Indiana. Use this handy foliage predictor tool to see when peak colors are expected in the region or anywhere in the country. Enjoy the colors on any of the national park's trails, like Cowles Bog (pictured above, photo by Paul Kemiel) and share your photos by tagging the park's social media @IndianaDunesNPS!
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what's new
with the Friends
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The Friends of Indiana Dunes, Inc. sponsor invaluable educational and recreational opportunities. Since 1982, our mission is: “to enhance and foster understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Indiana Dunes through financial and volunteer support of the National and State Parks as well as the Dunes Learning Center."
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Recently, Friends of Indiana Dunes Board Members Dorothy Meyers, Kathy Wilder, and Angel Gochee-Goins came together for a COVID-style day of fun and impromptu woodstove cooking demonstration. It has been since Maple Sugar Time 2020 that there has been any life in the Chellberg Farmhouse. All visitors that ventured out on that fabulous fall day were glad to see activity in the farmhouse again.
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Even with all the COVID challenges, our two Indiana Dunes parks and the Dunes Learning Center have endured, proving that you cannot keep good folks down. As Thanksgiving approaches, Friends of Indiana Dunes wants to thanks all volunteers whether at the National Park, State Park, Dunes Learning Center, or Indiana Tourism for their generous donation of spirit, time, and talents.
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Please have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
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Interested in helping? Contact Friends Chair Angel Goins at 219-707-3617. Hours donated on Friends projects that benefit the National Park count as VIP hours.
www.friendsofindianadunes.com
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Are you bored at home, missing the excitement of serving the park? Never fear, you can volunteer without ever leaving your computer! Below is a list of free trainings that may help you prepare to get going when we reopen -- or just stimulate your mind! Time spent on training DOES count for volunteer hours, so make sure to include it on your monthly hours report.
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Trail Riding 101
Equine professionals created this course to prepare riders to make informed decisions when riding horses on trails. This 3-5 hour course will prepare you to take on Indiana Dunes' riding trails like a pro!
Find course here.
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Foundations of Interpretation
This introductory course provides the philosophical groundwork for why we do interpretation, what interpretation is, and how interpretation works form personal connections between the meanings of the resources and the interests of the audience.
Earn certificate issued by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands, Indiana University
Find course here.
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Leave No Trace Online Awareness Course
This brief course will provide you with a better understanding of recreation-related impacts, the Seven Principles and how Leave No Trace skills and ethics can help protect the outdoor places we love.
Earn Leave No Trace certificate
Find course here.
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Trail Safe!
This program is a unique safety training program designed specifically for National Park Service (NPS) Trail Volunteers, but is useful to everyone! It's based upon NPS Operational Leadership Training, where the Human Factor of safety is explored. Trail Safe! captures the core learning objectives of the 16-hour Operational Leadership course while allowing volunteers to learn from their homes online.
Earn Trail Safe! certificate, SPE/GAR card, and pin
Find course here.
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Introduction to the National Park Service
Learn about the ideas that formed and later transformed the National Park Service (NPS), the people who generated those ideas, and the laws that continue to shape the NPS today.
Earn certificate issued by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands, Indiana University
Find course here.
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Fire Extinguisher Training
National Park Service employees are required to complete annual fire extinguisher training. It's important to knowing how and when to operate an extinguisher, whether you are volunteering at the park or not!
Find course here.
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The Park Connection office will be closed on Wednesday, 11/24 as Sarah will be home with her family for the holidays. Drop by another Wednesday or send an email with any questions or concerns. Thanks for your patience!
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We are working hard to restructure and update our database, but we need your help. Please take a brief moment to review these tasks:
1. If your contact information, address, or emergency contact has changed since you were onboarded as a volunteer, please fill out and sign a new Volunteer Service Agreement and email it to parkconnection@gmail.com.
2. We rely on your feedback to be the best supervisors we can be. If you have suggestions or comments about your volunteering experience, please respond to this brief survey and send it to Volunteer Program Manager Jim Whitenack at james_whitenack@nps.gov.
3. The park's resource guide has been updated for 2021 and contains tons of valuable information about the park. Feel free to review it for background on the park's purpose, history, ecology, and more!
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Please don't forget to turn in your times monthly to parkconnection@gmail.com.
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