Cabrillo National Monument VIP Newsletter | |
June 2022 Updates for VIPs | |
Don't Forget to Log Your Hours! | |
"The world changes in direct proportion to the number of people willing to be honest about their lives." -- Armistead Maupin
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"June is a unique and intersectional month that celebrates many diverse people, places, and stories. This month celebrates Pride Month for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities. In addition, June marks Caribbean American Heritage Month, which promotes the recognition of Caribbean immigrants and communities in the United States of America. The date of June 19 also recognizes both the struggles working toward, and joy of, Black freedom and liberation through the honoring of Juneteenth National Independence Day. Finally, understanding that none of us is separate from the land we inhabit, June presents opportunities to celebrate National Trails Day on June 4 and Great Outdoors Month.
All these celebrations, while honoring diverse stories, are connected to each other and to the well-being of diverse communities within our workforce, our stakeholders, and the people, places, and stories we serve. Recognizing these intersections of many stories and communities, the celebration of Pride in June celebrates both the unique specificity and wide-ranging powerful diversity held within LGBTQ+ communities..."
Director, National Park Service - Charles F. Sams III
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- Farewell Party Invitation
- VIP Kudos: Radio Protocol and VNC
- Volunteer Navigation Committee Updates
- Customer Service VIP Training
- Community Science Opportunity
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- Mental Health Resources for VIPs
- Online Juneteenth Celebration
- Upcoming Paid Opportunity
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You Are Cordially Invited! | |
Please join us later this month in properly sending off two of our wonderful program managers, Elizabeth and Linh Anh, who have been essential in volunteer program operations. Although we are very sad to see them both go, we cannot help but to wish them best of luck in their next career moves. They will no doubt continue to do amazing work with the National Park Service. All the best to both of them! | |
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From Elizabeth Skinner, Visitor Services Program Manager:
Dear volunteers,
I am both excited and sad to announce that I will be leaving Cabrillo for a new job with the Washington, D.C. NPS Headquarters in the Learning and Development program as a training instructor. I will be able to work from home in San Diego to teach virtual classes for the New Supervisor Development Program for NPS, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This new role will allow me to have a better work-life balance while I raise my son (yay, no commuting!). I’m happy I will have more time with my family, but I will miss all of you. Working at Cabrillo for the last 3.5 years has been an absolute dream. We’ve weathered some difficult times – multiple government shutdowns, the pandemic, policy changes, budget issues – and despite all of that I’ve experienced so much joy working alongside you. Thank you for your creativity, generosity, commitment, and most of all your TIME. I’m proud of the special events, facility updates, operations changes, improved accessibility, and other things we accomplished together. This isn’t goodbye – I'm staying in San Diego and staying with the park service, so I will certainly be back at Cabrillo to explore the tidepools with Julian and enjoy CNMF member events!
I am thrilled to share that Amanda Gossard will be filling for me in a 120-day temporary promotion while Andrea works on filling my position permanently. I know Amanda will do a wonderful job continuing our Interpretation, Education, and Volunteer team priorities to have accessible, fun, and interesting programs and events.
My last full day at the park will be Tuesday, July 5. If I don’t see you before then, please keep in touch! I’ll have the same email address.
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From Linh Anh Cat, Resources Management & Science Program Manager:
Dear volunteers,
I will be leaving CABR July 15th to work as the Natural Resources Manager/Supervisory Ecologist at Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Moloka’i, Hawai’i. They have a (much) smaller rocky intertidal zone due to the smaller tidal fluctuations and some wonderful marine and terrestrial natural resources. The park is only accessible by hiking steep sea cliffs or airplane, so they do not have the same challenges as our tidepools with visitors!
I’m looking forward to living across the street from endangered Hawaiian monk seals. That being said, I am incredibly sad to leave the Resources team and San Diego. The park’s goal is to fill the Program Manager position at CABR as soon as possible after I leave.
