A Call for Volunteers

Olana Viewshed Tour and Benefit Party
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008

The Olana Partnership, Scenic Hudson and Columbia Land Conservancy invite volunteers to assist with Olana's Inaugural Viewshed Tour on Saturday, November 1, 2008.

For the first time, The Olana Partnership and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are joining with 12 landowners in Columbia and Greene Counties to celebrate the beauty which surrounds Olana's 250-acre 19th-century American Picturesque landscape.

Guests will stand high above the Hudson River Valley in rarely seen locations and look back at Frederic Church's Olana, experiencing first-hand the variety and magnificence of the region he called "the center of the world."

On Nov. 1, volunteers will guide members of the public through properties with dramatic views of Olana

Volunteer details:

Saturday, November 1st: Each volunteer should be willing to commit to a three-hour shift. There will be two-person teams working at each property, each responsible for a morning or afternoon session as follows:

• Shift 1 (morning): 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Shift 2 (afternoon): 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

A smaller group of volunteers is also needed to assist with the Viewshed Benefit Party as follows:

• Shift 3 (afternoon/evening): 1:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Volunteer Training Schedule:

The Olana Partnership is grateful for the interest of potential volunteers. All volunteers will be greeting attendees as ambassadors on behalf of The Olana Partnership. In order to better serve guests, all interested volunteers are asked to attend one of the following, 30-minute training sessions in October:

• Saturday, Oct. 18: 9:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 21: 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 22: 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, October 24: 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 25: 9:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, October 28: 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 29: 6:30 p.m.

In each training session, volunteers will learn Olana's history, and general responsibilities, which will include welcoming guests, directing traffic flow and answering related questions. An information packet will be prepared for each property to assist volunteers in this capacity. Each 2-person team should also have at least one member willing to use their mobile phone to communicate with Olana staff if/when questions or concerns arise.

How to get involved:

Anyone interested in volunteering his or her time should contact The Olana Partnership Office's at 518.828.1872. Volunteers who are able to assist and complete their shift will be rewarded with a gift from Olana, as well as being entered in a raffle for an Olana gift basket.