Sedona residents who frequent Uptown or the city's parks have become accustomed to seeing the Sedona Volunteer Park Rangers (SVPRs) in their familiar tan and green uniforms and western hats. Visitors to Sedona are sometimes surprised to see "park rangers" walking along "Main Street" greeting them with a friendly smile and providing helpful area information.  Foreign visitors on bus tours often line up to have their pictures taken with the rangers and local park users and merchants often stop and say,  "Thanks for being here".

While being a Sedona Park Ranger provides a great sense of satisfaction and fun, there are serious responsibilities and commitments that come with the job.  Unlike other volunteer organizations, the SVPRs require a minimum number of volunteer hours per week, you work outdoors year around in all kinds of weather conditions, and you have to be prepared to take on challenges including dealing with visitor's concerns, responding to emergencies, and patrolling the city's parks.

You also work with colleagues who are among the most dedicated people in Sedona, meet interesting visitors from around the world, receive extensive training in area orientation, natural/historic resource interpretation, emergency medical response, traffic control, conflict resolution and park patrol.  Volunteers are also provided with a complete park ranger uniform, get to work fun community events, set your own schedule and go home after your shift knowing that you made a real difference. 

Over the past two years the organization has deliberately remained small in order to maintain a cadre of highly dedicated volunteers who were willing to pioneer a program that had never been tried in any other community.  Now that most of the early concerns have been overcome and the program has proven itself successful, the SVPRs are looking for a few new volunteers who are willing to help continue to pioneer the growth of this unique organization.  If this sounds like the challenge you have been looking for, you are invited to apply.

Applicants must be 18 years or older (no upper age limit), willing to donate 4-6 hours a week in two-hour shifts, enjoy talking to visitors in an outdoor environment and are willing to be trained in a variety of disciplines.  All potential volunteers must undergo fingerprinting, a background check and sign a volunteer agreement.

For more information, pick up an application packet at the Parks and Recreation Office at City Hall, 102 Roadrunner Drive.  You are also invited to visit the SVPRs table during the "National Night Out" event at City Hall on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.