Mileposts and Calendar Photo Submissions

Hello Level Walkers,

Jim Tomlin, Jim Heins and other volunteers are working on a project to replace some of the C&O Canal mileposts that are in poor condition. You may recall that the markers were repainted by Meredith Matczak, Jim Tomlin, and Mike Bucci (See June 2020 Along the Towpath https://candocanal.org/atp/2020-06.pdf). Since then it has been noted that some of the mileposts need to be replaced. Jim and Jim have worked with the NPS to get the molds to make new markers and will be making and replacing ones that really need help. These are markers that are broken, heavily gouged or worn down. If they need painting they don’t necessarily need replacement.

Your help is requested. If you are aware of a marker on your level (or elsewhere) that is a candidate for replacement, please let me know at lw@candocanal.org and I will pass it on to Jim and Jim. Send photos that illustrate the condition. At the present time they have identified Mileposts 5, 6, 8, 57, 77, 85, 120, 141 and 155. Your help will be greatly appreciated!

The NPS has passed on the annual request for calendar photos. The calendar uses photos taken by C&O Canal volunteers and staff. The following notice from Emily Hewitt provides dates, details and submission information. Please remember that sending the highest quality resolution helps with use of your photo.

It is time for volunteers and staff to submit photos for the 2024 C&O Canal calendar! Photos of all areas of the park, through all four seasons will be included in the calendar. So if you have photos of historic structures, flora/fauna, volunteers, or just about anything else in the park, please submit them! 

You may submit your photos by email or via Google Drive to chohvip@gmail.com. If you have multiple photos with large file sizes, you may want to batch your photos in multiple emails to ensure they go through. 

Please label your photo files with the location and name of photographer.  

– For example: BigSlackwater_Jane_Doe. 

The deadline for submission is Friday, May 5th, 2023. If your photograph is selected, you will be contacted and credited in the calendar.

C&O Canal Notices

Hello Level Walkers,

Two notices from the NPS follow.

Dear Volunteers, 

This year we are moving from the virtual VIP Speaker Series presentations to in-person resource knowledge building field trips. We will offer a variety of learning opportunities at locations across the park. Here is information about the first opportunity – 

VIP Speaker Series – C&O Canal NHP Museum Collection

DATE: March 30, 2023

TIME: 11am

LOCATION: Park Headquarters in Williamsport

DESCRIPTION: Museum Curator, Blyth McManus, will host a presentation about the park’s museum collection. Blyth will provide a brief history of the collection and talk about how the park manages it. Blyth will have a few objects from the C&O Canal on-hand to show and talk about what we can learn from them. 

Volunteers can also sign up to take a tour of the new park headquarters facility before the presentation. 

TO SIGN-UP: This opportunity is limited to 10 volunteers from each district (west, middle, and east) and you must sign-up to attend. Please email emily_hewitt@nps.gov noting your volunteer program and the area of the park where you volunteer. Also indicate whether you would like to take a tour of headquarters. 

DEADLINE: You must email by March 15 to sign-up. 

Thanks!

Emily Durán Hewitt

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park 

News Release 

For Immediate Release: February 23, 2023 

Park Contact: Christiana Hanson, 301-491-6265, Christiana_Hanson@nps.gov 

NPS to Repair Level 33 Stone Wall along the C&O Canal 

Construction will require closure of part of Harpers Ferry Road beginning March 20.

33 Dry-Laid Stone Wall Repair Project Detour Map 

WILLIAMSPORT, Md.— The National Park Service (NPS) will begin construction on the Level 33 dry-laid stone wall just across the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry, WV this March. The wall shows significant signs of instability and stone loss, causing distress and unsafe conditions on the supported public roadway. Repair of the wall will include disassembling the existing stone wall, re-assembling the wall and restoring the roadway. This work will stabilize the area to meet current engineering standards and ensure safety to the local community that utilizes the road. The Level 33 wall is located at Mile Marker 61.5 of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, between locks 33 and 34.

During construction, the NPS will close Harpers Ferry Road between Hoffmaster Road and the school bus turnaround on Sandy Hook Road on March 20 (weather dependent) to public vehicles. A detour will be available along alternate public roadways – the same detour that was used during the previous Harpers Ferry Road slope stabilization project.  

After a portion of the wall is disassembled, the NPS will use concrete backfill behind the wall to establish a single travel lane to facilitate passage for critical emergency management services and first responders, which will be available for use in early Summer 2023. At the end of the project, the pavement and guardrails along Harper’s Ferry Road will be replaced and the road will be reopened to the public. 

