FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner

Friends of Shimek celebrated the 2018 Volunteers at a dinner in Mt. Pleasant at Little Mexico on March 9. A fun evening with friends, updates from DNR leadership and awards to those that are some of our best ever Friends of Shimek.  
 

The Iowa Trail Riders Association (ITRA) was thanked by the attendees at the FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner--everyone signed a giant Thank You Card. ITRA recently donated $2,500. to Friends of Shimek. These funds will be used as matching money in seeking funding to maintain and develop the Wet Weather Trail system in the Lick Creek Unit. Representing ITRA are Denise Schieffer, Beth Aswegan and Karen Glock, members of the Board of ITRA. They are pictured here with FOS President Ringo Covert during the awards program.

 

The 2018 Bennett Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Bob Bender at the recent FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Shown here are John and Ann Bennett and FOS President Ringo Covert presenting the award certificate to Bob Bender. In addition he was given both a horseshoe boot rack and a photobook documenting his work with Shimek over the last six years. He arrives at most every work day with his ATV and chainsaw, ready to clear trails of downed trees, pick up trash or work on whatever project is planned for the day. Congratulations to Bob Bender!
 

At the FOS Volunteer Recogniton DInner, Shawn and Mary Skillman were presented a framed collage of photos of their BBQ'ing for the FOS in 2018. They prepared the BBQ for both a work day and the Pot-luck. Tasty BBQ!

Gary & Denise Schieffer were each presented with a coffee cup emblazoned with a 2018 FOS picture collage and "Thank for You being a Friend of Shimek in 2018! as a special Thank You from the workers at the May workday where Gary prepared and Gary and Denise served a homemade lunch for the Volunteers and the FOS Crew. He even treated us to a great peach cobbler-- not a bite was left -- even if that meant eating second helpings! Thank You for your support for the DNR staff and the volunteers! We highly recommend your catering!
 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Lora is doing a wonderful job handing out the many awards for volunteer hours complete to guests at the banquet.  She always has a smile on her face and a warm spot in her heart for each and everyone.

 

 

We are looking forward to the memories that 2019 has in store for the Friends of Shimek. Come join us for food, fun, and fellowship on the trails or around a campfire this year.

Join FOS at Dinner to Honor 2018 Volunteers

Friends of Shimek holds an annual dinner in honor of the previous years hard-working Volunteers.  The dinner honoring the 2018 Volunteers will be held at Little Mexico in Mt. Pleasant in their upstairs banquet room on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 4pm.  The attendees in 2018 are pictured above, just before dinner.

Please RSVP to Ann Bennett at windrush2199@gmail.com or call 319-986-2199 

You can leave a message on the recorder.  The dinner choices are Shrimp Enchilada or Salmon and Vegetables or Chicken Fajitas or Steak Fajitas.  The meals are all $12.95 each. Please RSVP by Wed Mar 6th. This helps the restaurant serve a big group more promptly. You may order off the menu for a vegetarian choice or other choice. This does not include a drink, tax or tip. Please be generous in your tips as we are not charged to rent the room for this large party. 

The program will include introduction of the 2019 Board of Directors by President Ringo Covert, a report on activities accomplished in 2018, comments by Forester John Byrd re 2019 Plans at Shimek, the Bennett Volunteer of the Year Award and Awards for all 2018 Volunteers.

Plan to join us for an evening of good fun, conversation and recognition of our Volunteers.

 

Emerald Ash Borer at Shimek Forest

Emerald Ash Borer at Shimek Forest

Sadly, the Emrald Ash Borer arrived at Shimek as it has all over the area. Many ash trees are dead or dying.  This has resulted in the need to remove a number of trees from both Lick Creek campgrounds because they were either dead or dying.  Right now, the areas will look a little bare, but Forester Byrd plans to plant replacement trees within a year.

Work Day Scheduled August 22, 2018

The last scheduled Friends of Shimek Volunteers Group Work Day for 2018 is scheduled for August 22nd in the Lower Campground at the small loop as you enter the campground. Marsha Achenbach is the Work Coordinator for the day. Lunch will be provided by Lora Conrad. Work planned for the day includes clearing trails of trees or limbs, lopping back overgrown multi-flora roses, and picking up trash beside the trails. In the campgrounds, work planned includes cleaning out firepits, paiintng some tables and painting he restroom facilities.

Volunteers may bring ATV's for the day to use for trail work.

Bring your recyclable cans and bottles from home to add to our recycle fundraiser. 

Enjoy helping keep our campgrounds clean and our trails in good shape, and making new friends over your work and lunch. Forester Byrd will assign work tasks and give all an update on what is happening at Shimek Forest.

FOS President Ringo Covert is shown preparing to head off to the trails on the last work day. .

Ann Bennett to receive the Governor's Volunteer Award on August 1, 2018.

Coordinated by Volunteer Iowa, the Governor's Volunteer Award program—now in its 35^th year— recognizes the dedicated people who volunteer their time and talent to help fulfill the missions of Iowa nonprofits, charitable organizations, and government entities. Ann will receive the award for her service with Friends of Shimek State Forest. The Award Program will be held at Bridge View Center in Ottumwa on August 1, 2018 at 11:15 AM. All friends of Ann are invited to attend. The members of the Board of Directors of Friends of Shimek extend congratulations to Ann on this well-deserved honor.

