The Rangers at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Since the beginning of our 2006 season, we have had a "Lead Ranger" and twelve seasonal Rangers working at the Lighthouse. On a previous web page we described some of the various things we do (A Typical Day, the Staff, and Good News--June 14, 2006), so on this page, we'd like to introduce you to our co-workers....the other Rangers and Interpretation staff!

• Our District Head of Interpretation---Marcia Lyons

  Marcia on our last day!

  Our first phone call from Cape Hatteras National Seashore came from Marcia, and we all were glad the "interview" went well and that eventually we were hired! Marcia is great! She knows what she expects from us, she gently pushes us in that direction, and she doesn't get too obsessive about the unimportant things! She's been at Cape Hatteras "forever". She first came as a seasonal in the 1970's, met a daring and handsome surfer who is almost two feet taller than she is, and never left the island! Although she started in the interpretation section, she eventually drifted into the natural resource division and was the head of our Natural Resource group until this year. Fortunately for us, she was transferred back to interpretation, and now manages and overseas the interpretation programs and staff at Bodie, the Lighthouse, and Ocracoke.

  Andy and Marcia at our going away party for some of the VIP's!

• Our Lead Ranger (GS 7)---Mac Mac McClammy

  Mac swearing in a new Junior Ranger

  Mac McClammy retired from the U.S. Air Force, taught junior high for a few years, and then decided he wanted to become a NPS Ranger. Almost as old as Sara, Mac's permanent home is in Florida, his wife is Leslie, and they have five children---three grown and twin boys at home. Before coming to Cape Hatteras, Mac was a Park Ranger at White Sands and at Assateague National Parks. Mac makes the schedules of who does what, he coordinates all the activities, makes the calls to the law enforcement officers when we need them, makes the decision to close the lighthouse if we have to because of bad weather or heat, and tries to mold together many personalities and many different interests into a meaningful and efficient group.

• The "A" Team: (aka: THE "A" Team)

  John Workman

  John

  2006 is John's third summer at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and fourth season. Along with Steve and Roland, John was the one shared his experiences at the lighthouse, taught us many of the basics when we first came, and often helps as another "lead" Ranger when Mac is gone. A graduate of Elizabeth City State University, John has taught in the past and worked for the National Park Service. John leads the snorkling program and a seining program.

  Stephen Moroz

  Steve working as the "floater" in the middle of the lighthouse

  A graduate of St. Mary's (MD), Steve has worked perhaps for the longest for the National Park Service. This year is his fourth season at Cape Hatteras, and before this he worked for three seasons at the Salem Maritime National Monument and at Thomas Stone National Monument. A former history major, Steve gives programs on the history of the outer banks and the lighthouse, and delights crowds with his command of dates and names. He also is our "in-house" expert on shells. If any one questions on shells, we ask Steve. When someone wanted to know how clams reproduced, we asked Steve to talk about the sex lives of clams. Steve was the first one to offer interpretive programs this year, and regularly offers a program on the lighthouse history, and does a variety of pavilion talks on subjects like the Civil War on the Outer Banks, the Second World War off the Coast of Hatteras Island, and general outer banks history.

  Eric Frey

  Eric engaged with his "Just for Kids" program

  Eric came to us from Monmouth Caves where he was a Park Ranger for three seasons. A graduate of Lycoming College (Pa), Eric offers programs like Just for Kids, Fishing with a Ranger, Seining, Shipwreaks and Lifesavers,and Outer Banks History program. Besides his hard work during the day, Eric is one of the stars of the "Misfits"---a local baseball team on which many of our NPS staff play. Some people call him "Spiderman" for his ability to run all over the outfield and reach flyballs! And his home is famous for its bannister art and creative and artistic use of cans and bottles.

  Phil Molnar

  Although he and his wife, Katie, live in Indiana now, they both went to Colorado State University; and they both hope to continue working either in the national parks or similar agencies. (Katie is pursuing Masters degree in historical preservation, and helped us in our letter to the Superintendent concerning the proposal to move parts of the Fresnel lens.) After graduating in 2003, Phil worked at Ft. Collins City Park for two years while seeking positions in the NPS. This is his first season as a seasonal Ranger. Phil spends a morning at the Junior Ranger Table,leads a fascinating program on Shipwreaks and Lifesavers, and also works with Andy on our famous campfire program!

