Written by Jami Barr, Marketing Intern
Originally posted at Calling All Volunteers! (aboardtheussyorktown.com)
Welcome Aboard
When you arrive at Patriot's Point, the USS Laffey and the USS Yorktown will greet you as you embark on your adventure. This pathway is friendly to those who would like to walk, but there is the option of catching a ride in one of the cruisers if you would like. Once you get across and make your way up the stairs, you will walk through what was once the elevator door to the USS Yorktown. (Given the size and many exhibits inside the USS Yorktown that will probably cause you to run out of time or energy, your best bet is to view the Laffey first. This will ensure your remaining time at Patriots Point can be devoted to the USS Yorktown.) When you come in, you will be greeted by smiling faces with so much information and love for Patriot's Point at the information desk. Every individual at the information desk is a volunteer who spends a minimum of 120 hours aboard providing information and showing people around. Many volunteers have previous military experience, but not all were in the Navy. Across from the information desk is a wall with each volunteer's pictures in their youth to pay homage to their service and time at Patriot's Point.
The First Volunteer
The first volunteer at Patriot's Point was Mr. Don Ziglar. Don Ziglar joined the Navy in 1942 and was assigned to the USS Yorktown. Don was a helmsman during World War II. Don returned to serve aboard the USS Yorktown in 1994 as the first volunteer. Don was known for his storytelling and sharing his firsthand experiences. He passed away in 2006. The volunteer lounge is named in his honor.Becoming a Volunteer
To become a volunteer, one must apply and undergo a brief training by shadowing a senior volunteer. The new volunteer must adhere to the dress code and guidelines and volunteer at least 120 hours a year. Once the new volunteer is ready, they will provide new "sailors" information about the tours available and show them their location via the map. Some of the volunteers can also provide information about the USS Yorktown itself and explain that it is a carrier. There are blueprints available for viewing on the information desk on how the carrier's flight deck used to look versus the improvements that were made when the military started using jets. These volunteers wear various hats in terms of tours. Some volunteers provide the Captain's Tours, which are an additional charge at the ticket booth, and the Operation Overnight tours. These tours are a little more in-depth and take the "sailors" to forbidden areas of the carrier that the standard tours do not. I have been honored to have taken both tours with Don Bommarito. Don is an 86-year-old Marine. I say he is a Marine because they have a saying, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine." Don is well acquainted with Patriot's Point and works as a tour guide and a volunteer. He is from Philadelphia, P.A. but grew up in the Bronx. He has a very heavy Bronx accent, but it adds a lot of flavor to his tours. He interacts with the "sailors" of each tour and leaves an impression when the tour is over. I have taken a liking to Don because he tells the same stories with a different spin each time.
