September 28th Workday Report
At the FOS Work Day on 9/28, there were
14 volunteers and five DNR Shimek crew to tackle the jobs needing
done. Volunteers were Marsha Achenbach, Bob Achenbach, Ringo Covert,
Jo Watson, Kathy Collins, Jeff Collins, Linda Fiordelise, Bill
Fiordelise, Bonnie Moothart, Doug Moothart, Pat Pollpeter, Billie
Dilsaver, Mary Doyle and Lora Conrad. The Shimek DNR Crew working
with the volunteers were Forester John Byrd, Ben Hassman, Eric
Martin, Heath Fraise, and Susan Meinhardt. The work of all is much
appreciated! Shown below is Forester John Byrd making work
assignments for the morning.
Forester John Byrd assigned two crews
of two ATV's each to take chain saws and clear trees that had
recently fallen on both dirt trails and the WWT. Several people
including Linda, Mary and Lora walked trails out of the campgrounds
with loppers to cut back roses and carried trash bags and pickers to
retrieve those cans and bottles thoughtlessly tossed back into the
briars. Ringo and Doug are shown here removing a tree across
the WWT. Photo by Bonnie Moothart.
In camp, recyclable and refundable cans
and bottles collected in the deposit bins were sorted by Marsha and
Kathy shown at work below and fire pits were cleaned –Pat, Billie, and Susan worked on
this in both campgrounds. The Mootharts took the cans to Ann
then Ann Bennett took the cans to recycle and received $104 for the
FOS treasury.
DNR crew had begun work on the lime chips in all
the horse stalls by breaking up the hard pan so that volunteers could
rake the lime chips into more nearly flat surfaces (getting rid of
pot holes created by horses). Toilet facilities in both campgrounds
were pressure washed by Jeff Collins and John Byrd...a difficult job
but much appreciated by campers. Pat Pollpeter and Billie
Dilsaver cleaned out firepits.
After a morning of work, all gathered
for a lunch of soup and sandwiches, an update from John Byrd on the
new day parking project and an update from Bonnie Moothart on the
Benefit Meal and Auctions scheduled Nov. 4 to raise matching funds
for that project and for other work needed on the trails.
YOU can still help!
Much was accomplished but we never
quite get finished—can't retrieve trash from 26 miles in one
morning. But if riders will help when they are there---the trails
could be completely cleared up—so when you are riding, if you see
trash and cans on a section, take an hour and clean up a section of
trail. Let us know when you do this, and we'll include you in the
Shimek volunteer report! Just send your name, date and time worked at
Shimek and what you did to
FOShimek@gmail.com
Any photos of you working on the trails or in the campgrounds will
also be appreciated.
Day-Parking Project
The Lee County Charitable Fund has made
a grant to FOS for the development of additional day-parking at the
Upper Campground and for a new day-parking lot at the Lower
Campground. The grant amount is for $5,000. FOS very much
appreciates this generous grant. However, the two new parking
areas will require clearing trees, smoothing and packing ground,
purchasing and spreading rock and lime chips, packing these and other
related work to provide two suitable, well-drained day-parking
areas for trucks with horse-trailers that can be used with only
a small amount of annual maintenance for many years to come.
The estimate of the cost is at least $9,000 total. Forester
John Byrd and his crew will clear trees and oversee the dozer work
paid for by the grant. Work will begin about the end of October
and, weather permitting, it will be completed by early May.
However, there are no funds in the DNR Shimek budget for the amount
of rock and lime chips needed. FOS is committed to raising the
matching funds for the project and additional funds to provide the
rock needed for trail repairs on Wet Weather Trail maintenance.
Remember, there is no charge to use the day-parking areas.
However, they are not to be used for overnight camping---campsites
are already provided for that purpose.
Benefit Meal and
Auctions for Friends of Shimek
For the latest photos of the almost 100
items to auction by the auctioneer, the silent auction items and the
details of the meal, go to Facebook Friends of Shimek State Forest
Equestrian Trails and check out the Event for November 4th--meal
starts at 5:00PM, auction at 6:30. It is being held at the
Lodge at River Valley campground. Bonnie Moothart and Ann
Bennett are coordinating the fundraiser.
See you November 4th!!
Lora Conrad
FOS Secretary/Newsletter Editor
