My Public Lands

Mark Kreider, BLM Anchorage District Office, Alaska 

Newly graduated from a rural Kansas high school, Mark Kreider came to the BLM Anchorage District Office in the summer of 2013 as a one-year volunteer through the Mennonite Service Adventure Program.

Since then, Mark has been volunteering 40 hours a week as a maintenance technician on the BLM’s Campbell Tract, 730 acres of public lands in the heart of Anchorage. Mark mended doors and cabinets at the Campbell Creek Science Center and performed many other maintenance tasks necessary for the safe functioning of the educational facility. He repaired mowers and landscaping equipment; maintained snowmachines and groomers; put chains on tractors and the road grader for winter use; and assisted in rebuilding, setting up, and testing the sanding unit for winter road maintenance.

Mark was also a great help in preparing the Campbell Tract for the annual Iditarod Ceremonial Start, a popular event that draws thousands of spectators for the opening leg of the Iditarod, the world’s longest sled dog race. Mark plowed snow to create parking for spectators and sled dog vehicles, helped develop traffic flow and safety plans, crafted hundreds of souvenir wood plaques for volunteers and youth education programs, and devoted a Saturday to working the actual event.

Mark has demonstrated a wide range of skills, an admirable work ethic, and a sense of responsibility far beyond his years. He always finds ways to effectively pitch in on any task or a project, working in a polite and diplomatic manner regardless of the environment, job, or unique personalities he encounters. No doubt this remarkable young man will continue to impress as he works toward completion of his BLM volunteer service in July 2014.

Read more about the Annual Making a Difference Volunteer Awards.