To start off #WorkforceWednesday, we want to say thank you! Every year, volunteers make huge contributions to the work of the National Park Service. At Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, we feel fortunate that volunteers have worked with us as well. Today, we would like to spend some time appreciating all the time and work that communities put into their national parks. If you would like to volunteer, contact us! Visit go.nps.gov/stge-vip to find out how to reach out and see a list of our current volunteer opportunities. Photo: Volunteers at last month's Garden Glow up event, NPS Photo/U. Eubanks. #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP #SteGenNPS #YourParkStory #NVW
Today is the first of a week-long celebration of Volunteers-In-Parks (VIPs) called National Volunteer Week! To volunteer is to do something willingly or because you want to. Many people choose to volunteer for the National Park Service, and each VIP has a different reason. With such a large amount of people willing to work with us, we do as much as we can to provide diverse options to choose from and an easy process to get involved. Volunteers can gain experience in just about any facet of the National Park Service from natural resources to working with the public to maintaining facilities and beyond. Volunteering is also a great way to meet other people who are also determined to benefit the world around them in any way they can. If you would like to find local opportunities to volunteer in Ste. Genevieve, visit our webpage at go.nps.gov/stge-vip. To learn more about National Volunteer Week, visit www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-volunteer-week.htm #NPSVolunteer #SteGenNPS #NVW #SteGenVIP #YourParkStory
We would like to extend a huge thank you to our volunteers that participated in our Garden Glow Up event yesterday! The garden received more love than it has gotten in a long time. We recognize everyone's hard work and we saw a tremendous improvement. Now our rose bushes have plenty of room to thrive come this spring. Next up, join us and experience the total solar eclipse on April 8th! Photo 1: Community Volunteer Ambassador, Ulric, shares some of the history of the rose garden with volunteers. NPS Photo. Photo 2: Volunteers and staff worked hard weeding, pruning, and mulching the garden. NPS Photo. Photo 3: After a morning of laughter and hard work, the garden is ready to thrive this spring! NPS Photo. #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer
Roses aren't the only thing that grows in the Jean Baptiste Vallé garden, but they are definitely what need our help the most! Come help the roses spring back at Garden Glow Up as we move on to our next season in Ste. Genevieve. The event is this Saturday on March 23rd from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Sign up at go.nps.gov/stge-vip! #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer
Marie Jeanne Vallé started a rose garden from rose bush clippings that were sent to her courtesy of Madame Chouteau. She would have enjoyed the presence of this garden until her death in 1842. Now the garden, along with the grounds of her home, are open during the day for everyone to enjoy. Throughout the lifetime of the garden, each owner and caretaker has left their mark on its shape or style. Come leave your mark and help keep the garden pretty for the public at Garden Glow Up ! The event is from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, Saturday, March 23rd. Find more information and sign up at go.nps.gov/stge_vip. Photo: Letter to the Vallés from the Chouteaus, courtesy of Missouri Historical Society. #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer #WomensHistoryMonth
Roses are red, violets are blue. Our garden looks rough, and we need you! March 23rd, please save the date. Come volunteer, make our garden look great! If you manage to make it, don't wear fine dress. Long pants and long sleeves would be for the best. Thank you for humoring our rhymes. If you have any interest in helping us improve our garden, we would love to work with you as a volunteer. Volunteers for this event must be over 13. Adults over 18 can sign up at go.nps.gov/stge-vip with all the required paperwork. If anyone younger would like to participate, they will need a signature from a guardian and can get registration forms by emailing [email protected]. We would also love to answer questions you email us! #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer Photo: Roses at the Jean Baptiste Vallé garden, NPS Photo.
