Sheryl Kayne - Volunteer Vacations Across America

Womens Issues, Youth, Education, Health, Safety, Homelessness, Poverty, and Human Rights

Community and Economic Development, Construction, Historic Preservation, and the Arts

Animals, Natural Habitats, and Scientific Research

Restoration and Improvements, Trail Building and Maintenance, Ecology, and Sustainable Living

Conservation, Maintenance, and Stewardship

Indexes

Y ou make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give. The speaker is unknown but the message is especially relevant today. More and more people are seeking opportunities to help the people, places, and things that share this planet. From politicians to religious leaders to teachers and parents, we as a society are responding to this global call to service.

For much of my career I have studied, taught, and helped develop tourism. My travels to large cities and small villages throughout the world have afforded me many wonderful opportunities, but the memories that have remained with me are of rolling up my sleeves and working, side by side, with my hosts. Regardless of what a project entails, the feeling that youve done something that made a difference, no matter how small, is truly rewarding.

There is no better way to learn about a place, interact with the people, observe the wildlife and natural environment, experience the culture and cuisine, and be part of a destination than by volunteering. The combination of volunteering and travelvolunteer vacationsis a growing trend. Increasingly, people are choosing to incorporate volunteer activities into their vacation time, and they are enjoying the satisfaction of giving back.

Volunteer vacations need not conjure up thoughts of far-off lands and exotic activities. The reality is that one does not have to cross an ocean to engage in meaningful and important work. Volunteer Vacations Across America is an excellent resource for finding hundreds of opportunities to travel and volunteer within the United States. Trips range from short drives for stays of just a few days to longer excursions that might involve volunteering for several weeks or more.

I wish this book had been available when I started my career. The compilation of so many wonderful volunteer vacation opportunities, all within the United States, is extraordinary. An invaluable resource to anyone looking for information about volunteering in America, this easy-to-read guide clearly details an array of unique options in five categories: People, Communities, Wildlife, Environment, and National Treasures. Volunteer Vacations Across America makes it easy to identify the various types of opportunities available, including those that are free or offered as a trade. Youll learn everything you need to know to plan your trip, and youll read informative personal stories from travelers who have taken volunteer vacations.

What better way to understand the plight of the Alaskan fur seal than to participate in a scientific research study? What better way to assist others than to work with communities to rehabilitate low-income housing so individuals in needbe they elderly or disabled veterans or people displaced due to natural disasterscan return to and stay in their homes? How better to help the next generation than by tutoring children? These are some of the exceptional opportunities you will find in this book that offer the chance to learn, grow, and change how you view the world.

Whether youre a history buff, wildlife advocate, environmentalist, or passionate supporter of human rights, and whatever your age, experience, or income, you will find an opportunity for you. Whether you prefer roughing it or playing it safe, youll find a whole new world of exciting and unusual possibilities. I invite you to roll up your sleeves, explore, and plan a volunteer vacation.

Kristin M. Lamoureux, Director,
International Institute of Tourism Studies,
George Washington University School of Business

T his book reflects the effort, commitment, and experiences of hundreds of volunteers. Without you, the true volunteers across America, sharing your time, energy, and passion with people throughout the United States, this book could not have been written. Your stories are educational, heartwarming, and inspirational. I learned more from speaking with youvolunteers who are literally out in the fields, towns, cities, and countryside participating in the activities documented in this bookthan from any other source. I applaud and celebrate your hard work and selfless contributions.

Thank you to each and every dedicated professional working with nonprofit, for-profit, and grassroots, independent groups. The assistance and cooperation I received from the organizations and businesses highlighted in this book were invaluable. It has been immensely rewarding to interact with so many people who share the concept, vision, and enthusiasm for Volunteer Vacations Across America .

People, communities, wildlife, the environment, and our national treasures are in need of assistance, and it is my hope and dream that people everywhere will become more aware of the many ways in which we can all help.

Special thanks to everyone who worked with me on this book: Kermit Hummel and the staffs of Countryman Press and W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.; Lisa Hagan, Paraview Literary, Inc.; Beverly Ehrman, BEEditing; Ann-Marie Nieves, Get Red PR; and Michael Knight, Director of the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Taos, New Mexico.

Volunteer to conserve and protect the scenic, historic, natural, and cultural significance of the Continental Divide Trail, spanning 3,100 miles through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.
BEN WATKINS

We are finding that an increasing number of people are calling every day, looking for programs so that they can volunteer their services here in the United States. They are no longer as willing as they once were to incur the costs of going abroad to volunteer. Ambassadors for Children is developing more U.S. programs; the newest is to benefit two communities in New Mexico and will need many volunteers to work with at-risk youth in a very exciting program.

V ICKIE B INFORD, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, AMBASSADORS FOR CHILDREN