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Alt text for flyer: a Teal and black flyer reads: Invitation to going away party Thursday, June 23rd at 12:00 pm at Upper maintenance for Linh Anh and Elizabeth. Linh Anh is moving to Hawai'i for a promotion at Kalaupapa National Hisitoric Site. Elizabeth is starting a remote job as a training instructor for NPS Learning and Development Photo of Linh Anh wearing a ranger uniform with a map of the Hawaiian Islands behind her and a photo of Elizabeth wearing a ranger hat inside the screen of a laptop. | |
VIP Kudos
Sunday, June 5th – VIP Brian quickly reported on the radio a slip and fall incident down at the tidepools that occurred upon arrival for his shift. Awesome radio communication, Brian! Brian was also super helpful in the recent removal of some graffiti down below. All these efforts are always communal, so thank you to all VIPs for all you do!
- Sandy Hernandez, Volunteer Coordinator
VIP Mohamad and VNC members - A small group of volunteers have been working hard on a Cabrillo National Monument Handbook draft to present at the next VNC meeting. This document will help capture park policy in relation to our volunteer program. Thanks for all your hard work!
- Sandy Hernandez, Volunteer Coordinator
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Let's keep it going! Thinking of a fellow volunteer who deserves to be celebrated? Send us your Kudos and Spotlights to cabr_volunteers@nps.gov so we can share them in the next newsletter, and celebrate each other together!
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NPS Photo | C. Aurrecoechea | VIP Brian roving alongside the coastal trail in full volunteer uniform and TPERP backpack- his back to us. In the background, pelicans fly in the air over the blue, ocean water. | |
Volunteer Navigation Committee (VNC) Updates
Please join us for the next VNC meeting on Saturday, July 9th at 12pm in the Cabrillo National Monument auditorium. All volunteers are welcome to join in! You can RSVP by signing up on Volgistics for the next meeting. Never attended a VNC meeting but would like to give it a try? Email cabr_volunteers@nps.gov so we ensure you are able to sign up on Volgistics.
| Missed the last meeting? Don't worry! See notes linked below: | |
At the next meeting there are two main topics to be discussed. We will hopefully have a draft of the VIP Handbook to be distributed for comments. The goal is to have volunteers review it and we will vote on it at the August meeting. The second topic is a summary of a plan for developing training for the volunteer opportunities. This will be a partnership between the volunteers and the VIP Supervisors. If there is still time at the meeting, we may brainstorm some more on the community involvement and building among volunteers and staff.
So, why would you need a committee run by volunteers—isn’t that just one more thing to add to your already full to-do list, and yet another meeting to attend? The Volunteer Navigation Committee (VNC) is so much more than just another committee and another meeting. The group provides volunteers with a voice in the decision-making processes related to the VIP program at CNM. See you at the next meeting!
NPS Photo | Seven smiling volunteers take a selfie in front of the Assistant Keeper's Quarters.
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Customer Service VIP Training | |
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou
Customer service is perhaps one of the most vital parts of leaving visitors with everlasting memories of their experience at Cabrillo National Monument. Join Ranger Tom and Ranger Sandy to learn how to communicate successfully with visitors, create a good first impression of the National Park Service, detect any biases, and be prepared for anything.
Each training is 2 hours long with breaks, and a max capacity of 20 VIPs. Both trainings are the same, so no need to attend both. You can sign up on Volgistics as it is listed as a Continued Education/Training assignment. See you there!
Please email cabr_volunteers@nps.gov if you have any questions, concerns, or need any accommodations.
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NPS Photos | C. Aurrecoechea
Alt text for flyer: A blue flyer reads, "Customer service training (image of five yellow "customer review" stars) on Saturday, June 18th at 10am or Monday, June 20th at 10am in the CABR auditorium. Sign up on Volgisitcs." Inside two decorative circles are images. Image 1: Smiling VIP interacts with a young visitor exploring the TPERP education table. Image 2: VIP stands with group of visitors as he does a guided walk in front of the lighthouse.
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Upcoming Field Trip Opportunity | |
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Join us on Tuesday, June 28th for a field trip at Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP)!
What? Guided walk to the grinding stones.
Join us for a 90-minute walk guided by a specially trained MTRP trail guide.
