The Gateway Council is seeking informative, interesting, well-written travel essays to publish in its award-winning quarterly newsletter. We encourage you to send in stories focusing on backpacking/hostel travel, but this is not a requirement. Mainly we just want good yarns that are fun to read.

Articles should be no more than 1,500 words and include pictures. Just cut and paste your story into the body of the e-mail or attach as a Word document, attach your pictures (at least 300 dpi), and e-mail them to clerk@moonlightramble.org .

The Gateway Council is seeking motivated and enthusiastic interns. An Internship/Practicum with the Gateway Council is a great opportunity to gain experience with an organization that is recognized world-wide.

How: The Gateway Council cooperates with area colleges and universities in providing experiential education to students in a more formal setting. Depending on the requirements of the participating school, interns/practicum students work on agreed-upon projects for the Council. These projects may include some of the volunteer opportunities listed here on a more intensive basis. Work is of a pre-professional nature, with the student learning new skills and applying classroom learning to work situations. At the end of the internship, the internship supervisor evaluates the intern and the intern evaluates the experience. The student may receive college credit for their experience working for the Council.

When: Interns/practicum students usually work a semester or a quarter during the school year or summer on a project of their choice or interest that meets the needs of the Council.

Prospective interns/practicum students are encouraged to call or send resumes to The Gateway Council office addressed to Mark Cockson, Executive Director or to clerk@moonlightramble.org .

The Volunteer Application form can be downloaded here.

Activity Committees
The Gateway Council supports three committees for outdoor activities: Bicycling, Canoeing, and Hiking/Backpacking. These committees oversee regular activities that occur weekly.

Activity Leader
Volunteers plan and execute all regular outdoor activities. Have a great outdoor trip idea and want to share it with fellow enthusiasts? We are your place.

Special Events
The Gateway Council has a respected history of nationally recognized special events: The Moonlight Ramble®—the largest nighttime bicycle ride in the world; Cycle Across Missouri—participants ride their bicycles from town to town across Missouri and neighboring states staying the night in schools and Universities that open their doors to us; International Travel Day—a showcase of world cultures that promotes world travel and the culture of hostelling. Become part of some of the largest and most successful volunteer-run events in the world.

Opening Doors/Opening Minds
An integrated programming and public awareness effort aimed at providing young people with opportunities to be engaged, thoughtful global citizens. Volunteers teach workshops, make presentations, and fulfill speaking engagements.

Activity Committees:

• Walk/Hike
• Bicycling
• Canoe

• Travel Scholars
• Speakers Bureau
• Travel-101

• Moonlight Ramble®
• Cycle Across Missouri™
• International Travel Day

• Gateway Newspaper Writer
• Office Help
• Marketing

The Gateway Council is the local branch of Hostelling International-USA(AYH). This office serves a region that includes Missouri, Northern Arkansas, Eastern Kansas, and Southern Illinois.

Hostelling International is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit volunteer-based organization—meaning our special events, educational programs, and the Gateway Newsletter are undertaken completely by volunteers.

Getting involved at The Gateway Council is a great way to:

• Earn college credit
• Learn new skills
• Meet interesting people
• Participate in our events free of charge

The Gateway Newspaper
The Gateway Newsletter is a publication that includes articles on world travel and the culture of hostelling, our special events like the Moonlight Ramble, and an events calendar with all our regular bicycle rides, canoe trips, and hiking trips.

Gateway Writer
Stories, columns, and the calendar of events are all written by volunteers. Dream of being a travel writer? The Gateway may be your start.

Office Help
The Gateway Council Office, 2810 N 14 Street, St. Louis, MO, 63107 can always use the helping hands of volunteers. Volunteers may help with: (1)Mailings, (2)Assembling Information Packets, (3)Data Entry, (4)Gathering Event Supplies, (5)Inventory of Equipment and Supplies, (6)Assembling Statistics and Reports

Graphics
Volunteers help design and lay out brochures, fliers, registration forms, and t-shirts. Experience with desktop publishing and art software a plus.

Board Members are elected each year at the Fall Rally held in October or November. Board Members serve two-year terms.

Six Board Members serve on the executive committee as:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• At-Large (two)

Each Board Member also serves on various board committees:

• Hostel Development
• Finance/Fundraising
• Marketing/Community Relations
• Personnel
• Volunteer

Many other Board Members sit-in or chair other event committees as well as volunteer time with the Council according to time, talent, and treasure.