The towpath will remain open during this project.

-NPS- 

Preserving America’s early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures. Learn more at www.nps.gov/choh.  

Volunteer Meeting Notes

Hello Level Walkers,

The following notes are from the 8 February Volunteer meeting.

Thanks for your support! – Steve

Dear Volunteers, 

On February 8, we held our 1st quarterly volunteer call. Hopefully some of you were able to make it, but for those who could not attend, here are some updates that Christiana provided. I have also attached the organizational chart for the division of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers, since we have some new staff members. If you have questions about park operations, please contact me.

  • The park recently kicked off the process of creating a Development Concept Plan (DCP) for the Great Falls area. This will be a lengthy process and there will be a time in the future for community input. We will update volunteers as the process continues. 
  • The park is finalizing a Detail to fill the Great Falls Interpretive Supervisor (the position previously held by Pete Peterson who has retired).  We anticipate this 120-day detail will start this spring and be here through the summer. We are working with HR to advertise this position in order to find a long-term new supervisor. 
  • Education Interns – we have 2-3 interns who will come on in late February/early March to support the park’s K-12 school program. 
  • Interpretation Interns – we are currently hiring five 6-month interns and three year-long interns to support interpretive programs.  Interns will work out of Great Falls, Williamsport, and Cumberland and help with things like boat programs, Visitor Center operations, and public programs.
  • Georgetown’s outdoor visitor services have paused until spring and the VC is still under construction. 
  • Great Falls VC is open 5 days a week.  
  • Williamsport and Cumberland VCs are closed until March 4th.  They will reopen on Saturdays and Sundays. We are increasing staffing with interns and volunteers and will expand hours as staffing capacity increases. 
  • The Brunswick Heritage Museum (the park VC is housed inside the museum) is closed until March 18th.
  • The park continues working with local stakeholders to stand up visitor center operations in Hancock. 
  • Upcoming interpretive programming includes the FY23 season for the boats in Williamsport, Great Falls, and Georgetown (operated through our partner Georgetown Heritage), angler programs throughout the park, bike safety-focused programs, lock demonstrations, Meet the Mules programs, the Trails and Rails program, and many more!  Keep an eye on the park calendar for the latest schedule.   
  • For maintenance project updates, keep an eye on the Park Project page or the park’s social media accounts.  You can follow the park on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/chesapeakeandohiocanal  

Thank you, 

Emily Durán Hewitt

January 2023 Level Walker Update

Hello Level Walkers,

It has come to my attention that the email distribution of this didn’t get to everyone on the first submission – so here it is again. I apologize for any duplication.

I hope 2023 is off to a great start for you! Like you, I am looking forward to another year of supporting the park.

One of my duties as the level walker chairperson is to monitor compliance with NPS and C&O Canal Association policies. For the NPS policies, I need to ensure that you are up-to-date on any NPS training and job requirements and have a current Volunteer Service Agreement on file. All current volunteers have completed the training/job requirements. The VSAs that were submitted in 2022 or later are still valid. At the present time I have not been informed of a need to update them for 2023. If you missed doing an updated VSA in 2022 I will be checking with you.

The Association requires level walker program participants to be current members and to submit at least one level walk report per year. I will review membership status and level walker activity in February. If your membership has lapsed and/or I have not received a recent report from you I will be in touch to determine if you want to remain in the program.

The NPS will have an all-volunteer call on February 8 as noted in the following announcement. You may note that the level walker program is not directly called out in the Volunteer Program Action Plan. The program is directly managed by the C&O Canal Association, although we are expected to comply with NPS training, certification and regulatory requirements. I coordinate management and reporting of the level walker program directly with the NPS volunteer manager at headquarters.

Thanks for your support! – Steve

Dear Volunteers, 

Happy new year! In 2023, we are holding quarterly all-volunteer calls to provide you with information and updates about the park. We started these virtual meetings because of the pandemic, but have found that it is a great way to connect with volunteers across the park at one time. 

Our 1st quarterly call is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8 from 11:30am-12:45pm and will be held on Microsoft Teams. There is a phone call-in option if you cannot join via computer.

During the call, our staff will introduce themselves and there are many new faces! We will review theVolunteer Program Action Plan and make sure volunteers know what to expect in FY23. Christiana Hanson, Chief of IEV, will be on hand to answer questions. Please try to get into the meeting 5-10 minutes early to allow for any troubleshooting or issues. 

