Stewardship at Vashon Park District is a special kind of volunteering.
Stewardship programs at the Park District have been unusually successful in planning, funding, developing and maintaining the parks they've 'adopted.'
Here's how it works -- Most of our parks are developed according to a Master Plan created in open meetings by interested community members, Park Commissioners and staff. Generally, starting at this Master planning stage for a particular park, an exceptionally committed group of volunteers forms to work with the Park Commissioner assigned to the park in executing the Master Plan.
Stewardship groups act as advisors to the Vashon Park District, and make recommendations to the Board on projects and improvements to parks. They participate in the annual budget request and granting process to seek funds for approved park projects. (Within the guidelines of the Master Plan). Stewards also participate in long-range planning as needed to advise the Board of the community’s intent for each park. Stewards become involved in most aspects of developing and running a park from writing funding grants to collaborating on building designs and more.
One of the District's most successful stewardship groups is the Keepers at Pt. Robinson . This group has worked with the Park District in remarkable renovations of the Pt. Robinson Lighthouse and its keepers' quarters to the point that the Pt. Robinson park is a nationally known Island gem and visitors come from all over the world to spend the night in one of our restored keepers' quarters on the shores of Puget Sound.
If you feel a special attachment to a particular park and would like to serve as a steward there, simply contact the Park District office for information. Not all parks have stewardship groups, so you may be starting something big. Other parks -- such as the Burton Recreational Area and the Vashon Elementary School site -- are in the Master planning stage and perfectly situated for a new stewardship group.
Contact Executive Director, Wendy Braicks, at 206-463-9602 to find out more about stewarding Vashon Parks.