Friends are invited to join Ann after the award program for lunch in her honor at Appanoose Rapids, which is just across the river from the Bridge View at 332 E Main St., Ottumwa. If you plan to attend the lunch after the awards program, please let Lora Conrad know so that the reservation will have seating for all that attend. E-mail her at FOShimek@gmail.com.

Ann Bennett: Governor's Volunteer Award Nomination Excerpt

Ann Bennett has spent her 27 years in Iowa volunteering to make the lives of children, horses and riders better in significant ways. Her volunteerism has included serving as a County Board of Education member, leading an effort to build a new high school, improving rider safety in 4-H clubs, horse rescue efforts and other volunteer activities supporting children and horses. One of those volunteer projects to which she has dedicated much time, energy and heart has been the Friends of Shimek State Forest (FOS). FOS is an all volunteer, non-profit organization to support Shimek Forest. It was formed when the state was considering closing equestrian trails such as those at Shimek Forest. Ann and other local equestrians wanted very much to save those trails from closure as they are a popular outdoor activity for families in Iowa, especially in southeastern Iowa. She and a small cadre of like-minded volunteers, working with Shimek Area Forester John Byrd formed the group to preserve the equestrian trails and protect the forest. FOS was the first friends group in Iowa formed to support a state forest. Ann sought and obtained the support of the Great River Classical Horsemanship Association, the Iowa Trail Riders Association and Iowa Horse Council and her many individual contacts around the state to obtain support and cooperation for the new volunteer organization. Both the Shimek Area Forester and the Southeast Area Parks Supervisor worked with FOS to meet the goals of improving the trails and facilities for equestrians and to protect the resources of Shimek Forest. Volunteers dedicate about 1,000 hours each year to support Shimek Forest. This organization has been a valuable support for addressing the serious challenges of maintaining safe trails for equestrian families to enjoy a healthy outdoor activity free of charge and to develop an appreciation for the beauty and value of Shimek Forest in those that ride, hunt, hike, fish or drive through this lovely forest. Ann Bennett served as President from 2011 through 2017 and is still a member of the Board. Advocacy for the protection and care of the forest is an ongoing challenge to develop among the public a mindset of the need to protect, not “use” this beautiful resource—this is a struggle she, FOS volunteers, and the DNR staff continue to address today.

Lots of work done on hot July day.

FOS Volunteers and the DNR crew met on July 11th at 8:00 AM at the Lick Creek Upper Campground for a morning of working on the trails and in the campgrounds.
Here Forester John Byrd is shown making work assignments for the day.

 Despite the hot, humid conditions, lots of work was completed.  Several downed trees were removed from the trails by DNR crew members Ben Hassman, Eric Martin and Heath Fraise and Volunteers Bob Bender and Neal Hartman, some that were quite difficult for riders to get around.   Briars and poison ivy were cut back by hand loppers along one narrow trail.   In this photo, Eric is shown with the Gator used to transport one of the chainsaw crews out to the downed trees.

Before heading off to work, the paperwork must be done and Susan and Ross discuss their activities for the morning.  Both are summer DNR staff .  They keep the campground working well, mowed and  assist campers and riders on the weekend with registration and any questions they may have.  Susan assisted Ann and Bonnie with can collection this morning. Kayla helped Bob Achenbach and John Byrd with trimming on the trails.  Meanwhile, John Bennett and Ross O'Day cleaned out the firepits.

The Paint Iowa Beautiful grant crew included Jo Watson, Nancy Grams, Marsha Achenbach, Lora Conrad, and for a short while  Bob Achenbach and  John Byrd.  Tables and restroom facilities at White Oak Campground were tackled with Vogel paint.  Here Marsha and Nancy begin the work on one of the restroom facilities--Marsha is scraping loose paint and Nancy has begun to repaint.   Much paint was peeling off as can be seen.

 

 

A couple of hours later------

 



 

And when the work was done---the reward---Skillbilly BBQ provided by Mary and Shawn Skillman with slaw and watermelon brought by Ann Bennett and desserts provided by Bonnie and Lora.  And water, water and more water then tea. 

And then Forester John Byrd gave an update to the team on the plans for the new Wet Weather Trail segment to replace the dangerous ride along side Highway 2. He has it planned and almost all the necessary permissions, but trees can not be cut until after October 1.

 

Re-pack, re-load, clean up after lunch, then--

The End!

 

 

 

FOS Workday Planned for July 11, 2018

FRIENDS OF SHIMEK FOREST (FOS)

July 11th, 2018  WORK DAY –

  CAN YOU COME HELP? 

Come join other friends of Shimek at 8am at the Lick Creek Upper Campground on Wednesday, July 11th at the Day Parking Area.  Ann Bennett is the Work Day Coordinator.  Forester John Byrd  will assign work day tasks, volunteers will sign liability forms ( if needed) and volunteer log. After a morning of work, all will return to the Upper Campground at noon for a great lunch courtesy of Shawn and Mary Skillman with some help from Ann Bennett and Bonnie Moothart.  Shawn has quite a reputation for excellent grilled ribs --so come work for the morning and enjoy the reward!   Everyone working will report back to Ann and Forester Byrd on the progress they made and Forester Byrd will update all of us on what is happening at Shimek now and plans for this fall.   Remember—no previous volunteer experience necessary.


