FOS Update as of 10-1-17 Sept. Work Day Follow-up and Day-Parking Project

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