  
  

• The "B" Team:(aka: The "Better" Team and/or The Geriatric Team)

  Sara and Bruce Schundler and Ranger Oliver

  Sara and Bruce, and Oliver

  Bruce and Sara are the oldest and the least experienced Park Rangers. They both are retired (Bruce from The Schundler Company and Sara from working as a physical therapist for Sunny Days). In many ways, working for the National Park Service has been a dream come true. During our vacations, we had traveled extensively in this country and abroad, we had camped across America several times and had visited many of our national parks and monuments. During those years, we had talked about and hoped that some day we could work in some of the national parks and have an opportunity to give others the kind of positive and rewarding experiences we had had---and here we are! Twice a week, Sara leads the interpretive program with the best attendance....."Pirate Times" with 75 to 125 people. Often there is standing room only. Bruce offers some of the most esoteric programs: Outer Banks History (on the historic 1493 Line of Demarcation and the role the outer banks played in provoking the Spanish Armada and changing world history), Lighthouse History, Barrier Island Nature (on the geology of the outer banks), and Just for Kids (aka--exploring the beach with a magnifying glass and magnet.) Sara's history degree from Southern Connecticut didn't cover the life and death of Blackbeard, but her physical therapy degree from New York University helps us analyse which of our muscles are hurting the most from climbing the lighthouse one to three times a day! Meanwhile, it's a good thing Bruce took "Rocks for Jocks" freshman year at Princeton, and that he had some courses in public speaking and European history at Yale (even if the courses may have been focused on church history).

  Amie ten Brink

  Amie with one of her million dollar smiles!

  Amie comes to us from Michigan. Although she is more than twenty years younger than any of the others on the "B" Team, Amie puts up with their moans and groans, their inability to climb the lighthouse very quickly, and their 60's sense of humor. Amie majored in earth science with a minor in biology at Eastern Michigan Universtiy. After college she worked as a photo journalist in Detroit, and then became an interpretive naturalist at one of the HCMA Nature Centers for two years. Fortunately for us, she applied to the National Park Service and this is her first seasonal job as a Park Ranger. Amie's regular programs include Just for Kids, Seining, Snorkling, and Seashore Arts; and she's working on a new Barrier Island Nature Program.

  VIP Julie Stetser

  Although Julie technically is a VIP, she's been here all summer, won't leave until we all leave, and has worked throughout the summer as much as we have. And so although she is a "volunteer" ---- she's an important, vital part of Team B, and a Ranger to all of us! A former nurse, Julie and her husband, Ed, are retired and living full time in their RV. Ed volunteers for the Natural Resource group of the Park, and is out every morning looking for turtle nest, moving turtle eggs, or protecting turtle---young and old! And as a couple, they have volunteered for years in many parks For all of us Julie's experience and background has been a blessing. She works hard, does her extra assignments like beach walks and the Buxton Woods Trail patrol with no complaints no matter how hot it is, and can always be counted on!

  
  

• The "C Team:(aka: The "Can't" Be on Time" Team)

  Gail Morrow

  Gail standing guard at the base of the lighthouse

  Gail graduated from Forestburg State University located in western Maryland in 2001 with a major in Wildlife Biology. Her first NPS job was with Manassas Battlefield Park where she worked as a Bio Technician ....and that experience led her to believe she wanted to be in education more than research. Consequently, she pursued jobs and worked as a County Park Interpreter, as an Outward Bound Canoe Instructor, and as a Senior Instructor with a Recreation Center. After five years of applying to NPS positions, Gail was excited and thrilled to be working again for the NPS. Gail became our plant person and Indian specialist. If you ate dinner at her house, you didn't know what might be in the food since she had prepared a program on "Edible Plants." She also spent more time on the Indian history of the Outer Banks than anyone else. Gail's programs included The Fresnel Lens, a Medicinal and Edible Plants Walk, The Native Croatoans on Hatteras Island, and a children's nature walk in Buxton Woods.

  Emily Rose Zivot

  Emily in the "old" library

  Emily and her husband, Matt, currently live in Amherst, MA. A graduate of George Washington University (DC) in 2001, Emily has been trying for a number of hears to work for the NP and while waiting worked as a legal secretary for over two years. Then last year she worked as a VUA (Visitor Use Assistant) at Sequoia National Park. One of our quieter Rangers, Emily trudges out regularly to lead programs on Exploring the Beach and Shifting Sands. She also is our "in house" EMT which we appreciate!

