Cathlapotle

Plankhouse Project

Volunteer Opportunities

We need your help, currently the Plankhouse is staffed almost entirely by volunteer docents. If you are interested in becoming a docent please continue reading, and contact the refuge office at 360-887-4106 or email Eric Anderson .

What can you expect:

• Work 4-hour shifts
• Provide visitors with a safe visit
• Volunteer 1 or 2 days a month
• Attend periodic training sessions and work parties
• Work with at least 1 other docent while at the Plankhouse
• Follow and abide by refuge policies and procedures
• Opportunities to learn native crafts and culture
• Perform basic house keeping tasks, including sweeping, picking up litter, and some minor lifting
• Interpret the natural resources, history, and culture of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge including Cathlapotle and its people to walk in visitors and some groups.

Below current docents have shared their thoughts and feelings on time spent volunteering at the Plankhouse.

What I enjoy most about working at the Plankhouse is all the wonderful people I meet. The visitors from the Vancouver and Portland area are great to talk to and are very interested in learning about the history of the Chinooks and their culture. I have also met many people from the rest of the U.S., even Europe, and Japan.

- Terry Sasser

I enjoy the fact that the majority of our visitors are engaged in the history and very excited to learn about the project, the visitors make it very rewarding and worth the effort. In addition the hisotry of Cathlapotle is amazing and I find the ability to discuss this with visitors is truly a blessing. Finally the people I work along side with are great.

- Paul Rea

The Cathlapotle house is a very good place to volunteer and give back to the community. During your afternoon shift you have the pleasure to share your interpretive knowledge of how the Chinookan people were living their life and hearing the visitors share their own interpretative history of the area.

- Jac Arnal