The Annual Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes (Friends) training is scheduled for May 18, at the Empire Town Hall.
The training begins with a general orientation at 1 p.m., which is applicable for all volunteers, both experienced and new. This training is a once-a-year chance for volunteers to hear the latest park news from park staff. The 1 p.m. general training will be followed by 2 p.m. breakout sessions for Adopt-A-Trail, Adopt-A-Beach, Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, Preventative Search and Rescue, and the Track Chair program.
For those unable to attend, we will be streaming and recording the general session. More information on this option will be available later.
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes volunteers logged over 11,000 hours in 2023 through twelve Friends organized programs including Adopt-A-Beach, Adopt-A-Trail, and Adopt-A-River. Thanks to the efforts of dedicated Friends volunteers, 2,360 pounds of trash was collected by Adopt-ABeach volunteers, and 2,905 hours were logged on the Sleeping Bear Dunes trails by volunteers keeping visitors safe and cleaning the park trails. The Preventive Search and Rescue team made over 30,000 contacts with visitors making sure they are prepared for distance hikes within the park. Friends volunteers also maintain the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail; grooming it for cross-country skiing in the winter and blowing off debris, fixing erosion, and removing downed trees during the hiking and biking seasons.
Tracy Barrilleaux has been an active volunteer with the Friends since 2017. Her first volunteering experience was the Marathon where she was lucky enough to meet other Friends members, including the chairman. She quickly knew she had found a group that she wanted to be a part of and signed up that spring to become an Adopt-a-Trail volunteer, and Heritage Trail volunteer. In 2019, she took over the position of the Adopt-a-Trail coordinator and joined the Friends board. She held the Vice-Chair position from 2022-2023 and is now the VIP representative on the Safety Board Committee for the park as well as the Communication Team.
“Volunteering with the Friends is incredibly rewarding, it provides a connection to nature, while being part of an amazing group of like-minded people. My favorite aspect is working with the visitors who come to the park,” Barrilleaux said. “I love answering questions, encouraging good stewardship, and offering trail suggestions with hidden gems.”
Kathy Cole, volunteer recruitment manager for the Friends adds, “When I moved to the area fulltime in 2014, volunteering with the Friends was an excellent way of meeting interesting people, sharing my time and talents for a cause I supported, and a chance to learn new skills in a schedule that was flexible.”
More information on volunteer opportunities with the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, can be found at friendsofsleepingbear.org.
