Volunteer Spotlight, James and Teresa Moriarty
Moe and Teresa Moriarty
Moe and Teresa made the decision to try camp hosting after having experienced several years of RV travels during summer vacations while working. They later expanded into longer road trips after retirement.
Traveling is an adventure and they have visited nearly all 50 states. They are from Dexter and New Madrid, Missouri, “Bootheel Country” in the southeastern-most part of the state. They began volunteering at Highlands Hammock in November 2013 and have returned here annually apart from one season out west. They have worked the sugar beet harvest in North Dakota and have also volunteered at Silver Springs, St. Andrews, Fort Clinch and Stephen Foster state parks. They will soon exceed 6,000 volunteer hours in Florida's state parks.
Moe and Teresa have compared Highlands Hammock to “Mayberry,” as “everyone knows one another, everybody is happy, and returning to Highlands Hammock is like coming home.”
They enjoy the camaraderie within the campground and have made many new friends. They are an energetic and hardworking couple who work well independently or as team players with others. Moe brings a lifetime of construction skills to a park which has ongoing electrical and plumbing challenges due to its aging infrastructure.
Teresa, who is a master at working the ranger station gate, demonstrates superb communication skills honed from years of working in human resources as a regional supervisor for McDonald’s.
What makes them such a tremendous asset is that they are always proactive and possess the foresight to undertake what needs to be done without being asked. Moe, who is very observant, takes care of overlooked problems such as overflowing gutters and overgrown trails. Moe and Teresa are very professional and have excellent people skills. Friendly, helpful, pleasant and easygoing, they have assisted in resolving conflicts and misunderstandings in the campground.
Always willing to “step up to the plate,” they are extremely generous, going above and beyond by covering for their fellow volunteers, working special events and closing the park on occasion. This past November when Highlands Hammock experienced a critical shortage of camp hosts and field rangers, the Moriarty's altered their schedule, changed course and headed for the park. Arriving in mid-November, they literally “carried the park” through the end of the month until other volunteers arrived in early December. They are quiet, unassuming and would rather not be in the spotlight.
Highlands Hammock is most fortunate to have them as volunteers and greatly appreciates their willingness “to put the park first,” which makes them invaluable!