Meet at 9 am at the MTRP Visitor Center (1 Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego, CA 92119) and learn about plants, Kumeyaay culture, birds, insects, etc.
Space is limited. Please RSVP with Patricia at patricia_simpson@partner.nps.gov by June 20th.
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Image credit: "Cloud Walk" by Angelina Short via the MTRP 2022 Photo Contest. | Alt text for flyer: a green and white flyer reads: "Mission Trails Regional Park Field Trip; June 28th, Tuesday 9 AM; Guided walk; RSVP required." Four boxes form a square. Box 1 had the written information mentioned, Box 2 and 3 are decorative, and Box 4 is the image "Cloud Walk by Angelina Short. A river flows with green hills and bushes in the background. Large clouds fill the sky and create shadows over the hills. | |
Bee a Community Scientist at Cabrillo!
Did you know that there are around 20,000 different species of bees recorded so far? There are fuzzy ones, slick ones, tiny ones, large ones; bees that nest together, or alone; bees that build, and bees that dig; bees that make honey, and bees that don’t, and so very much more. San Diego County is bountiful with bees, with over 700 different species identified … and counting! But, like any other group on Earth, bees are threatened by a variety of factors. One concern is that of invasive species that can outcompete native species for resources, a phenomenon that can damage the entire habitat. Another concern is climate change, which can alter the flowering cycles of plants to become decoupled with that of their pollinators.
We'd like to invite you to help us track our special native bees and the factors that threaten them by documenting a) the life cycle of our native plants and b) which species of bee visits which species of plant. Help us preserve and protect our national park and the pollinators that keep it healthy!
How:
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Go to our page on the free community science platform Nature’s Notebook and follow the outlined steps - Bee a phenology observer at Cabrillo National Monument | USA National Phenology Network (usanpn.org)
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Come to a training with science educator Sam Wynns on Thursday, June 30th at 9:30 AM! To sign up, email Sam directly at Samantha_Wynns@partner.nps.org.
Hope to see you there!
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Image credit: @billiken via iNaturalist.org | Bee on a bright yellow flower. | |
Mental Health Resources for Volunteers
Volunteer-specific resource list now available! Click below! WASO VIP partnered with the Wellness and Resilience Branch in the Office of Risk to create a list of volunteer-focused mental health resources, which is now available to you all!
"Seeking help is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of courage."
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Juneteenth Celebration on DOI Live Events (Online)
What is Juneteenth? It’s a holiday celebrated on the 19th of June to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
The event is accessible online and will stream live on DOI Live Events:
Wednesday, June 22nd at 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (EST)
Click on the link below to access it the day of!
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COVID-19 Updates: Quarantine and Isolation Tracker | |
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As we are seeing COVID case numbers go up across the county (and the nation), here is a reminder that there are useful tools online to determine how long and under what conditions one needs to isolate (if sick or confirmed with COVID), or to quarantine (if exposed in close contact to someone with a confirmed case). There is a Quarantine and Isolation Calculator available, linked below.
These sites also include the recommendations for getting tested if someone is monitoring for, but doesn't have, any symptoms (e.g., testing 5 days after close contact with someone confirmed).
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And reminders relative to your health and protecting our Cabrillo team -- if you feel sick, be cautious and do not come to the park - whether a cold or the flu or COVID-19. 🤧
Thank you everyone for your collective contributions to our workplace for limiting the spread of COVID!
Please reach out to the cabr_volunteers@nps.gov or your VIP Supervisors should you have any additional questions or concerns.
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Upcoming Paid Opportunity! | |
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Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) positions for 2022-2023 are now live! And guess what? Cabrillo National Monument is on the list!
This CVA position will support VIP program operations, but will also help with re-envisioning and expanding our volunteer group operations at Cabrillo National Monument. Volunteer group programs are a great way to engage historically underrepresented groups in our national park units. It allows them the opportunity to not only come into the park to work with park rangers and staffing, but also helps them gain a sense of ownership of these places. We hope that through these programs that people’s needs and safety are prioritized, their identity and boundaries are respected, and that we provide them the space to be part of a community. Folks that take part in our volunteer groups program will be able to take their experience back home with them and share what they learned with friends and family.
