Back in the 1990s, when I was a mere 64 years old, there were a couple of floods on the Potomac River that significantly damaged the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which runs parallel to the Potomac River for 184.5 miles. I, along with many others, responded to a plea to help with restoration. That’s when I got hooked on volunteering. The scenery is spectacular, working with others who have been equally affected is sheer joy, and the efforts are exhilarating and appreciated by park staff and visitors.
Constructing, repairing, and improving trails is really gratifying. Working with crews that always volunteer when asked is a testament to the concept of “Good Samaritan.”
One particularly enjoyable volunteer activity for me was working on the park’s operating canal boat, taking visitors through an 18th century lift lock and upstream, all while being pulled by two mules. Whether working as crew, skipper, mule driver or interpreter, floating at about 2 miles per hour, interacting with curious visitors who absorbed all we had to say, in a serene and beautiful setting, gave me no end of joy as a volunteer.
Completing maintenance projects that are asked of us by park staff is a super satisfying feeling. One time we had just finished installing a new bench along the tow path when we noticed an older couple who looked tired. As fellow “oldsters,” we invited them to sit a spell on this new bench we jokingly said we had just installed so they could rest. Light, positive interaction with visitors is always a bright spot no matter what type of project we’re working on.
‘Light, positive interaction with visitors is always a bright spot no matter what type of project we’re working on.’
For 14 years, another service my wife and I fulfilled was to work on the park’s bike patrol. One is never too old to learn, and we realized that to be of most use to park visitors, we needed to know more about the park, its history and canals, which was not just gratifying but beneficial to us in turn. Along the way, we hiked the whole canal several times and biked it more frequently.
At some time during a 4-hour shift patrolling, we would stop at a random scenic view and spend some relaxing time eating lunch or resting. While on patrol, we would often encounter visitors with questions or with bike or health issues and, using the great training provided us, were able to improve their day or their experience. They were usually enormously appreciative, and it made us feel good to know that we had helped. These connections often made the day better for us as well as for the visitor.
While I was active with the canal boat operation, there was a local elementary school that had a fantastic PE teacher who held a “Canal Week” every year. It was an excellent program clearly supported by staff and parents in which the kids enjoyed all kinds of benefits, from learning history to understanding that health is for life. For several years, Captain Jim (me wearing my replica 1870s boat clothes) would visit them to speak about life on the canal and the children who lived and worked on canal boats with their families. I brought tools so they got an idea of digging a canal, canal clothes they could try on, and they learned what I called the anatomy of a canal—what makes it work. At the end of a week, a local bike shop owner would visit and talk about and demonstrate important bike maintenance and bike safety. All of the students involved in the program from 4th and 5th grades would then join me and their teacher for a Saturday 20-mile bike ride on the canal. We’d stop and talk about what was covered during the week, and the excitement and anxiousness to participate was palpable.
It is these kinds of experiences that make volunteering as an older adult so rewarding. So, if you are looking for a reason to get out of bed, to get outside, to get involved, to be useful, to feel appreciated, volunteer in a park.
Jim Heins is a National Park Service volunteer at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park in Washington, DC, Maryland, and West Virginia.
Photo caption: Jim Heins, seated, works on a bench with other volunteers.
Photo credit: Courtesy the National Park Service.