Thanks, and we look forward to “seeing” you on February 8.

________________________________________________________________________________

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January 2023 Level Walker Update

Hello Level Walkers,

I hope 2023 is off to a great start for you! Like you, I am looking forward to another year of supporting the park.

One of my duties as the level walker chairperson is to monitor compliance with NPS and C&O Canal Association policies. For the NPS policies, I need to ensure that you are up-to-date on any NPS training and job requirements and have a current Volunteer Service Agreement on file. All current volunteers have completed the training/job requirements. The VSAs that were submitted in 2022 or later are still valid. At the present time I have not been informed of a need to update them for 2023. If you missed doing an updated VSA in 2022 I will be checking with you.

The Association requires level walker program participants to be current members and to submit at least one level walk report per year. I will review membership status and level walker activity in February. If your membership has lapsed and/or I have not received a recent report from you I will be in touch to determine if you want to remain in the program.

The NPS will have an all-volunteer call on February 8 as noted in the following announcement. You may note that the level walker program is not directly called out in the Volunteer Program Action Plan. The program is directly managed by the C&O Canal Association, although we are expected to comply with NPS training, certification and regulatory requirements. I coordinate management and reporting of the level walker program directly with the NPS volunteer manager at headquarters.

Thanks for your support! – Steve

Dear Volunteers, 

Happy new year! In 2023, we are holding quarterly all-volunteer calls to provide you with information and updates about the park. We started these virtual meetings because of the pandemic, but have found that it is a great way to connect with volunteers across the park at one time. 

Our 1st quarterly call is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8 from 11:30am-12:45pm and will be held on Microsoft Teams. There is a phone call-in option if you cannot join via computer.

During the call, our staff will introduce themselves and there are many new faces! We will review theVolunteer Program Action Plan and make sure volunteers know what to expect in FY23. Christiana Hanson, Chief of IEV, will be on hand to answer questions. Please try to get into the meeting 5-10 minutes early to allow for any troubleshooting or issues. 

Thanks, and we look forward to “seeing” you on February 8.

________________________________________________________________________________

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C&O Canal Status Update for 15 December, 2022

Hello Level Walkers,

An important notice about the park’s status for Thursday, 15 December follows. Please heed the guidance provided by the NPS. Also, if you have not gotten a 2023 C&O Canal Calendar and would like one, information to pick those up follows.

Thanks, Steve

With the winter weather advisory for December 15, the volunteer program is suspended on Thursday. Parts of the park may be closed and other parts of the park may be open to the public, but volunteers are not authorized to work in the park. This is to ensure your safety during the winter weather event. If you choose to visit the park on Thursday, December 15 you must do so as a private citizen.

For updates on park closures, please check the alerts page on the park website or follow us on Facebook. 

Stay warm & stay safe!

Level Walkers can pick up a 2023 calendar at the following locations – 

Great Falls Tavern

Wed-Sun 

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

(Ask for Tyson or any staff should be able to get the volunteer a calendar)

HQ in Williamsport

Thursday 12/15

Friday 12/16

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. either day

(Ask for Joshua or Rosie)

Volunteer Appreciation Video and Feedback

Hello Level Walkers,

Here are two notifications from the NPS about the recent volunteer events and a volunteer appreciation video.

Thanks for all you do!

Steve

Thank you to those who were able to attend the volunteer appreciation events this month! We would love to get your feedback, so please take a few minutes to fill out this short Volunteer Appreciation Feedback form. Even if you did not make it to either the picnic or the Zoom, there are still a couple of questions on the form that are relevant, and you can give us feedback on why you did not attend the events. 

Dear Volunteers, We are excited to share this year’s volunteer appreciation video with you. Please click on or copy & paste this link to watch the video – https://youtu.be/gA744xykWcc

A huge shout out to our digital media interns Erin and Kaitlyn for producing this excellent video, and a big thanks to the volunteers and staff who took part in it. 

Thank you!

Emily Durán Hewitt

VIP Speaker Series and Volunteer Appreciation Event

Hello Level Walkers,

Thanks for your timely submissions of level walker reports for September. This enabled me to complete the Fiscal Year 2022 report on time.

The park is hosting the last 2022 VIP Speaker Series event on October 27; see below notice from the NPS.

