Volunteers are essential to fulfilling the mission of the VLMP by monitoring their lakes. But volunteers also play a critical role administrating VLMP programs through the all-volunteer Board of Directors and Volunteer Coordinators. The VLMP has two types of Coordinators:
Regional Coordinators maintain contact with volunteers, organize re-certification workshops, and respond to requests from volunteers.
Data Coordinators enter water quality data from volunteer data forms into the VLMP’s LakeData database program.
Each of the 16 counties in Maine has its own Coordinator, and there are several local organizations such as Cobbossee Watershed District, Lakes Environmental Association, and Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust that function as Regional Coordinator for volunteers in their area. In addition to their role of working with volunteers, Coordinators also provide feedback and insight at fall planning meetings with VLMP staff. Typically Coordinators volunteer about 25 hours each year which, as a whole, saves the program over $15,000 annually!
For a list of lakes currently being monitored in each region see the List of Lakes By Region.
Coordinators By County
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Data Coordinator Perspective by Joe Potts
Joe Potts
Oxford County Data Coordinator
Being a volunteer, helping others, is an important activity to me. For the past twenty years I have been a contributing part of the VLMP operation. It started with doing water tests two or three times a month (i.e., Lake Monitor), then expanded to doing data entry for the lake monitors in a region (i.e., Data Coordinator). Notice that I did not use the word “work”; being a volunteer needs to be something you enjoy, utilizing a skill you have and resulting in a feeling that your contribution was helpful. Another key element is finding the time to volunteer. The Data Coordinator activity is a wonderful fit for me. I enjoy making productive use of my computer, and the periods of activity, mid-summer and late fall, are easy to fit into a busy schedule. The VLMP staff has been very receptive to suggestions on improving the data entry procedure; the software provided by the VLMP is easy to use. Now that I am retired, spending the winters in the South, the Data Coordinator role has proven to be a great work-at-home activity, regardless of seasonal location changes.