The CVA position will start on Monday, September 12th, 2022, and run for 50 weeks until Friday, August 25th, 2023. Applicants will need to apply HERE.
Application must be submitted by Friday, July 15th to ensure full consideration.
Conservation Legacy and the National Park Service strongly encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
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Please share these paid opportunities with your networks. If you are interested in applying, you can reach out to us directly at cabr_volunteers@nps.gov if you have any questions or concerns. | |
Interpretation & Education | |
Naturalization Ceremonies | |
Naturalization Ceremonies continue on Tuesdays throughout 2022!
The next Naturalization Ceremonies will be Tuesday, June 28th. Although our slots are full, you can still sign up for the ceremony on Tuesday, July 26th! Slots have been updated on Volgistics to reflect the shorter ceremonies that have been hosted since late last year.
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NPS Photo |
Drive-thru naturalization ceremony at Cabrillo.
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Never volunteered at these ceremonies but would like to give it a try? Email cabr_volunteers@nps.gov so we can provide more details and ensure you are able to sign up!
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Photo is screenshot is from Channel 7- San Diego's news coverage on Lily's ASL tours last summer. Lily smiles during the interview. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse is in the background with visitors exiting out of it. | |
"I'm Lily Molina and I am the new Youth Engagement Steward (YES) Intern, with a focus toward serving Deaf Community in San Diego. I am Deaf and am often seen with my interpreters to communicate with all of you awesome people. I started with Cabrillo's TPERP program in 2020 during our low tide season and stayed on for 6 months. That following summer, I accepted the American Sign Language (ASL) and Science Communicator part-time internship. I loved being both in the office and giving lighthouse tours. I'm so excited to be back and to continue my path to be a ranger. I am so happy to see some familiar faces and to meet new people. If you see me around, don't be afraid to say hello! I'm currently studying English Literature for undergraduate at California State San Marcos and I cannot wait to see what this summer brings to Cabrillo." | |
Resources Management & Science | | |
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Fog monitoring started recording data at the first site starting Friday, June 3rd! Congrats to interns Taro and Brent for their work on selecting four sites for monitoring that will allow the park to compare fog deposition at different elevations and on different sides of the peninsula. | |
NPS Photos | Taro K. | Left: Two happy interns ready for field work, posing with bikes and the first monitoring station they built at Lower Maintenance. Right: Intern programming newly installed fog monitoring station down on Bayside Trail. | |
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Lots of work has been done along the Coastal Trail from Parking Lot #2. Special focus has been on two of the Early Detection Rapid Reporting (EDRR) plants, Tocolote and Devil’s Thorn. Please let us know if you see any. The Weed Warriors (WW) are up for the challenge!
California Invasive Species Awareness Week was 6/4-6/11. WWs had a great time teaching and leading the public that attended the sessions.
Weed Warrior interns completed their month long internship and generated some interesting products for Weed Warriors that will help expand the program.
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NPS Photo | C. Aurrecoechea
Volunteers weeding with Point Loma Lighthouse in the background.
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NPS Photo | C. Aurrecoechea
VIP watering plants at greenhouse.
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The greenhouse crew is hard at work with different tasks such as building new tables, working on vegetation on the new trail, transplanting plants, and seed collecting in the park. Thank you for your hard work! | |
On the CNM VIP Voice: TPERP Training Archives | |
From the TPERP Training Archives | Thanks to VIP Beth, we can share the presentation by Gary Evans at the initial TPERP Training in 1996. Beth was one of the original TPERPers, along with Mike Moser, attending this training and luckily she saved the videotape all these years. With a little digital enhancing we were able to restore the video for... | | | |
Pop Quiz! What shrimp are you? | |
What shrimp are you? | Personality quiz | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Answer seven questions and find out if you're more like the twiggy shrimp that hides out in the seagrass or the bold beauty that packs a punch. | | | | | | | |
