WTA Volunteer Vacations Get National Exposure
The Washington Trails Association has been featured prominently in a story about volunteer vacations. The piece, picked up in the USA Today and numerous media outlets around the country, is titled, "How to Find a Volunteer Vacation on a Budget."
Penned by Associated Press Travel Editor Beth J. Harpaz, the story quotes WTA's Trail Programs Director Dianne Bedell discussing the popularity of WTA's volunteer vacation program:
The Washington Trails Association is reporting "record sign-ups" so far this season for volunteer vacations it sponsors in Washington State, with some trips already full. "We're on track to have a banner year this year," said trail programs director Diane Bedell.
One attraction is the price: $150 a week. You drive to the trail head and provide your own camping gear (sleeping bag, tent, work clothes), and the organization provides food and equipment. Gear and tools are carried in to the work sites on horses or llamas. The group accepts beginners, so you don't need special skills, and they offer youth trips for kids as young as 14.
But the low cost is not the only appeal. "We work hard but we get great work done and people love the trips," said Bedell. "I hate the term 'staycation.' But I think there is something great about finding something exciting to do, close to home." Details at http://www.wta.org/volunteer/vacations.
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