Turkey time
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has announced that permits for the spring turkey hunting season will be available beginning April 1. Hunters are encouraged to purchase their permit online at www.dem.ri.gov/huntfish.
The 2021 spring turkey season will be open from April 29 through May 23. The season bag limit is two bearded birds, and no more than one may be taken on state lands during the spring season. Legal shooting hours are a half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. Harvest reporting is required through DEM’s online harvest reporting website at https://www.ri.gov/DEM/huntfish.
Statewide in Rhode Island, youth turkey hunting days are April 24 and 25 and provide an opportunity for youth hunters age 12 to 15 to hunt wild turkey. Youth hunters are required to possess a current Rhode Island hunting license and a turkey tag. Parents or guardians assisting youths are prohibited from possessing a firearm and hunting during the youth wild turkey hunting days.
For a summary of the spring and fall 2020 wild turkey hunting season, visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/sprgtrkysurvey.pdf.
Hunter education is offered as part of the DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Hunter Education Program. Safety training is required by law in Rhode Island for beginning hunters. A complete schedule of hunter educational offerings is available at www.dem.ri.gov
To purchase a hunting license, or for more information about Rhode Island’s hunting and fishing licensing system, visit www.dem.ri.gov/huntfish. The site also acts as a portal to help plan adventures that make the most of Rhode Island’s great outdoors. It links to information on hunting and fishing opportunities, trails, and natural areas through a variety of maps, as well as certification information for hunter safety and boating safety.
Due to COVID-19, hunters are encouraged to purchase their spring turkey permits online and must practice safe social distancing while turkey hunting. For more information on the spring turkey hunting season and hunting regulations, view the Rhode Island Hunting and Trapping Abstract at http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/huntabs.pdf.
OSJL provides PPE
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation has leveraged its global supply chain to provide hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment to first responders, healthcare organizations and municipalities. In continuation of this effort, the Foundation will distribute up to $3.4 million worth of additional PPE to school systems in the 142 communities where Ocean State Job Lot stores are located across the Northeast. The donations include pallets of PPE including face shields, antibacterial and disinfecting hand wipes, and hand sanitizer, for a total retail value of up to $24,000 to each community.
The OSJL Charitable Foundation has actively invested in providing relief to the communities in which it operates, supporting the 142 communities in which it has stores with $25 million in financial and product donations in 2020. Among these donations was the ongoing distribution of $15 million in PPE to school systems, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and police and fire departments across New England and the Northeast.
In September, the Foundation distributed premium massage chairs, valued at nearly $7,000 each, to hospitals throughout the Northeast to provide healthcare workers with an opportunity to relieve stress. These efforts are in addition to its many ongoing charitable activities, including OSJL’s ‘Mask Fabric for Free’ campaign, which supplied customers with the fabric necessary to create an estimated 1.8 million homemade cloth face masks.
Now hiring
Both RI DEM and OSJL also announced this week that their organizations are seeking employees.
OSJL is hosting a virtual hiring event on Tuesday, March 23 at 4 p.m. for store leadership and full-time and part-time opportunities at each of its stores in Rhode Island.
Those interested in attending one of the virtual hiring events may register at https://bit.ly/3qQWNTK. For any questions about a potential career with OSJL, those interested may reach out to the OSJL recruitment team directly via email at careers@osjl.com.
Open positions include: Store Leadership, Area Supervisors, Ad Coordinator, Department Heads, Field Merchandiser, Front End Supervisors, Operations Supervisor, Maintenance Associate, Receiver, Sales Associates, Stock Associates and Visual Merchandisers.
Applicants from community-based organizations are encouraged to apply. Those interested in store leadership opportunities may apply online at oceanstatejoblot.com/careers-store-leadership.
Applicants interested part-time and full-time store positions may visit oceanstatejoblot.com/careers-store-team to apply. OSJL offers a competitive salary and benefits package including: flexible hours; medical, vision and dental insurance, if eligible; profit participation; service awards; paid time off; 401K; store discount and more.
DEM, meanwhile, is actively recruiting lifeguards, park rangers, facilities attendants and other key staff to fill seasonal employment positions at state beaches, parks, and campgrounds during the 2021 recreation season. Rhode Island residents, ages 16 and older, are encouraged to apply.
With only 52 full-time employees managing 25 parks and preserves, eight saltwater beaches, and dozens of other properties, DEM’s Division of Parks and Recreation relies hugely on seasonal employees. Every year, it hires between 400 and 450 “seasonals.”
Full-time lifeguard positions are available at all state swimming areas, including saltwater beaches such as Roger Wheeler and Scarborough, non-surf beaches such as Goddard, and freshwater beaches such as Burlingame Campground and Lincoln Woods State Park. Flexible, 20-hour workweeks are available for lifeguard positions at our busiest swimming areas. Hourly rates for lifeguards range from $13.25 to $16.25 an hour, based on location and position level. All lifeguard candidates must have successfully completed courses and hold valid cards in lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR including infant, child, and adult.
DEM also is seeking park rangers and facilities attendants to work at recreational sites across the state. Park rangers are instrumental to a safe and fun experience at DEM properties. They give directions to beach-goers and park users, help with crowd control, provide security checks for facilities, and are the first responders in the event of emergency. Hourly rates for park rangers range from $10.50 to $11.60. Applicants for facilities attendant and park ranger I must be 16 years of age or older, and applicants to park ranger positions at levels II and III must be 18 years of age or older.
With 50 percent fewer teens seeking jobs than 20 years ago, DEM is looking to recruit active older Rhode Islanders and retired military personnel who might want to work part-time work to make up for the lack of younger applicants.
For a complete list of seasonal employment opportunities and to apply, visit www.riparks.com/employment. Most positions are full-time and include weekend and holiday hours. Applications must be completed online. Paper applications will not be accepted. The State of Rhode Island is an equal opportunity/diversity employer.
PPP application extended
The deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program has now been extended to May 31. The program is offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration and President Biden recently announced program changes to make access the loans more equitable.
Learn more here.
