Our Volunteers

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It required a workforce in the thousands to hand dig the original Erie Canal (1817-25). Today, over 125 dedicated volunteers, including Lock Tenders, Boat Tenders, Guides, Tour Leaders, Canal Ambassadors, Reenactors and Canal Clean Up & Beautification Team members transform the largest extant section of the Enlarged Erie Canal and the surrounding Locks District into a dynamic, living history experience yearly for thousands of visitors to the Lockport Locks.

When the State of New York authorized the construction of the Erie Barge Canal, Lockport was fortunate that only one of the two flights of five locks from the 19th Century was demolished in order to make room for the much larger and deeper Barge Canal Locks. The rehabilitation of the Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks has ignited a passion among Lockport citizens to make the Lockport Locks Heritage District a world-class heritage tourism attraction that complements the other outstanding architectural and cultural sites in Western New York.

Lockport area residents are invited to join the ranks of the Erie Canal Flight of Five volunteer workforce. Simply complete and submit the Erie Canal Flight of Five Volunteer Sign-Up Form to become part of our organization. 

Listed below are the names of our current volunteer corps of Lock Tenders:

Mike O'Neil   Robert Ortt   Douglas Nagel   Don Nims   Jenelle Papin   Tom Parks   Ashley  Person   Jeffrey Petersen   Jack  Pittsley   Michael Primerano   Gary Proefrock   Erin Reibel   Josh Repp   Jeff Rey  Bob Corneck   Steve Cotten   Mike Davidson   Don DuBois   Rick Dunbar   Melissa Dunlap   Ahmed Eleshaky   Jeremy Fischer   Wayne Forrest   John   "Jack" Frost   Marc Frys   Dave Garlock  Doug Riccobono Sr.   Tim Rushlow   Ed Sandell   Dale Schlyer   Alexander Scott   Kevin Seekins   Kimberly Seekins  Felicia Shubbuck   John Shubbuck   Art Smith   Greg Smith   Travis Smith   Trevor Smith   Peter Stapell   Dennis Summers   Judi Szczublewski   Josh Tatman   Mike Trethewey   Paul Trometer   Rick Updegrove   Dominic Vogel   Ernie Way   Terry Werth   Kaitlyn Whitlock  

Amanda Alexander   Rick Annalora   Mark Bannan   Mark Bauerlein   Katie Benden   Lola Bergeron   Marie Bindeman   Tim Brounscheidel   Aaron Carlson   Dave Chatt   Boyd  Cooper  Desire Giraneza  Tom Glynn   Mike Gordon   Philip Gow   David Guetta   Nancy Haas   Dennis Hadden   Beth Handley   Mercedes Handley   Ken Handley III   Chelsea Harpst   Doug Hartley   Scott Herald   Kylie Henderson   Gary Hetherly   James Houghton   Terry Hutchison   Russell Jackman   Nancy Kasprzak-Whitmore   John Katalinas   Cindi Kavanaugh   Kayla Kisenwether   Xavier Krull   Michael Landers   Jeff Lee   Paul Lehman   Lindsey Leitzel   Dan Lewandowski   Mike Lorenc   Susan Loughen   Kathryn Martin   Thomas Mattocks   Harry McCrea   David Wielgas   Kevin Wojcinski   Michael Werthman   William Wright   Joel Yacono        

 Lock Tenders demonstrate for visitors the manual operation of the wooden lock gates of Locks 68, 69 and 70 in the Flight of Five as well as locking through our docent vessel, the Erie Traveler. Locks Demonstrations take place every Saturday from 11 AM – 1 PM, June through September.  

 Locks District Guides greet visitors to the Locks District on Saturdays from 11 AM – 1 PM in conjunction with the Locks Demonstrations. Guides lead visitors to points of interest in the Locks area and provide information regarding the history of the Erie Canal and the Lockport Locks. Guides also direct visitors to the Locks District Museum and the Erie Canal Discovery Center as well as related sources of information to enhance the quality of their visit to Lockport and the Lockport Locks. 

 Tour Docents lead the Flight of Five Lock Tenders Tour, a 1 ½ hour narrated walking tour of the Locks District, Monday through Friday at 11 AM thru September 4. 

 Chaperones assist Tour Docents in the conduct of the Flight of Five Lock Tenders Tour, assure the safety of visitors on the tour.  

Tour Attendants welcome visitors to the Flight of Five Lock Tenders Tour, sign in all visitors and provide them with information regarding the services at the Erie Canal Discovery Center.

 Flower Tenders plant and care for the flowers and landscape beds in the Locks District. In addition, Flower Tenders assist with weed control, trimming and litter control.