After a three-year hiatus in dry storage, the National Park Service's Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team houseboat is being repaired, and volunteer trips are expected to resume the first week of November.
Jay and Cathi Phelps, of Bulldog Boat Repair, will complete the work needed to recondition the True GRIT and get the vessel back in the water. Bulldog Boat Repair has completed numerous repairs to the True GRIT in the past 13 years, often donating parts and services to keep the boat running.
The True GRIT was donated to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in 2003 by Bob and Vicki Schwartz, and Bill and Carol Williams, who wanted to see the houseboat used to support graffiti removal. The Glen Canyon Natural History Association contributed funding to launch the Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team and the True GRIT made her first voyage in 2004.
The True GRIT and her volunteer crews removed thousands of square feet of graffiti from Glen Canyon from 2004-2013 when the graffiti removal program was temporarily suspended due to a lack of funding. A new allocation of funds collected from visitor fees is being used to refurbish the True GRIT and reinvigorate the Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team program. Like them on Facebook to get the latest information about community events and upcoming houseboat trips @nograffitiinparks.
Tags: volunteer houseboat
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
