Volunteering at the Cape Cod Canal
Volunteers play a critical role in the successful day-to-day operations at the Cape Cod Canal. Year-round volunteers work hard to improve aesthetics, help ranger staff with wildlife management & habitat improvement, maintain facilities and provide visitors with valuable information. Without their support, the Cape Cod Canal would not be the beautiful and safe place to recreate that we all enjoy.
2024 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
USACE is currently looking to fill 1 volunteer Park Attendant position (couples or singles) for the 2024 recreation season. Brief descriptions are below. If interested in more information and to apply, please Contact Park Ranger Elisa Carey elisa.d.carey@usace,army.mil or call 978-318-8591 prior to Nov 17, 2023.
USACE is looking to fill to 2 WORKCAMPER Visitor Center Volunteer positions (couples or singles) for the 2024 recreation season. Brief descriptions are below. If interested in more information and to apply, please Contact Park Ranger Samantha Gray at 978-318-8622 or samantha.a.gray@usace,army.mil prior to Nov 17, 2023.
Special Event Volunteer opportunities: See below.
Waste Warrior Volunteer opportunities: See below.
VOLUNTEER PARK ATTENDANTS
Volunteer Park Attendants are responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the Cape Cod Canal’s Midway Recreation Area from Memorial Day Weekend in May through Columbus Day in October.
Midway Recreation area sits across the street from the Cape Cod Canal. It offers a great place for travelers to get out and stretch their legs, use restroom facilities, and enjoy a picnic.
The large field behind the restrooms has a swing set, volleyball net, horseshoe pit and a large picnic shelter with grills and fireplace that is available for group reservations.
Park Attendants are responsible for cleaning public restroom facilities, emptying trash & recycling receptacles, interacting with visitors, picking up loose litter, wiping down picnic tables & benches and reporting safety issues. Schedule is a rotating 4 days on, 4 days off. 8:00 am – 8:00 pm (*or sunset, whichever is earlier).
USACE provides Park Attendants with an RV site at Midway Recreation Area, complete with water, electricity (50 AMP), sewerage hookup, picnic table, fire ring, security lighting and trash removal service. Internet is not provided by USACE. But hook-up is available at the RV site’s pedestal to existing Comcast/Xfinity subscribers.
CAPE COD CANAL VISITOR CENTER VOLUNTEERS
The Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center offers exhibits, brochures, films and Ranger-guided programs about the Cape Cod Canal’s history, features and operations. It is open to the public May-October. A team of volunteers works with Park Rangers to help with the daily operations of the facility. Tasks include meeting and orientating visitors, answering questions, playing the film for visitors, tracking visitation, operating a register for a small bookstore, restocking brochures, wiping down exhibits, vacuuming, helping Park Rangers prepare interpretive programs and other tasks as needed.
If you enjoy life-long learning and sharing that with others, this is for you. Additional opportunities for volunteers include leading guided tours, leading school programs, exhibit development and maintenance.
WORKCAMPER Visitor Center Volunteers work 24 hours a week for singles. 32 hours a week for couples. Hours are generally between 9am-5pm. In return USACE provides Workcamper Visitor Center Volunteers with an RV site along the Cape Cod Canal at either Midway Recreation Area or near Sagamore Recreation Area, complete with water, electricity (50 AMP), sewerage hookup, picnic table, fire ring, security lighting and trash removal service. Internet is not provided by USACE.
LOCAL Visitor Center Volunteers: Fill a 4-hour shift, 1 or 2x a week. Starting in May 2024. Shifts are either from 9:15am-1:15pm or 1:15pm-5:15pm. Training, volunteer vest, and name tag provided. For more information, contact samantha.a.gray@usace.army.mil.
WASTE WARRIORS
Each October our recreation season comes to an end. And our wonderful park attendants and seasonal staff move on to new adventures. With their exit comes the closing of trash receptacles and the never-ending battle of picking up after people who do not carry out their trash with them.
Waste Warriors not only help us with keeping the park beautiful in the off-season, but also play a role in keeping the grounds sanitary as many visitors choose to leave their dog waste behind.
Waste Warriors options:
• 1-time group clean-up
• Groups with a regular schedule (weekly, monthly ..) at one recreation area or multiple
• Individuals/friend/family who walk the canal frequently and want to clean up along the way
Supplies provided by US Army Corps of Engineers (grabbers, gloves, bags)
Sorting & Data collection projects for home school groups.
Spring & Summer clean-ups available as well.
Interested? Contact: elisa.d.carey@usace,army.mil
SPECIAL EVENTS VOLUNTEERS
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Cape Cod Canal hosts multiple community events each year. Each event has its own individual needs for volunteers. They can range from set-up and break-down to trash clean up to handing out information to visitors. Special event volunteers get to interact with their community and participate in all the fun each event has to offer… all while giving back to their local public lands.
2024 Special Events:
Annual Cape Cod Canal Clean Up
Saturday April 20, 2024
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Cod Canal partners with AmeriCorps Cape Cod to create this event, rain or shine. Event includes large scale trash clean-up along the Canal’s 14 miles of service road/shoreline, as well as hosting hands-on activities for participants.
Volunteers are needed to assist with trash clean-up, assist with hands on activities, event set-up and break-down, weighing trash bags collected. More information to come as the event date approaches.
Point of Contact: Samantha Gray 978-318-8622 or samantha.a.gray@usace.army.mil
National Public Lands Day
Saturday, September 28th, 2024
National Public Lands Day is our nation’s largest single day volunteer event on public lands. At the Cape Cod Canal, we host a fall trash clean up. Individual and groups volunteers are needed to help clean up trash at different recreation areas and along the canal service roads and shoreline.
Great opportunity for high school students and scouts to gain volunteer hours. More information to come as the event approaches.
Point of Contact: Samantha Gray 978-318-8622 or samantha.a.gray@usace.army.mil