Volunteer Opportunities Around Gatlinburg this August

Posted by Gatlinburg Chamber Aug - 4 - 2011 Comments Off

Here are some volunteer opportunities for the month of August:

Volunteers gather each Thursday morning at First Baptist Church of Gatlinburg as back packs are prepared and loaded up for delivery to the Gatlinburg area schools, including: Pi Beta Phi, Jones Cove and Pittman Center Elementary Schools. Each week they fill 180 packs for kids who would otherwise be without on the weekends. They welcome all people to volunteer to help, just call Jennifer Myrick at (865) 654-6160.
The Chamber Adopt-A-Spur effort is back with the warmer weather, so join Chamber staff one morning a month to clean the portion of the Spur from the Gatlinburg Welcome Center to the entrance of town. We ask a Member business to send two to four volunteers for a two-hour shift from 8:30-10:30am on a morning that works for their staff schedule (generally the second Tuesday of the month). This is a one-time volunteer opportunity available to a different business each month, and we have openings for September, October and November. Please email Erin Moran if you are interested in participating in the Chamber’s Adopt a Spur effort. If you would like to volunteer on your own schedule to pick up litter along the Spur and other areas of the Park, please contact GSMNP Volunteer Coordinator Dana Soehn at Dana_Soehn@nps.gov or (865) 436-1265.
The Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation is always looking for volunteers for our fundraising and community events. A few we have coming up are: the Annual Miniature Golf Tournament on September 13. For more information about how to volunteer for these and other Chamber events, please contact Events Director Sherry Holtzclaw at (865) 436-4178 or sherry@gatlinburg.com.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is looking for more wonderful local volunteers. Click here to read all of the opportunities available! If you have any questions, please contact GSMNP Volunteer Coordinator Dana Soehn at Dana_Soehn@nps.gov or (865) 436-1265. Here are two great opportunities:

Trails Forever Volunteer Opportunities Trails Forever Program: A partnership between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Friends of the Smokies to complete trail rehabilitation projects. Required: Volunteers must commit to at least one 10 hour workday, be able to hike a minimum of 4 miles, use hand tools (shovels, fire rakes, Pulaski/axes, sledgehammers), and provide personal gear for the day (water, food, rain gear, appropriate clothing, boots). Duties: Volunteers perform a wide range of trail maintenance and trail rehabilitation and work alongside a Park Trail Crew including installing drainage structures (waterbars, check dams), rehabilitating trail surfaces, constructing turnpikes (raise trail segments), removing brush and vegetation, and building foot logs and bridges.
Park Headquarters Lobby Assistant: Volunteer will work 4-6 hours each week in the lobby directing visitors to Sugarlands Visitor Center or appropriate NPS office. Volunteer will perform light administrative duties such as data entry, filing, and preparing information mailouts.

United Way of Sevier County is always looking for volunteers! Contact LauraBoling@uwosc.org to sign up- lots of events coming up in September, including The Taste of Autumn!

Help out with some of the wonderful Special Events hosted by the City of Gatlinburg by becoming a “Trailblazer!” Trailblazer Socials, informal meetings at area restaurants, will be held monthly for Trailblazers to socialize and briefly discuss upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Regular volunteers will receive special recognition, so get started today! To become a Trailblazer, send your e-mail address or your mailing address to: Jon Elder, Special Events Coordinator at jone@ci.gatlinburg.tn.us or 303 Reagan Drive!