Volunteer at Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site!

“Kam Wah Chung is a hidden treasure! Tour visitors are transported back in time – and they love it! We met such interesting people and enjoyed the park staff immensely. We highly recommend volunteering at this historical landmark in the beautiful John Day Valley. “ From: Park Hosts Sid and Roxanne White, 2018

Kam Wah Chung’s Historic Building and Interpretive Center tells the story of the Chinese American experience in the American West. Park host duties include greeting visitors at the front desk, selling gift shop items via a Point of Sale system, light cleaning of the interpretive center and around the historic building, and scheduling and leading tours of the Kam Wah Chung & Co. building.  Cleaning of the restrooms is NOT REQUIRED NOR EXPECTED!

Your weekly work schedule will consist of working four days, Friday through Monday from 8:45 am to 5 pm (with an hour break for lunch); with three days off per week. A staff person is always on-site and will take turns leading the tours with the park host(s).

If you’re interested in this unique camp host position, contact Kam Wah Chung’s curator, Don Merritt at don.merritt@oregon.gov or (541)575-2800 prior to scheduling online.  For further information, please read on!

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What would I do?  Interpretive park hosts (volunteers) staff the front desk of the Interpretive Center and conduct tours. They greet visitors, answer questions, operate the cash register, stock the gift shop shelves and can be trained to conduct tours of the historic building. See a complete list of duties at the bottom!

I don’t know much about Kam Wah Chung. Can I still help?  Yes. Your desire to help is the most important asset you can provide. After applying to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, park hosts are trained at Kam Wah Chung.  We recommend look at the Freinds of Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum webpage for more information at www.FriendsOfKamWahChung.com.  There is little information published about Kam Wah Chung.

What is the time commitment? Most hosts stay for one month but a different schedule can be arranged. Volunteers work approximately 28 hours per week, with 3 days off per week. Kam Wah Chung is open May 1 through October 31.

I’ve applied to be an interpretive park host. What happens next? You will receive a confirmation e-mail letting you know your application has arrived. After you receive this, it’s a good idea to check the Volunteer Openings website for opportunities at Kam Wah Chung: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=getinvolved.dsp_volunteerOpps

How can I learn more? Talk to the person at the front desk of the Interpretive Center – or call Don Merritt, the museum curator, (541) 575-2800.

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Duties:

o  Willing to work 4 days (Fri-Mon.), 9-5pm (hour off for lunch)

o  You will work under the supervision of the museum curator and a seasonal park ranger

o  Preference in Interprative Experience, or highly motivated and willing to learn interp/tours

o  Conduct 45 minute to 1 hour tours of the historic building 1 1/2 blocks from the interprative center

o  Privious experienced on front desk preferred, but not required; customer service experience preferred

o  POS systems experience preferred, but not reuired

o  Comfortable working as a team member, and occasionally on own

o  Light cleaning inside IC, pick up trash, water plants, sweeping sidewalks and inside KWC building daily. Will NOT clean restrooms.

o  Self-motivated, dynamic

o  Occasionally may need to initiate a work task on the rare slow days

o  Cannot be claustrophobic, KWC building is small so must be comfortable in small buildings to conduct tours

o  Need to walk from IC to KWC several times a day, though a golf cart will be available

o  Be able to stand for long periods of time, two to three hours if needed depending on staff availability