Service Trips & Opportunities
As an effort to give back to the environment and the community, the VU Outdoor Recreation Program sponsors three trips each semester that are service-oriented. The trips are free and they even include a free lunch. What we are looking for in return are people who don't mind doing a bit of work in the great outdoors.
Trips range from picking up trash to trail maintenance and trail building. Some trips are short in duration as we are helping parks and rivers in the local area, while other trips may be a 2-3 hour drive, and thus an all day trip.
Our trips are designed for a group of 10-15 people, and require no previous experience. Each trip is led by Outdoor Rec. Trip Coordinators who are experienced in leading trips. Any instruction pertinent to the activity will be provided by the trip coordinators or other volunteers on site.
Service Trips for Summer 2008
JUNE 29 (Sunday)
TRAIL MAINTENANCE
Kings Bluff, TN
Cost: * FREE *
Sign-up by: Friday, June 20
Pre-Trip Meeting: Wednesday, 6/25 at 5:00 PM
Come join Vanderbilt Outdoor Rec and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition for a day of trail maintenance. We will travel to Clarksville to work on Middle Tennessee’s best rock climbing resource. Our goal is to repair sections of trail that have seen heavy use and help other sections that are eroding quickly. Expect to get dirty and have fun. Estimated trip duration: 9 AM – 4 PM.
Other Local Service Opportunites
Here are some opportunities for you to give service on your own.
1st Saturday of the Month (June))
Beaman Park: Trail Building from 9:00 AM - 12 noon.
Help other volunteers build the 0.75 mile trail that is going from the Nature Center to the existing 2-mile trail. This trail began on a VU ORP Trail Building day last February. We came back in June to help build a bridge, and then back in October to help with more of the trail. The goal is to complete the trail by March 2008 when the new Nature Center is scheduled to open. Tools will be available, but you should wear work gloves and bring a water bottle.
4th Saturday of the Month
Radnor Lake State Natural Area: Trail Maintenance from 8:00 AM - 12 noon
Radnor Lake is a heavily used park located about 20 minutes from campus. Help other volunteers maintain the almost 5 miles of trails in the park. Work sometimes includes moving and laying down new mulch / wood chips on the hiking trails. It could also include exotic plant removal or the the planting of native vegetation. Friends of Radnor Lake provide bottled water, insect repellent, gloves, and other supplies so all we need is for you to show up ready to work. For more info and pictures go to http://www.radnorlake.org/volunteer.asp. For directions to the park from VU, go to http://www.vanderbilt.edu/outrec/own/radnor.pdf
Outdoor Recreation Program | Vanderbilt University
Box 6033, Station B | 2600 Children's Way | Nashville, TN 37235
615-343-8182 | outdoorrec@vanderbilt.edu
