Featuring Wayne and Marie Sweeney, Smugglers' Notch State Park Campground Volunteers
Native Vermonters Wayne and Marie Sweeney, hailing from West Glover, Vermont, have been campground volunteers at Smugglers’ Notch State Park for the last 12 years and have amassed nearly 10,000 volunteer hours between the two of them. Each year they set up their 30-foot fifth-wheel travel trailer and volunteer their time from May through October at a minimum of 30 hours per week. That is 25 weeks out of 52 weeks per year!
Besides being very friendly hosts to campers and stand-in grandparents to park staff, Wayne has spent a considerable amount of time battling and eliminating Japanese knotweed at the headwaters of the West Branch of Little River. Marie has created beautiful perennial flower beds within the campground that rival those of nearby resorts. Marie’s fluency in American Sign Language has assisted many visitors to connect with nature and they have specifically sought her out and come to Smugglers’ Notch because of it. They also complete other park daily tasks, such as bathroom cleaning, without hesitation.
They were an integral part of Smugglers’ Notch park staff team winning the Northeast Parks Region 4 Park of the Year in 2016.
You can count on Marie and Wayne to go the extra mile to answer questions or assist our park visitors, or just about anyone that may cross their paths. Their dedication and willingness to support Vermont State Parks is unending, and we are grateful for their volunteerism at Smugglers’ Notch State Park.