The Admiralty Head lighthouse majestically overlooks the Admiralty Inlet, a ray of hope beckoning sailors out of turbulent waters. Among its many wonders, the lighthouse holds a secret key to its success: its docent volunteers.
To keep the spirit of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse alive, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking more docent volunteers to join its herd of passionate workers.
With the help of docent volunteers, the state is able to keep the lighthouse open to visitors for 10 months of the year. Lighthouse docents are tasked with helping connect visitors to the history and stories of the lighthouse, the fort, the park and the surrounding area.
Some docents work in the lighthouse garden and tidy the displays for visitors, while others assist with student field trips. Docents can also help out at special lighthouse events, including the Lighthouse Celebration and the Light Up Your Holiday events.
“The community of volunteers we have, their dedication to the lighthouse, the fort and our parks, is amazing,” said Cassy Soden, a program specialist.
Park volunteers are some of the lighthouse’s best advocates for the docent program and the park, Soden explained. Many enthusiastic volunteers spread their knowledge about the lighthouse wherever they go, “and that caring is what helps preserve our park’s historical and cultural resources for future generations,” Soden said.
In addition to their lighthouse docents, Admiralty Head Lighthouse also has docents that are part of the Volunteer Battalion. On Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, these docents put on their battalion baseball caps and green volunteer vests and head to the fort to answer visitor questions and share the history of the fort.
“The interactions between our volunteers and visitors breathe life into these historical structures and the history of people that lived and worked in them,” Soden said.
Docent volunteers are history geeks who love learning new things and being a part of a service-minded community. From retirees that want to give back to the parks to those who have a different job, all volunteers are given opportunities to stay active and grow more connected to the island community and the area’s abundant nature.
A bald eagle sits in a tree near the lighthouse, with Mount Rainier in the background. (Photo by Marina Blatt)
A bald eagle sits in a tree near the lighthouse, with Mount Rainier in the background. (Photo by Marina Blatt)
The Admiralty Head Lighthouse at sunset. (Photo by Marina Blatt)
Retired Speech and Language Pathologist turned Docent Volunteer, Jeanne Amundsen, describes the route ships take before encountering the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. (Photo by Marina Blatt)
