A Special Visit, Biking, and LE Rangers

ProRanger Brennan McAuley, Chief Ranger Gregg Tinkham, Former Proranger & Current Ranger Mark Clarke

It was great seeing Dr. McGarvey for two days. For those of you who do not know, Dr. McGarvey is the director of Temple ProRangers and oversees the Temple side of the program. It was part of my internship to have her visit and check in to see how I was doing and to make sure I was making progress. I really enjoyed showing her around the park. I had been planning her visit for quite some time, I wanted to make sure she had the ultimate park experience!

 Presenting the chief ranger with a plaque  

Before the day officially  started, I was able to Introduce Dr. McGarvey to Superintendent Creasy,  fortunately he was in his office and took the time to meet with us. I was able to present him with a plaque as a thank you for being a partner park. We then met up with the chief Gregg Tinkham and presented a plaque to him. After our meetings took place I brought her to the Bunker Hill Monument which is my favorite spot in the park. We climbed the 294 steps to the top and enjoyed the fantastic view of Boston from the top. I figured there could not be a better way to start off the visit than to have her walk up to the top and see the view for herself. She may have a different opinion on this matter but she definitely enjoyed the view at the top! Our second stop for the day was the Charlestown Navy Yard. At the Yard I was able to share all of the history I knew. We enjoyed a private tour of the USS Cassin Young and walked around some more until lunch time. Lunch time was shared with the chief ranger,  my supervisor Mark, and myself. After lunch with great company we headed off downtown to explore more of the freedom trail. Some of our favorite sites included but were not limited to:  Faneuil Hall, Old North Church, the Boston Massacre Site, and the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. It was a full day of walking and history! I was pleased that the first day was such a success.

The two coolest JR. Rangers

On the second day I had the privilege of showing Dr. McGarvey and both her children around Georges Island which is located in the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. I enjoyed presenting the tour in a kid-friendly manner. After we got back to Boston I showed them some of the Freedom Trail as well as the African American Historic Site. I was able to give them a glimpse of all of the National Parks of Boston. they enjoyed earning their Jr. Ranger badges. They were very busy all day and earned a record of four badges in one day!  

Giving a tour of Fort Warren on Georges Island in a Jr. Ranger friendly manner 

I spent the rest of my week with the LE rangers. I was able to get on a bike and ride along while they did bike patrols. Riding along with them  was a really great experience. I was able to see how it was easier for the rangers to make great positive contacts with the visitors. I have really enjoyed my time with the LE rangers. I have learned a lot and was able to see a lot of the park from an entirely new perspective. After these past two weeks with the LE rangers I am even more excited and passionate about my career choice than ever before.   

First day on bike patrol 

Second day on bike patrol, got to learn how to change a bike tire