We are still kicking even though we haven't written much lately. Just having too much fun. I need to make up for all the silences these past weeks.

If you have forgotten, we are volunteering at Savannah NWR located in SC but about 10 miles outside of Savannah, GA.

This is the VC looking from where our RV is parked., It is about a quarter-mile walk from our RV to the VC. The VC was built in 2009 and opened for business in 2010. It includes an auditorium with a video about the refuge, a gift shop, a display area showing the history of the area around the refuge, an interpretive trail around the VC, and a bird feeding area with benches and a shade structure. In other words, it's a real VC. The grounds are in a former loblolly pine plantation that was managed by some unnamed paper company.

Our RV pad is cement and the driveway is blacktopped. Pretty top-shelf accommodations. There is room for 2 RV's and there is a small building between the two RV pads that contains the water-saving clothes washer and drier. The refuge provides laundry detergent and propane for our RV. We have to work at least 24 hours per week and the site is free. Pretty good deal. Pretty good site. Pretty good situation.

Our normal shift is 8:30 to 4:30. The VC is open Mon-Sat. There is a Friends of Savannah NWR group who runs the gift shop since the employees are not allowed to handle money. The Friends group also staff the VC. They work 4 hour shifts. When there are gaps in their schedule, we will fill in behind them. Normally we work Thur, Fri, and Sat, but we are now scheduling ourselves on other days when the Friends leave gaps. When the VC is staffed by Friends, we do miscellaneous maintenance activities at the request of the staff. We do have a standing job of collecting recyclables in the VC once a week, stocking pamphlets in all the kiosks located at trail heads around the refuge, and patrolling the wildlife drive at least once a week to pick up trash.

 

Today, I traveled to another refuge that is part of the complex of refuges that make up the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex. More on that and the wildlife drive when I return in another day.