June 4, 2008

SUBJECT:        INF - 2008 Indiana State Fair Volunteers

TO:                  Indiana NRCS Employees                                                          File Code:  260

The 2008 Indiana State Fair is August 6-17, and we are making preparations for exhibits in the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion (OLP) building and at the Pathway to Water Quality (PWQ). 

The OLP display will focus on watersheds and utilize the statewide watershed model.  Volunteers will talk with fairgoers about watersheds and how everyone affects his/her watershed, and about NRCS and what we do.  There will be two shifts at OLP each day of the fair from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  To view the current available volunteer slots, please see the schedule posted at http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/2008stfair-olp.html.   To volunteer for the OLP, please contact Pam Davidson at 317-290-3200, ext. 322. We are currently working on an incentive for OLP volunteers who work weekends, in addition to comp time.

At PWQ, we will work with the Indiana Conservation Partnership to staff four areas, including: greeter, water quality at home, water quality on the farm and in woodlands, and an education area.  There will be three shifts each day from 9:00 a.m. to noon, from noon to 3:30 p.m., and from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Please see the attached Pathway Volunteer Job Descriptions document which explains the knowledge and skills for each volunteer area.  PWQ has become a key accomplishment and benefit to the Indiana Conservation Partnership, and I encourage NRCS employees to support this activity as much as possible. To volunteer, please sign up at http://iaswcd.org/pwqsignup/.

In addition, NRCS will staff the soils and grazing lands areas at the PWQ.  To volunteer for the soils area, please contact Linda Cox at 317-290-3200, ext. 370.  To volunteer for the grazing lands area, please contact Victor Shelton at 812-882-8210, ext. 8.   

All volunteers will receive a ticket to enter the Fair and a letter outlining their volunteer duties.  NRCS employees who volunteer to staff the exhibits on Saturday or Sunday can earn comp time; please check with your supervisor.  Employees who volunteer on their normal work day may take administrative leave for their tour of duty time before or after their shift at the Fair.  Please be sure to enter your time accordingly.  Because this is a voluntary activity, no overtime is authorized.  Use of GOV is not authorized, but employees are authorized use of POV and will be reimbursed at the advantageous rate of $0.505 per mile. To calculate mileage on normal duty days, you can only claim miles traveled over and above the normal round trip mileage between home and duty station.  For non-duty days, you can claim the total mileage from home to fairgrounds and back home. 

Please sign up and enjoy the Fair!

/s/

JANE E. HARDISTY
State Conservationist

Helping People Help the Land

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