Recreation Ambassador Program
The Program
The Recreation Ambassador program aims to provide a consistency in staffing and messaging at some of the most heavily used, and therefore at times abused, resources, trailheads, and river access locations.
For 2024, ambassadors will staff at four of the seven locations every weekend from June 29th to September 1st.
US Fish & Wildlife Hatchery
East Leavenworth Road Boat Launch
Barn Beach Take Out
Icicle Road Bridge
Eight Mile Trail Head - USFS
Stuart Lake Trail Head - USFS
Icicle Gorge Trail
AMBASSADORS ARE TEAMS FROM MEMBER NON-PROFITS
The Recreation Ambassador program provides a fundraising mechanism for member nonprofits working to raise money for their operations, programs or initiatives.
Program Details & Deliverables
Program Needs
From June 29 - Sep 1 the goal is to have:
12 Recreation Ambassadors per weekend, in six teams of two covering six locations.
Three teams of two will be deployed to the USFS trailhead locations to partner with and/or assist USFS staff from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
Three teams of two will be deployed to river locations each Saturday and Sunday. Times are from11:00 am to 5:00 p.m., but may vary slightly from weekend to weekend.
*Subject to change.
Reporting and Award Program
Grant awards are $2,000 per weekend when all the requirements listed below are met. Failing to meet all deliverables will result in a reduction in the grant award by the percentage indicated.
Required deliverables:
40% - Maintain staffing levels of a maximum of 72 volunteer hours per weekend.
20% - Complete Ambassador Training
20% - Completing End of Day Report, wearing provided uniforms with no alterations or modifications and returning all equipment at end of volunteer period.
20% - An end-of-period report (template provided) that will include program feedback and the data gathered by the Ambassadors. This should be completed by the volunteer coordinator for each of the selected organizations.
Ambassador Duties
Guest Services: Welcoming guests to the area and answering area-specific, as well as regional, questions and providing assistance to visitors in the area.
Outreach Patrols: An ongoing presence can be a deterrent for unwanted behavior so “making the rounds” at the locations as a way to interact with residents and visitors is key.
Reporting: The Recreation Ambassadors will be required to gather information on the number of contacts they make, incidents of notable activity, and any other data deemed to be useful to assess future needs.
Ambassador Equipment
Two-Way Radios: Each person on shift will receive two-way radios to provide instantaneous support and information sharing between the other ambassadors.
Onsite Equipment: Each location will have a 10x10 tent for cover and shade, a table, litter sticks, extra garbage bags, gloves, masks, and small first aid kits. These items will be picked up at the Chamber office.
Uniforms: The professional appearance of Recreation Ambassadors is important in representing the area and for providing a sense of authority. All volunteers will receive a shirt, a hat, and a safety vest.
Benefits of being a Recreation Ambassador
Recreation Ambassador swag (Hat, T-shirt).
Money earned for your organization and the personal satisfaction gained by educating others to recreate safely and responsibly.
Gain experience in community outreach and public engagement.
2024 Dates
Prior to applying, check with the members of your organization to find out which weekend(s) below you will have enough volunteers to meet the program’s needs of six people on both Saturday and Sunday.
JUNE 29 & 30
JULY 6 & 7
JULY 13 & 14
JULY 20 & 21
JULY 27 & 28
AUG 3 & 4
AUG 10 & 11
AUG 17 & 18
AUG 24 & 25
AUG 31 & SEP 1
Step 1 - Eligibility
The Ambassador Program Service Grant will be open to member non-profits that have an active volunteer program and the ability to facilitate the program goals by utilizing their current volunteer network and expertise.
All member non-profit organizations are eligible and welcome to apply, especially those whose mission, goals or purposes contain or include resource education, outdoor recreation, environmental preservation, safety education, tourism promotion, or emergency services.
Volunteers need to be able to do some walking and lifting to get their stations set up and broken down each day.
Step 2 - Pre-Application Work
Applications period is from April 1, 2023 to May 4th. However, applications will be accepted until all weekends have been filled.
BEFORE APPLYING
The baseline requirement is for organizations to commit and provide 6 volunteers, each working 6 hours a day, over a weekend (a total of 72 hours) between July 1st and September 3rd.
The program puts ambassadors where they are needed on any given weekend, therefore, your team does not have a choice of locations; therefore members need to be willing to work where placed.
Coordinate with your team before applying in order to pick weekends that you know you have enough people available. Failure to do so could result in weekend being understaffed when another non-profit could have been awarded that date.
On the application, you will need to select the number of weekends you want to work, you can do up to three.
Step 3 - Apply
Once you know which weekends you can cover, click the button below to apply for the 2024 season. Once submitted your application will be reviewed, you may possibly hear back about your application prior to the May 3rd deadline, but not guaranteed.
IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS SELECTED
Step 4 - Training
If your organization is selected there will be a mandatory training for all those who sign up to volunteer. A volunteer who does not attend the training is not eligible to work as an Ambassador.
The training will be held in Leavenworth on Wednesday, June 19th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. At the training, volunteers will learn about land management, ambassador site-specific information, outreach strategies, and program specifics.
There will NOT be a zoom option for this meeting, however, for those not able to attend the training, a video from the training accompanied by a quiz will also be available for those not able to attend on the 19th or for those who sign up for the program or replace after the 21st of June.
Training will be provided by the Chamber, City of Leavenworth, USFS, Cascade Medical, the Sheriff’s Department, and other program partners.
Step 4 - Execution
The Recreation Ambassadors will be servicing 6 different locations: USFWS Fish Hatchery, East Leavenworth Road Boat Launch Takeout, Barn Beach Take Out, Icicle Road Bridge, Icicle Gorge Trail, and Eight Mile and Stuart Lake Trailheads. Each weekend, the Recreation Ambassadors will provide guest services, data collection, resource education, and outreach patrols.
On the Monday before you service weekend, we will reconfirm with your volunteer coordinator the number and names of you volunteer team and get their shirts sizes. You must respond by 5 PM on Wednesday.
On the Thursday of your service week, the Volunteer Coordinator will receive a packet of information for the coming weekend. This will contain instructions, hours, and details for each location and where your volunteers will be deployed. The Chamber selects the locations based on need, not personal preferences.
RIVER LOCATIONS: Supplies will be located at the Leavenworth Visitor Center, open every day 9am-6pm. for thisw
FOREST SERVICE LOCATIONS: Volunteers for the Forest Service locations will need to pick up supplies on Thursday or Friday since the start times on Saturday are prior to the Visitor Center opening.
The volunteers on the river locations can pick up items on Saturday/Sunday if they wish.
Once an organization has completed its awarded number of weekends, it will provide a report to the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce with program feedback, observations, and the data they collected.