SWK Trailwork volunteer forms

[Principal (Snake) Skinner]

If you want to save some hassle at your first Saw Wee Kee trail workday of the year, download these forms and bring them filled out with you. One set is for the Oswegoland Park District, one set is for CAMBr.

These are good for the year, so if you filled one out in a previous year, you'll need to do a new one.

[BMX Crisis]

DEVILS ADVOCATE
I reject the principal and premise of the OPD volunteer form. I know the mantra is to not complain (this is not a trail work complaint) unless you volunteer, but I will not officially volunteer because I never do and never will subject myself to a background check without tangible compensation. ie:FOID card, Concealed Carry card, Employment.... even though I still have a clean record. and work in a globally renowned National laboratory and have a Federal ID. Go figure. (Besides, I am not now or ever been a priest.) Just a little irony. So, any work I would do to benefit the trail system would have be under the radar.

If I ever did work on the trails

Seems damn stupid that OPD  wants a background check for a volunteer in a venue where one is not required to simply use that venue or Facility (Including their venues with children in the vicinity for which is there reason for a background check)
I'm OK with the CAMBR form.

I really hope this doesn't come off as confrontational. Just my perspective.

[Red Snail Racing]

I reject the principal and premise of the OPD volunteer form. I know the mantra is to not complain (this is not a trail work complaint) unless you volunteer, but I will not officially volunteer because I never do and never will subject myself to a background check without tangible compensation. ie:FOID card, Concealed Carry card, Employment.... even though I still have a clean record. and work in a globally renowned National laboratory and have a Federal ID. Go figure. (Besides, I am not now or ever been a priest.) Just a little irony. So, any work I would do to benefit the trail system would have be under the radar.

If I ever did work on the trails

Seems damn stupid that OPD  wants a background check for a volunteer in a venue where one is not required to simply use that venue or Facility (Including their venues with children in the vicinity for which is there reason for a background check)
I'm OK with the CAMBR form.

I really hope this doesn't come off as confrontational. Just my perspective.

All land managers have a volunteer form, we don't ask that you fill in their requests for references and they have no interest in checking up on trail workers, as we don't interface with children's groups or the like as representatives of the land manager.  All they really want is your name and address with a signature on the liability waiver.

Jerry

[Principal (Snake) Skinner]

I don't consider this a background check, really. For that, I'd assume there would be actual effort to review someone's background, and then consider rejecting the volunteer based on what's found. Here, I don't think any city effort is going into considering the worthiness of the volunteers helping CAMBr. Heck, I've sometimes turned forms in months after the person filled it out w/o a peep from the city.

Maybe when you volunteer with the city without a set duty, and they look into what you're qualified to help with or whether you're safe to have around kids, then there's consideration of which candidates to accept. But we essentially take all comers unless someone's more of a danger/nuisance than they're worth. Some parts of their form aren't even relevant for us. But it's the form they have.



And while we're on the subject, Saw Wee Kee sometimes gets a good turnout of volunteers (usually in the spring) but often a very light turnout. This hampers our ability to get thru the work needed to keep the place in good shape for everyone - and increases the load on those who do volunteer. While I respect anyone's inability to volunteer due to time constraints, concerns with carrying out the work we do, or whatever, I really urge those who can help to put in at least one morning's effort per year to keep a trail they love in good shape. Giving back a few hours is a small price to pay to get a good ride.