Well Done! Now anyone that visits Memorial Cemetery will get to see all your hard work. Thank you to Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, @ncptt.nps, and all of the volunteers who helped keep part of the history of Ste. Genevieve looking nice and clean for the people interested in appreciating it. We hope you had fun! We know we did. If you are looking for more ways to get involved in Ste. Genevieve NHP, check out go.nps.gov/stge-vip for upcoming volunteer events. Our next event is March 23rd in the Jean Baptiste Vallé rose garden. #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer
Everyone has been hard at work getting ready for the Maintain Memorial volunteer event this Saturday. Now that we've gathered all the supplies, we are very excited for them to be used to clean the headstones at Memorial Cemetery. Don't let this opportunity get washed away! Sign up at go.nps.gov/stge-vip #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer NPS photo
At nearly 240 years old, Memorial Cemetary has many stories to tell, yet many stories have been lost within it as well. Thousands have been interred in Memorial Cemetary. Most of the grave markers have not survived, making it all the more important to keep the remaining headstones in good condition. These headstones are works of art and craftmanship that have lasted ages, and they stand to remind us of the people who have made countless contributions to the community of Ste. Genevieve. In the last century, there have been many efforts to preserve Memorial Cemetary. Come help us with another! On March 2nd, 9:00am to 12:00pm. Make sure to sign up at volunteer.gov! #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer NPS Photo/Ulric Eubanks
We've got another new(ish) face to introduce you to! In September, Ulric started as the park's Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA), a @stewardsip internship through @conservation_legacy that helps support our volunteer program and outreach efforts. Ulric says... "I am very excited to serve as the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park Community Volunteer Ambassador. I look forward to creating new and creative ways for this community to interact with its park. As an Eagle Scout I have a strong commitment to service. I am honored and proud to have this opportunity with the park service to work with historical and natural preservation." We're excited to have you, too, Ulric! #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer NPS Photo
As we enter a new year, we want to highlight some of our new(ish) staff! Volunteer Kathryn has been diligently researching individuals who were enslaved at the Jean Baptiste Vallé House, Bauvais-Amoureux House, and Green Tree Tavern. By identifying and combing through related historic records, Kathryn has expanded what we know about the men, women, and children who were enslaved here. About her work, she says: “I am excited to be able to help recover the records of some of the people whose lives shaped the history of Ste. Genevieve, although their names and histories were lost to us until now. This is a wonderful opportunity to expand our understanding of the region. It is important to bring forward, to the best of our ability, the names and memories of those who were enslaved and helped build the town and its success through their labor.” There is still quite a bit of work to be done when it comes to researching the many individuals associated with these homes, especially those who were enslaved. We are thankful for the help of people like Kathryn who are willing to share their time and knowledge with us. #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #NPSVolunteer Photo courtesy of Kathryn
Can you knot? Or can you not knot? You don't have to wait for Giving Tuesday to give back! Volunteer to get crafty with us and help make magnolia garland that will deck the halls of the historic houses. You just need to be able to tie a knot! Or not, we have plenty of holiday helpers who can assist with that part. Drop in at the Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center between 3:00 - 5:00 pm today or tomorrow to lend a hand. More information is available at go.nps.gov/stge-vip. Walk-in's and volunteers of all ages are welcome! #SteGenVIP #SteGenNPS #NPSVolunteer NPS Photo
Time for tinsel or waiting for turkey first? Breaking out winter decorations or holding on to the fading colors of fall? We’re starting our holiday decorating the day after Thanksgiving, and we’re inviting you to join! Volunteer to help us create magnolia garland to deck the halls of the Jean Baptiste Vallé House and Green Tree Tavern. The historical residents of Ste. Genevieve celebrated a long holiday season beginning with Advent in December. By decorating the homes for the holidays, we’re better able to share the history of Ste. Genevieve’s winter traditions with visitors throughout the season. Gather with us for a chance to share in the tradition, learn about the history, and spend time together. More information about the event and how to volunteer can be found at go.nps.gov/stge-vip. #SteGenNPS #SteGenVIP #HolidayTraditions #WinterFestivities #NPSVolunteer
📢 📆 The application to be a Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) closes this week on July 21st! A CVA at Ste. Genevieve will receive a weekly stipend and will have a great chance to build experience, learn about career opportunities, and get a behind the scenes look at how a National Park Service site gets its start! The internship begins in September and lasts 50 weeks. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. For more information, visit go.nps.gov/WorkSteGen. #NPSYouth #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP #SteGenNPS
"Do you have any volunteer opportunities?" Oh, what a wonderful sound, to hear those words! Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park is still in the early stages of developing a volunteer program. While we often have to respond with "not yet, but soon!", we have had some volunteers assist us with special projects like cleaning up the Jean Baptiste Vallé rose garden, building a fence, and doing research. One of those volunteers is Carmen, who has been instrumental in helping us organize our fledgling library. Carmen has donated a significant amount of time to @usgrantnps as well. You can read about Carmen's story at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/volunteer-story-king.htm #MyParkStory #YourParkStory #NVW #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP #MidwestNPS NPS Photo
Volunteer Day Update! Unfortunately, due to the high winds that have continued into this morning, the volunteer day at the Jean Baptiste Vallé rose garden has been cancelled. Thank you to those who expressed interest, we hope that you will consider volunteering with us at future events! #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP NPS Photo
Our volunteer day in the Jean Baptiste Vallé House rose garden is this Saturday, April 1, and we are glad to see some sunshine in the forecast! Volunteers can still sign up to enjoy a morning in the garden. Each volunteer will get a Ste. Genevieve NHP Volunteers-In-Parks water bottle as a small thank you (and because, you know, a sunny day outside is a lot less fun if you're dehydrated). To sign up or for more information, visit go.nps.gov/stge-vip. #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP
Sorry, this event is for VIPs only... And by VIP we mean Volunteers-in-Parks! Join us on Saturday, April 1, and become a Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park VIP! We're looking for volunteers to spend the morning helping park staff prune and weed the Jean Baptiste Vallé House rose garden. Want to be a VIP? For more information and a link to register, visit go.nps.gov/stge-vip. #NPSVolunteer #SteGenVIP NPS Photo
Join us on Saturday, April 1, from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm to keep the Jean Baptiste Vallé rose garden blooming and smelling sweet! We're looking for volunteers to help prune and weed in the garden. No experience is necessary, but volunteers must be at least 13 years old. Come spend a day outside surrounded by history! To register or for more information, visit go.nps.gov/stge-vip! #NPSVolunteer #NPSVIP #SteGenVIP #YourParkStory