Good afternoon Wilderness Volunteers!
We hope this update finds you healthy, safe, and spending some hopefully peaceful time at home. This is an overall status update about Wilderness Volunteers and our currently scheduled 2020 projects.
Wilderness Volunteers HQ
Beginning on Saturday, March 14, 2020, we have transitioned to a work from home model and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. We are still answering calls, replying to email and we thank you for your patience as we navigate working in a domestic setting.
Projects Through May 31, 2020
Projects through May 31, 2020, have been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Remaining 2020 Projects
For the moment, we plan to operate our scheduled projects from June onward with precautionary measures in place. The safety and well-being of our volunteers and leaders are our first priority and as such we may need to cancel more projects as June gets closer and we see how the outbreak plays out. There are many pieces to the pie that we look at to determine if a project will field or not going forward including:
· Project sign-up levels
· CDC mandates & guidelines
· Agency status and guidelines for volunteer groups
· Park/Forest/land closures
· Health mandates and guidelines on the state, county, and city levels
· Leader input
· Status of regional medical facilities
· Availability of food and other project materials (TP, soap, hand sanitizer, bleach)
Projects in the contiguous U.S. from June 1, 2020, onward are being reviewed and assessed with a go/no go decision from the office being made at the 60-day mark.
Projects outside of the contiguous U.S. from June 1, 2020, onward are being reviewed and assessed with a go/no go decision from the office being made at the 70-day mark.Flight reservation requirements for Alaska/Hawaii projects will be changed so participants aren’t required to furnish their travel plans/ticket info to leaders until the 45-day mark.
If Wilderness Volunteers or the Land Agency cancels your project, we will contact you as soon as possible to see if you would like A) a refund of your full trip fee, B) a voucher good for another project of your choice, or C) if you would like to make your project fee (or any portion of it) a donation to help us through what looks to be a very challenging year.
Resources on Coronavirus:
If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact us at the office by phone at (928) 255-1128 or via email at hello@wildernessvolunteers.org.
