The Dirt from the Director Hey friend, I’m so happy to start the first newsletter of the year with good news. Last month, we exceeded our fundraising goal for the Treadwell Ditch Trail Renovation project! With our match commitment complete, we can get back to work on the trail and are on track to have the project completed by 2023. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this project, we couldn’t have done it without you. This time of the year is always exciting for me because we start to really plan for the upcoming season. To name a few, we’re planning work on the Christopher Trail, Switzer Loop, Pt. Bridget Trail, and of course the Treadwell Ditch Trail. In addition to planning those improvements, we’re submitting grant applications for the DuPont Trail and Perseverance Trail. We’re also still working on the Juneau Master Trail Plan and want to hear from you- what trails should we be focusing on? While we are working hard to develop our 2021 trail projects, we’re also taking some time for reflection. In 2020, we worked on more trails, hired more crew members, and saw more community support than ever before. We’re excited to soon be sharing those accomplishments and program summaries with you in Trail Mix, Inc.’s annual report. We’re also working on an impact report for last year’s largest program- the COVID19 Conservation Corps. This super effective program was a workforce development program funded by a grant of CARES monies from the CBJ. We were able to put over 30 people to work who would have been otherwise unemployed due to the pandemic and more than 80% of non-payroll expenses were spent at local businesses. We’re excited to share the story of this unique program with you! Stay tuned for this report. I’m optimistic that Trail Mix will have an even bigger impact on our trail system and community this year. As COVID vaccines become available, I’m hopeful that we will again be able to host volunteer workdays. Would you or your community group be interested in working on a trail project? Let us know! Happy new year! Best, Ryan |
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