  Bo Musselman

  Smiling Bo

  Bo is a native Virginian, and majored in geology at Radford University (2004). He's already worked in a number of national forests and parks. He worked as an intern at Cedar Breaks National Monument, then worked as a VUA at Bryce National Park, and last summer at Inyo National Forest. Because he has a special interest in the Kill Devil Hills area and at the Wright Brothers National Monument, we don't see a lot of Bo on his days off, or on many nights. On the other hand, he probably has seen more of the surrounding area than any of us! Bo leads programs on Barrier Island Nature (an in depth program on Hurricanes and Hurricane Isabel) and another on Shifting Sands.

  Roland Whitted

  Roland in the Pavilion

  Roland is another one of our "old timers"---both in age and experience. This is his third season as a seasonal Ranger at Cape Hatteras, and like John and Steve, Roland often fills us in on how things were done before. A graduate of Northern Michigan University, Roland worked for several summers in the early 1990's as a seasonal Ranger at Picture Rocks and Grand Portage National Monuments; then he worked from 1995 until 2004 as a children's librarian, and now is back in the Park Service. During the off season, he visits his daughter with whom he traveled around the U.S. or goes to his home in the upper pinninsula (Michigan). Roland leads programs on Barrier Island Nature, Just for Kids, and Seining

  
  

• The "D" Team: (aka: The Pitch Hitter, The Substitute, and the Supply Czar!)

  Andrew Danneker

  Andy---Happy and Smiling

  Andy was the last one to arrive at Cape Hatteras, so he was put on the very exclusive and special "Team D" that has Mac and Andy, and all of our VIP Volunteers on it. Of course, that means Andy does a lot of substituting on all the other teams; and eventually he worked his way into becoming the "Supply Czar" of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Station. Virtually nothing comes into the park, and nothing can be used unless Andy has checked it in or out! A graduate of Shippensburg College (PA) in 2005, Andy was an intern at Gettysburg National Battle Field and the Eisenhower National Historic Site during college. Obviously he liked it since after school he worked in a variety of jobs while trying again and again to become a Park Ranger. When he heard from Cape Hatteras this spring, he packed his bags and drove off. Although this is his first job as a Park Ranger, Andy does well. Inspite of his inherently friendly nature, he's a great "Supply Sargeant" and very well organized! He also has learned how to lock things up! When he's not unpacking things, moving things, locking things up, and distributing stuff, Andy helps Marcia and Mac in a lot of administrative duties, does an interpretive program on the lighthouse history, and works with Phil on a very well received and appreciated campfire program! In addition, he sometimes has time for his famous Pavilion Talks!

• The "Extra" Team: (Our natural resources specialist)

  Alex Fraser

  Alex--our natural resource specialist

  A graduate of the University of Miami (FL), Alex majored in biology. He has worked at more National Parks than any of us: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers Fort Raleigh, Fire Island (NY), the Everglades (FL), Acadia (ME) and Catoctin Mountain (MD). Alex is our natural resource specialist leading programs ranging from Species of Concern to Butterflies and Dragonflies.

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  To see a schedule of our weekly interpretive programs, go to:
  

  Cape Hatteras Weekly Ranger Programs-- Summer 2006

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  Just Random Pictures of Everyone!

  CH Rangers cheering for the "Misfits"---a baseball team with lots of the other NPS staff

  Sara during one of her Pirate Times

  Eric hitting the books!

  Steve maintaining order in the Museum

  
  

  Sara with one of her new pirates

  Gail with a new Junior Ranger

  
  

  Mac at the bottom of the lighthouse!

  Roland working with Amie in Seining Program

  Amie's Seining Group

  
  

  Steve and Sara exploring shipwreck site

  Mary Doll, Mike Murray, and Marcia Lyons--during some of our training early in the season

  
  

  
  

  Sara trying her hand at fishing

  Our fearless Lead at Fishing with a Ranger

  The Bio-Techs during a Turtle Nest Excavation

  
  

  Phil and Eric at Chicamacomico

  Phil and Eric at Chicamacomico planning their getaway??

  
  

  Long time VIP Dee at the top of the lighthouse with her shoes on!!

  One of our oldest "Junior Rangers", Virginia Stevens, at the top!

  
  

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  Go to the next page..... A New Concern!!

  Return to opening page Bruce and Sara in Cape Hatteras

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  bruce@schundler.net