1 Year at Antietam

Unlike the hordes of people out shopping for Thanksgiving weekend sales, I spent today volunteering at Antietam National Battlefield. I would rather volunteer than shop anyday. How much would I rather volunteer? Let me put it this way, I may shop a total four hours in a month. I spend three times that many hours volunteering!

November marks my one year anniversary as a National Park Service volunteer at the battlefield. ONE YEAR ALREADY! It doesn't seem possible that one year has passed at something akin to warp speed. It feels like just yesterday that I put on my tan and green uniform and walked out on to the field as volunteer and not a visitor, like I always had in the past. I have greeted, chatted with and helped well over 5000 visitors from at least a dozen countries and all fifty United States. I have answered their questions and helped to educate them about the battle and the Civil War. Now that I sit and think about that that is really amazing to me. Every hour I have spent there I have loved. The impromptu talks I have had with small groups of visitors, riding around the field in the golf-cart acting as a battlefield ambasador, working with the young people, and even the hikes in the pouring rain and the summer heat. There's a great feeling of satisfaction that comes from working with people and knowing that I am helping to preserve and pass on my county's proud history. I love working with the rangers and have made some good friends among them. I hope that I will be able to turn my volunteer activities into a full time ranger position. The sooner the better. It has been one full and fun year at Antietam, and I am hopeful for many more.