We're terminated,,, sort of.

At 9:00pm local time, 12:00am eastern time we received an email from the North Rim Fees Supervisor (the highest ranked person on the non-law enforcement side of the park system and our primary supervisor).  Looks like the government is going to shut down and she forwarded an email from the Grand Canyon Superintendent, who is headquartered on the South Rim.

In his email he was alerting all park officials that most jobs would be furloughed as of tomorrow, including all volunteers.  Even though some of the volunteers get no pay at all, like us camp hosts, there are a class that do get stipends and expenses paid.  Regardless, we are all to cease any volunteer duties.

We have been given the option to furlough in place or end our stint early.  But if we do end it, we must vacate the park.  I don't know about the other volunteers, but I'm going hiking tomorrow.  If the House and Senate can't get their act together in a few days then we'll see if it is worth pulling up stakes early.