Chincoteague Service Learning: Preserving Barrier Island Environments
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At a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Work outdoors on the Refuge among the wild ponies and waterfowl, at pony care properties, the Beebe Ranch, island historic sites, or at the Museum of Chincoteague Island, helping to manage its expanding collection of local artifacts.
- Walk along our pristine beaches helping to clean up cast-off fishing nets and debris deposited by ocean storms, learn or refresh your carpentry skills while building or repairing walkways and structures throughout the refuge, or participate in one of many other projects to help preserve the island and care for the wild ponies.
- Enjoy an evening of entertainment by local musicians featuring sea shanties and local lore.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Motel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration: 3:00-4:45 p.m. In the motel’s conference room, register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.
Dinner: Catered in the motel conference room
Evening: Orientation will be immediately following dinner. Our Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This evening is the time to sign up for one of several interesting projects we’ll begin tomorrow. Each project has an assigned team leader who will direct us in our tasks and provide project oversight and expert supervision of project participants. Projects vary depending on the needs and time of year and may include activities such as beach clean-up and restoration, walkway and observation deck maintenance, sign painting, pony corral repairs, and work at the museum or historic sites. These projects are designed and chosen specifically to preserve barrier island habitats and enhance the experience of more than a million visitors who come every year. Each workday, we’ll have a different catered lunch on the project site. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Working at project site.
Breakfast: At the motel.
Morning: We will learn local history on a bus tour of Chincoteague Island. Next, we will visit the Museum of Chincoteague Island, where we will see the rare First Order Fresnel Lens that was the original lens on the Assateague lighthouse.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We will join our work crew and begin our service learning work project(s). Expect to wrap up around 3:00 p.m. and return to the motel by bus. The remainder of the afternoon is free. You might like to enjoy the motel sauna, indoor pool and hot tub after the day’s work. Remember to sign up for Tuesday's work project.
Dinner: A catered dinner at the Museum of Chincoteague Island, with a local expert who will discuss local history via cuisine.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Working at project site.
Breakfast: At the motel.
Morning: We will travel to the project location and carry on with this morning's work schedule.
Lunch: We will have lunch on site.
Afternoon: We will continue our service learning work project(s). Expect to wrap up around 3:00 p.m., then return to the motel. The remainder of the afternoon is free.
Dinner: Catered in the hotel conference room.
Evening: In the hotel conference room, we will enjoy a lecture on Pirates, Shipwrecks and Buried Treasures. You are invited to join us as a pirate and bring your own grog!
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Working at project site.
Breakfast: At the motel.
Morning: We will travel to the project location and carry on with the work schedule.
Lunch: We will have lunch on site.
Afternoon: We will continue our service learning work project(s). Expect to wrap up around 3:00 p.m., then return to the motel. The remainder of the afternoon is free.
Dinner: At a local restaurant. This meal is optional. If you would prefer a dinner of your choosing, this is a good night to do that.
Evening: At leisure
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Working at project site.
Breakfast: At the motel.
Morning: We will travel to the project location and carry on with the work schedule.
Lunch: We will have lunch on site.
Afternoon: We will continue our service learning work project(s). Expect to wrap up around 3:00 p.m., then return to the motel. The remainder of the afternoon is free.
Dinner: In a local restaurant
Evening: We’ll be joined by Salts, seasoned singers/players who present energetic and eclectic performances of Celtic, nautical, traditional, and contemporary music. They will entertain us with witty banter while also teaching about their songs and instruments. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Motel check-out 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast: At the motel.
Morning: In the motel conference room, we will enjoy a viewing of When Assateague Was Home, a documentary video discussing the village that was on Assateague Island from the 1800s to the early 1900s.