Tauck’s award-winning National Parks guest-volunteer program celebrated several milestones recently, including hosting its 15,000th participant.  The unique program, which allows Tauck guests to travel on two different Tauck itineraries to work on preservation and beautification projects, also concluded its 10th year in operation and marked the contribution of over 30,000 hours of volunteer labor to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

“We’re tremendously proud of the incredible contribution our guests have made to the care and preservation of Yellowstone and Grand Teton, two truly iconic ‘crown jewels’ in our National Parks system,” said Dan Mahar.  According to Mahar, rather than identifying one individual as the 15,000th volunteer, Tauck used the occasion to celebrate the accomplishments of all of its guests who have participated in the program over the last decade.  “The success of this program isn’t about the work performed by one person, but rather it’s about the amazing difference that can be made when large numbers of people each share in the effort.”

Tauck first began offering the volunteer program to its guests visiting Yellowstone in 2003, and the program was later relocated to Grand Teton – a true sign of the program’s success said Mahar.  “We literally ran out of projects for our volunteers to work on in the areas of Yellowstone we visit,” said Mahar, “so in 2009 we shifted our focus to Grand Teton where the need was greater.”  Projects completed in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton have included preservation work on many of the parks’ hundreds of historic structures, removal of non-native plant species, rainwater runoff control, and light landscaping work. 

The Yellowstone program is part of Tauck’s “World Of Giving” corporate philanthropy initiative, which also includes annual employee volunteerism events, domestic and international destination grants, and other efforts.