Volunteer Voices - Tom Chwalek
Meet Canaveral National Seashore Volunteer Tom Chwalek
Canaveral National Seashore volunteer Tom Chwalek was born and raised in Springfield, Mass. He moved from Springfield to Orlando in 1987 at age 27 to take a job transfer from Textron in the aerospace industry. He recently became a Coastal Naturalist in the Florida Master Naturalist Program. Get to know Tom here:
What is your educational and career background?
I earned my college degree in mechanical engineering and took a job as a junior engineer making blades and vanes for the aerospace industry.
Are you retired?
I retired in 2020 after 40 great years as a manufacturing engineer, with the last 20 years making blades and vanes for the land-based, power-generation field.
How did you begin volunteering at Canaveral National Seashore?
It was always my plan to volunteer once I retired. After a few visits to the Apollo District Visitor Center, I asked about volunteer opportunities. I also signed up to volunteer as a kayak sweep.
How long have you been a volunteer?
I have been volunteering since January 2025, after moving from Orlando to New Smyrna Beach.
Have you taken on other volunteer activities in the park since your start?
I have volunteered as a kayak sweep at Canaveral National Seashore and have helped with the International Coastal Clean-up for the last two years. I also was trained on the UTV so I could work as a sea turtle scout this past summer. What an opportunity that was!
What do you enjoy the most about working at Canaveral National Seashore?
Canaveral is a wonderful place to be -- just to be out in nature, meeting people from all over, educating them about our environment and working alongside the other volunteers and park rangers is highly rewarding.
What do you try to bring to your role in the park?
I like helping out when there is a need to get things done, as well as seeing the smiles on guests’ faces when they see our wonderful wildlife.
What has been the highlight for you so far in the national park?
I would have to say the highlight so far has been volunteering for the turtle scout program and seeing nature at its finest with the loggerhead mothers crawling up on the beach to lay their eggs.
Do you volunteer anywhere else?
Yes, I also volunteer at the Marine Discovery Center as a kayak sweep.
Why is it important for you to volunteer?
I think it is important to be immersed in the community you live in. Without volunteers, there are many programs that would not exist due to staffing issues. So, it’s a win-win to be able to volunteer and keep these wonderful programs alive.
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