Number Of Hours?

I'm worth $20/hr at my worst.

If the site is $100/wk I will work 5 hours.

One of my major questions, instead of hours per week, is "how many days on/off"
- For example, at a FL state park a few years ago, we worked a 3-day "on" and 3-day "off" schedule. It was great, our days off were sometimes weekdays (so the restaurants, beaches, etc, were less crowded) and sometimes weekends (so flea markets and farmers markets were open).
I once saw an ad for a county park (think it was in IL or IA or IN, of the "I" states) that was a 7-day "on" and 7-day "off" rota. We would love that kind of schedule.

Working 20 hours, in 2-hour chunks (each) over 5 days a week, really cuts into the recreational time (IMHO). I would much rather work 5 hours (each) over 2 days - still giving the park 20 hours - and then take 5 days off to explore, hike, etc.

So we always ask that question when we apply for a volunteer position

Of more concern to us then the hours per week is the number of weeks/months required. We are not at all interested in spending a month, months or a season in one place. We RV to travel and see this great country. We volunteer for Habitat for Humanity with the RV Care-A-Vanners. It is not unusual to work 32-40 hours a week, but the projects often require a committment of only 1-2 weeks and very rarely more than that. We do not move from project to project and some years may only do 1 or 2.

Interesting topic and thoughtful posts.

I am a year or two from retirement and my dream is to camp host at state parks and national parks and forests with my wife. Maybe 6 to 8 months a year with the rest being at the S&B.

We both enjoy natural beautiful settings for our campsites and we want to explore this country. I like dealing with people and being outdoors and I'd like to get some exercise while working. Camp hosting at locations near where our children have moved to sounds ideal to me.

I would guess that working 20 or 30 hours a week for a free FHU site would be fine for me. I also suspect that I would volunteer more hours than that if I enjoyed the park and the staff.

Ed

noplace2 wrote:
It really is very simple. We have been on the road now in our 14th year. We workamped in many venues about 6 months a year and spent the other 6 traveling. We haven't hated it and have had many wonderful experiences. What would you trade for watching bear catching salmon amidst a setting replete with northern lights that most people can only dream of and still get paid $10/ hour plus a free site with all amenities? (we did it in AK for 5 months) Would you trade it for $5/hour? Would you trade it for nothing but site? We've done all of the above and have rarely been disappointed.

As far as a cap, no. We've worked as many as 20 hours each for nothing more than full hookups because it was where we wanted to be, when we wanted to be there and doing what we enjoyed doing. For example, we "worked" in a location in OR that required we do 30 hrs per couple for just site and FH. We were located in a private homestead where the owners were building a nature preserve on the 20 acres that they owned. Our "work" consisted of removing non-native plant life and general VERY light maintenance This all 30 miles from nowhere aside 2 streams and amid some of the most lush terrain in the country. Sometimes one can't put a price upon happy.

There are folks who will argue that to trade their time for less than what THEY believe that they are worth worth is horrid! I feel sorry for them. They still don't get that it isn't at all about material gain. They likely never will get it and are extraordinarily limited as to what they can experience.

YOU are the only one(s) who can decide the balance between what you consider "work" and what you are receiving in return, and again, that frequently isn't a matter of just a full hookup site or other amenities. If you allow it, it can mean peace, not only literally, but with your soul (whatever you perceive that to be) and truly enjoying what is left of your ever dwindling life.

It just occurred to me that I sound like an old hippie. :) Never was one but the last point is crucial. Many of us are looking at the waning years of our lives. Apropos to the discussion: how do you want to spend yours?

Well said!

Our philosophy is that we want to do some interesting volunteer work that will be rewarding to us. We look for opportunities that meet that criteria. I guess that we have some "maximum" hours, but mostly we want a nice site, and the "work" is a separate consideration. We have had places where we worked a little as 20 hours a week total that we liked less than our most recent adventure where we worked a total of 48 hours a week. More important than the hours is the job, how much we enjoy what we are doing, how well we like the management and other volunteers and paid staff.

Full disclosure: We don't full time. We travel about 6 months a year, and spend 3-4 of those months in volunteer sites. So our considerations may be totally different from a full timer.

We volunteer at Corps of Engineers parks and state parks and don't have a problem working 15 to 20 hours for each of us but we usually negotiate for a total of 24 hours for the site. We will not work for a commercial park of any kind because a commercial enterprise will always have a "bottom line" mentality and we did that for a lifetime already. We never have had a problem finding volunteer positions. We simply look on a map for a new place that looks interesting and start making phone calls to parks and ask the question..."we are experienced volunteers and would enjoy experiencing your park for 3 or 4 months. May I speak to your volunteer coordinator?" Never a problem finding a "work".

hanzfranz60 wrote:
15 for a single, 24 for a couple.

yep

Like many have said before it really depends on the location and what is expected.

If it is 24-hours/week of cleaning, mowing, and maintained the park in order to have a free place to park...it better be a nice CG with amenities that are worth my time.

Additionally, I would want to know when I am needed. If for instance it was 3x days @ 4-hours per day and then had the rest of the week off (for a couple - 24 hours) then maybe -- if the park offered enough amenities and was in the right location.

I would not volunteer our time in a location that wouldn't provide enough time to enjoy the area. I have seen many a position advertised for 30-40+ hours a week for a CG that charges $500-600/month and then have a strict schedule that equates to WORKING.

When I retire it is to enjoy the fruits of my labor, not to labor for someone else.

It really is very simple. We have been on the road now in our 14th year. We workamped in many venues about 6 months a year and spent the other 6 traveling. We haven't hated it and have had many wonderful experiences. What would you trade for watching bear catching salmon amidst a setting replete with northern lights that most people can only dream of and still get paid $10/ hour plus a free site with all amenities? (we did it in AK for 5 months) Would you trade it for $5/hour? Would you trade it for nothing but site? We've done all of the above and have rarely been disappointed.

As far as a cap, no. We've worked as many as 20 hours each for nothing more than full hookups because it was where we wanted to be, when we wanted to be there and doing what we enjoyed doing. For example, we "worked" in a location in OR that required we do 30 hrs per couple for just site and FH. We were located in a private homestead where the owners were building a nature preserve on the 20 acres that they owned. Our "work" consisted of removing non-native plant life and general VERY light maintenance This all 30 miles from nowhere aside 2 streams and amid some of the most lush terrain in the country. Sometimes one can't put a price upon happy.

There are folks who will argue that to trade their time for less than what THEY believe that they are worth worth is horrid! I feel sorry for them. They still don't get that it isn't at all about material gain. They likely never will get it and are extraordinarily limited as to what they can experience.

YOU are the only one(s) who can decide the balance between what you consider "work" and what you are receiving in return, and again, that frequently isn't a matter of just a full hookup site or other amenities. If you allow it, it can mean peace, not only literally, but with your soul (whatever you perceive that to be) and truly enjoying what is left of your ever dwindling life.

It just occurred to me that I sound like an old hippie. :) Never was one but the last point is crucial. Many of us are looking at the waning years of our lives. Apropos to the discussion: how do you want to spend yours?