Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
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Resident Volunteers Help Keep Things Ship Shape

4/19/2020

 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s National Wildlife Refuge System, comprised of approximately 550 refuges throughout the country, has a robust volunteer program for people looking for opportunities to work along-side refuge or hatchery staff. The program is designed for people who want to further conservation, learn more about nature and share their love of the outdoors. Volunteers, also known as resident volunteers, have a beautiful place to live for a period of time and are able to explore and experience the refuge or hatchery, as well as the local area. And, in return, the refuge or hatchery gains valuable volunteer assistance.
We are fortunate to currently have outstanding resident volunteers at our refuges.
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Fishbone Creek overview
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Kathy picking up trash
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Dusty cleaning the outhouse
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Dixie Mainline
Kathy and Dusty Dusterwinkle are Michiganders who are spending their 6th year as resident volunteers at the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. This year they arrived in December and will head back in early May.

They report that their time is spent on assignments including picking up trash (and sadly lots of it) on the Dixie Mainline and Shired Island boat launches, cleaning the Shired Island outhouse, repairing the lookout deck at Fishbone Creek, scraping and sanding of gates at various locations and mowing and brushing at various locations. Unfortunately, there has also been recent vandalism along the Dixie Mainline for them to repair.

Their own words sum up the importance of their contributions: “We do our best to be a Refuge presence and we like to tell our family and friends that we are God’s gardeners over here. It’s a most beautiful place and we seek to keep it looking that way.”

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Rusty trash can
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Trash can repaired
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Vandalism to be repaired
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Dusty and Kathy
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Dusty scraping a gate
Buzz and Donna Coller, from Wisconsin, have been providing support on the Levy County side. The Collers arrived in Florida to work at, and camp in, Florida state parks, but due to the COVID-19 closure mandates, they sought volunteer work with the Refuge. They’ve assisted staff on repairing and replacing signs that have been stolen or damaged, replacing the deck on the education building, as well as treating and sealing the outside of the log cabin. 
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Buzz paints
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Buzz drills signs
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Donna on trash patrol
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Headquarters building, cleaned and stained
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Buzz and staff member Jason Coates working on the deck.
Robin and Rick Gallup arrived on the scene from out West in April for their stint as resident volunteers and quickly lent much-needed hands to projects already underway. The Collers report that the log cabin would never have been finished so fast without the Gallups' help. 
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Rick in the workshop
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Robin and Rick after hours with pup Felix
Needless to say, the NWRS Volunteer Program has been a tremendous asset to our facilities.
For more information on the NWRS Volunteer Program visit www.volunteer.gov

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Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532
Cedar Key, FL 32625
[email protected]
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.


  • Home
    • Our Blog
  • About
    • About Friends >
      • Who We Are
      • What We Do
      • Current News
      • Contact Us
    • About the Refuges >
      • Our Refuges
      • Places of Interest
      • Hunting Brochure
    • Members
  • Join
    • Donate
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
    • Places of Interest
  • Vista
    • What is Vista
    • Friends' role
    • The Future
    • Cooks General Restoration
    • Window Restoration
    • Lumbering
  • Wildlife
    • Wildlife Gallery
  • Hunting
    • Overview
    • Maps
    • FWS Hunting Brochure
    • Alternative Mobility Permits
    • Hunter SignUp
  • Fishing
  • Junior Ranger
  • Search
  • Store