As a reminder, per earlier notification, the virtual volunteer appreciation event is on October 19, and the Western District in-person event is at park headquarters in Williamsport on October 22. I will see you at that event. There is also a Four Locks walking tour on the morning of the 22nd; see the notice below.

VIP Speaker Series Plant and Pollinator Interactions: Knowing Who is Visiting the Flowers

Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

For our last presentation of the year, we welcome Sarah Brown from the Natural Resources staff. Plants grow, flower, produce seeds, and repeat this cycle. However, seed production doesn’t typically just happen! Many plants need a pollinator partner to complete this cycle. Join us to learn about the basics of understanding why, when, how, and who visits flowers and how knowing this information impacts natural resources in the park.
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Four Locks Walking Tour

An exciting addition to the plans for Saturday, October 22nd is that volunteer Lowell Markey will be leading a walking program at Four Locks that morning.

Details on Four Locks Program on October 22nd from 10:30am-12pm: Lowell will talk about the community of Four Locks that existed during Canal operations which included stores, a post office and school, a dry dock repair facility and other features. The walk will cover about a half mile. Participants should meet Lowell at the Four Locks boat ramp parking lot at 10:30 am. 

Upcoming Events

Hello Level Walkers!

There are numerous upcoming events in late September and October. The following notices are from Emily Hewitt, the C&O Canal NHP Volunteer Manager. I still plan to be at the Volunteer Appreciation Event on October 22 at Williamsport, and look forward to seeing some of you there.

Thanks, Steve

VIP Speaker Series: Geology along the C&O Canal – Friday, Sept. 30 12:00 p.m

Have you heard of Maryland’s “little Grand Canyon”? Join us on September 30th at 12pm as Rebecca Kavage Adams takes us on a journey of the geology along the C&O Canal. Rebecca is a geologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Whether you are a novice or an enthusiast, Rebecca will share a wealth of interesting information about what makes our area rock!

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Eastern District Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Carderock Pavilion – Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Please RSVP by October 1 if you plan to attend the volunteer picnic at the Carderock Pavilion on October 13th from 4-6pm. To RSVP, please email chohvip@gmail.com and note the program you volunteer with. 

If you cannot make the 10/13 picnic, you are welcome to attend the west district picnic at park headquarters on October 22nd from 2-4pm. Please note that in your RSVP email. 

Virtual Volunteer Appreciation Event – Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please join us for our Virtual Volunteer Appreciation Event on October 19th from 5:30-7pm via Zoom. You will have a chance to hear from Superintendent Cappetta, meet new park staff, and hear about this year’s Volunteer of the Year awards!

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Western District Volunteer Appreciation Event at Park Headquarters in Williamsport – Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Please RSVP by October 12 if you plan to attend the volunteer picnic at Park Headquarters on October 22nd from 2-4pm. To RSVP, please email chohvip@gmail.com and note the program you volunteer with. Since the west district picnic is later in October, we are pushing the RSVP deadline back to 10/12. 

Level Walker Reporting and Volunteer Appreciation Events

Hello Level Walkers,

Thanks for all the recent level walks! Special thanks to those who have used the new report form. Feedback on the new forms has been positive. If you have any questions please let me know.

The end of the Government fiscal year is approaching, and I need to submit volunteer hours for the level walker program in early October. Please submit your volunteer hours by October 2 for any late level walks completed on or before September 30. If you do a late walk and don’t have time to complete your report by October 2, please send me an email with your hours for the late walk so I can include them in the report.

The park is resuming their in-person volunteer appreciation events this year. There will also be a virtual event for those who prefer to avoid in-person contact. The two in-person events are summarized below in the notification from the park. I plan to be at the West District event and hope to see some of you there.

Thanks for all you do!

Steve

Dear Volunteers, 

Please save-the-date for this year’s volunteer appreciation events. This year we will have a picnic social in the east and west districts, as well as a virtual volunteer appreciation event online. 

In order to help us plan, please RSVP to one of the following picnics by emailing chohvip@gmail.com –

  • East District picnic @ Carderock pavilion on October 13 from 4-6pm
  • West District picnic @ park headquarters on October 22 from 2-4pm

In your RSVP email, please indicate which program you volunteer with. 

Deadline to RSVP for the picnic is October 1st. 

A separate Zoom calendar invite will be sent for the virtual appreciation event, which will be held on October 19 from 5-7pm.

We hope to see you soon!

Emily Durán Hewitt

Sidelng Creek Aqueduct