soarfoot
United States
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I am recently disabled, at age 61. My wife and I would like to go full timing, but would need the help of free camp site for volunteering. Would this disqualify my disability? If we said that only my wife could volunteer, would any one offer camp host positions?
Please help
soarfoot
99 Adventurer 37G
04 Honda CRV Toad
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Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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HI,
I guess it really depend on your abilities. What to you want to do?
You can still give talks at the ranger station?
Write a interpretive lecture for the other rangers to repeat to visitors?
Did you know you can get 1/2 price camping? You can get a National Park pass that gets you in for free, and you get 1/2 price at all National Parks, Corp of Engineering sites, ect. This pass is free to anyone who is handicapped.
Volunteering for a free sight is not all it is cracked up to be. You put in 150 hours a month to save $300? And then live in a area that does not have low cost supermarkets, and is 30 miles from a Costco?
You might also want to look at these campgrounds. The North Rim looks especially interesting to me in the summer time. It is cool because of the 7,500 feet elevation, and lots of trees. Free places to camp amongst the National Forest, but not in the Grand Canyon National Park. There is several feet of snow there now, but by mid-May it will be cleared out.
For the winter, Quartzsite is very popular place to stay - only about $180 for 6 month pass.
I have some friends at Slab City, in California, and they are going to stay put most of the winter there. Also free. So is nearby Painted Canyon, and that is closer to Joshua Tree NM.
FreeCampgrounds.com
If you are in California, there are a few off road recreation sites, and they allow free camping for a fairly long time. You just want to look like you just got there, not spending a month or more with stuff all over the place or trash around outside.
Have fun!
Good Luck,
Fred.
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trop-a-cal
Palm Coast Fl
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If you are totaly disabled and on SS then you can't work.
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ADAD437
New Albany,Ind. USA
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trop-a-cal wrote:If you are totaly disabled and on SS then you can't work.
Not true.
You are allowed to make a small amount of money per month. Been there Done that. Check the SS web sight.
James,Gail & Pancho
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bubbabod
Beautiful Carlsbad, California
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I'vewatched the campground hosts at Beal's Point at Folsom Lake State Park this year, and their duties seem very easy. They make routine drives around check sites, checking check-in and out times on the posts at each site. I've never seen them cleaning bathrooms and showers, as I think the ranger staff does that. They might sell firewood. I've seen a couple of them make their rounds on state golf carts. What I'm saying is unless you're confined to a wheelchair, it looks like anyone except the most disabled can do some jobs, at least at this state park.
Frank & La Donna Bodden
2004 Sea Breeze LX
Once a Texan, always a Texan
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TCW
On the Road
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soarfoot wrote:I am recently disabled, at age 61. My wife and I would like to go full timing, but would need the help of free camp site for volunteering. Would this disqualify my disability? If we said that only my wife could volunteer, would any one offer camp host positions?
Please help
soarfoot
You don't say what type of disability payments you are receiving. Are they based on an inability to do any type of work or the inability to do your previous job? Are there scheduled re-examinations to determine if you are still unable to work? You really need to take to someone who is an expert on the type of disability you are receiving to determine what might disqualify you for payments.
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I am still wayne_tw
everywhere
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www.volunteer.gov/gov
You will find tons of opprotunities here for just one or even both of you!
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Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
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My wife is unable to walk due to MS. She has to use a walker to get around inside and a mobility scooter to get around outside. The state park we volunteer at supplies us with a golf cart and she is able to do most of the site work like posting reservations at the sites and pulling leaving tabs for those completing their stay. I do most of the other work, like picking up stray pieces of litter, dealing with complaints, checking bathrooms and showers etc. We are not required to clean baths and showers although in some situations we do plunge a toilet or mop a shower floor.
I said all that to tell you this. Working as a team you can get just about anything the average host site requires. With the economy where it is and park budgets being cut back to the bone, State parks are looking for free or nearly free labor. Volunteers cost them very little except some electricity and water and they get a whole lot in return - supervsion and clerical work at the CG, a watch person, a PR person for the park and a general authority figure.
Do it if you can and if you don't like it or can't do it, explain why and move on. No one will get upset. They might even work with you to change the job to something you can do.
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Kirk
Livingston, Texas.
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Joined: 06/17/2001
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Since there is no taxable income from the majority of volunteer positions, and there is nothing reported, no W-2 or 1099, you won't have any problems unless you accept one of the few positions that pay a stipend. We have been living most of our time as "live on" volunteers for the past ten years. In that time we have worked with people on disability pensions many times and places. None of them have had any problems.
One thing that could be a factor is your ability to perform the duties that are asked. Most campground hosts have only a few duties that involve physical labor and chances are that with your spouse's help that would not be difficult. Other volunteer positions are maintenance work and then physical limitations could prevent your being able to do the job needed. There are also many volunteer locations where you work in a visitor center and most likely you would be able to do what would be needed there. Others involve leading tours and giving nature talks and I suspect that at least some of these you could do.
The key is to contact the agency that you are interested in and be completely honest about what your limitations are. Most applications for such positions ask about physical limitations. In most cases there are ways to accommodate, but there will be some that you just won't be able to do. Do not let that bother you as few if any of us can qualify for all of the positions that are out there. I see no reason why you should not be able to find positions to match your abilities.
If you have any doubts, check with some of the agencies to see what you might be able to do, before you commit to the fulltime lifestyle.
Good travelin! ........Kirk
Professional Volunteer
URL: www.adventure.1tree.net
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rvrodaz
Surprise, AZ
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Joined: 03/25/2004
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My wife and I are both on disability and have been fulltiming for six years. We have done both volunteer and paid positions without a problem. In fact I was just audited by SS and had no problems. You are allowed to have reportable income of up to 700 before you have to report it. I have made more than that a couple of times but it is considered as a trial month of which you are allowed 12.
Rod, Shirley & Banji
1995 Dodge 2500 4X4 V10
1988 32Ft HH
ORGAN DONORS SAVE LIVES!!
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