Please RSVP to FOS by email  shimekfriends@gmail.com   so we know what you are bringing for tools and equipment (if any), what job you might do, and to have a headcount for the meal.     If pouring rain (Oh we have had little chance of that of late--so DRY.), then the work day may be cancelled. Any change in work day status will be promptly posted on FB and the FOS Blog as well. If there is a change, anyone who has advised us they are coming will be contacted via e-mail or phone.

Primary goals for the day include both campground and trail work. Campground work includes clean up of fire pits, campsites and stalls, can and bottle sorting, and  painting at the White Oak Campground.  Trail work needed that can be done using your ATV, on foot or on horseback includes cutting off and removing downed trees, trash/can pick-up, cutting back multi-flora that intrudes on the trails (can use loppers, weedeaters, or walk-behind mowers), clipping back overgrowth on narrower trails with loppers, and removing dangerous limbs that could jab riders. Let us know what you want to work on and we will discuss what supplies you might need to bring and what DNR or FOS can supply. Paint and trash bags will be provided by DNR. FOS has loppers. Don't forget your blaze orange Friends of Shimek work vest if you have one. There will be some loaner vests available to identify all of us as volunteers.

Volunteers shown here at the May Friends of Shimek Workday
 

Reminder --bring your Iowa recyclable cans and bottles from home with you for the FOS fundraiser.

We look forward to having you with us that morning. We will all return to camp at Noon to report back and enjoy lunch with friends.   Most work is expected to be finished by noon.

Friends of Shimek Receives "Paint Iowa Beautiful" Award

Diamond Vogel Paints and Keep Iowa Beautiful recently announced that 

Friends of Shimek State Forest was awarded 9 gallons of paint for painting picnic tables and other campground structures, including the toilet buildings. These wooden facilities need painting about every two years to increase their life span and improve their appearance. There are four campgrounds at Shimek, all with wooden picnic tables with metal frames, small wooden toilet buildings, and posts for signage and other purposes. The paint was obtained through the Diamond Vogel Paint Store in Burlington, IA which is managed by Nick Wittenmyer.

 Friends of Shimek Board Member Neal Hartman (left) is pictured with Nick Wittenmyer receiving the 9 gallons of paint which was special mixed in the DNR standard green and brown colors. Ringo Covert, Friends of Shimek Board President said: “ The Friends of Shimek extend our appreciation to Diamond Vogel for this help in our on-going efforts to support DNR in maintaining the campgrounds.”

Friends of Shimek volunteers met for their first Group Work Day of 2018 in late May at the Lick Creek Lower Campground. The volunteers are shown above as they prepare to begin the painting project as well as clearing downed trees off trails, sorting cans and bottles and other campground maintenance.

 

The first step in the project was painting the two wooden toilet facilities at the Bitternut Lake campground. The paint was peeling badly and no longer protected the wood from the elements as shown in the photo above.  

Here Volunteers and Friends of Shimek Board Members Marsha Achenbach and Jo Watson are shown just after completing the repainting of those two facilities, which are looking much better.

Painting of the metal legs on picnic tables to prolong their life is next on the Friends of Shimek “Paint Iowa Beautiful” project. With 9 gallons of paint, there will be a lot of "Painting Shimek Beautiful" yet to come.  Volunteers to help paint will be needed at the next FOS Group Work Day on July 11th!

Horses and Water Hydrants must be kept far apart!

Keep Horses FAR away from Campground Water Hydrants!

 For the second time, riders have allowed a horse to get near a Shimek campground water hydrant and then hang its halter or bridle on it--frightening the horse and bending the water pipe. This time, it caused the pipe in the lower campground to leak, not just bend.
 Here is the work that caused!! Hours of digging, changing the pipe, and refilling, topping with gravel and smoothing for the Shimek DNR crew! Time they could have worked on the trails or forest duties.

 PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR HORSE WITH YOU TO THE WATER HYDRANT!! Tie it to your tie rail or trailer. CARRY A BUCKET TO THE HORSE BUT PLEASE -- NO HORSES NEAR WATER HYDRANTS.

 If this kind of damage happens on a hot weekend, there might be no water for anyone at either campground!

WORKDAY MAY 23, 8:00 A.M.

FIRST workday of the season!!  Lots to do, please come and help out!  We have a great time, and the feeling of accomplishment is GREAT.  We will be sorting cans, cleaning up campsites, clearing trails,  painting things, and whatever else John Byrd and coordinator Ringo Covert will come up with!

Wear work clothes, bring gloves, a sack lunch and meet for volunteer sign in, signing liability forms, and to volunteer for tasks at 8 a.m.   We will work until about noon, meet for lunch and John Byrd will bring us up to date on what is happening.

Hoping to see you that day!!!!  Email us at shimekfriends@gmail.com