Hello, my name is Christina Passafaro and I am working on the Sumter National Forest in Mountain Rest, South Carolina as the volunteer coordinator. I’ll be doing this position for ten months through the VetsWork AmeriCorps program that Mt. Adams Institute oversees. I’m just wrapping up my first two months at this point and have been learning a great deal of things so far.

My duties as a volunteer coordinator, balances with my district’s support of providing me with an overall exposure to different things that the Forest Service manages. So far I’ve gotten the opportunity to go out with timber, recreation, and fire personnel. Inherently, some things move slowly because of government processes but I am getting great experience and varied training that I feel few other positions offer. It is a great position to get into if you are looking to dabble with a little bit of everything that the Forest Service does. This position is a great resume builder if you are looking for a permanent position with the Forest Service or a position in the private sector.

It has been a fun and varied experience so far. I will be managing the Youth Conservation Corp over the summer and look forward to the challenges it may bring.