Guidebook Does Good: Volunteering at Fort Miley, San Francisco
Every quarter, Guidebook HQ team members participate in an organized volunteer event as a part of our Guidebook Does Good program. This month, Guidebookers helped the National Park Service here in San Francisco.
Dressed in layers and ready for anything, a group of Guidebookers headed out to Lands End, a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The National Park Service (NPS) describes Lands End as a “wild and windy trail…moving through shady stands of cypress and eucalyptus and emerging on to spectacular views of the shore, headlands, and Golden Gate. A trip down the trail is also a journey through the history of Lands End, offering glimpses of the past at every turn.”
As we rode toward the Pacific Ocean, Karl the Fog began to disappear (a San Francisco miracle) and the sun started to peek out. We weren’t sure what exactly we’d be doing, but we knew it would be outdoors, rain or shine, and for the betterment and beautification of a gorgeous area.
A National Park employee, Mike, greeted us and outlined our tasks for the day, which would focus on Fort Miley. We found out we’d be weeding, removing invasive ivy, picking up trash, and removing an illegally-placed bike ramp. (Glamorous work!)
We donned our neon yellow safety vests, gardening gloves, and got to work. In all, we collected more than a dozen bags of green waste, which will be turned into compost, as well as several bags of litter.
Our efforts largely centered around uncovering a historic stone wall that dates back to Fort Miley’s use as a military base here in San Francisco. In fact, our NPS contact Mike told us that several of the batteries we cleaning up pre-dated World War I!
Although the work was hot (and sweaty and laborious), our team spent hours bonding together and walked away feeling apart of the preservation of San Francisco’s history.
Want to join us for our next Guidebook Does Good event? Apply for one of our open roles today! We’re always looking for exceptional talent to join the team. Check out the open roles at guidebook.com/careers.
