Updates from The Trail – A New Way to Give Back

megan_donoghue-3

 

by Megan Donoghue,
County Parks Department

A New Way to Give Back –

With summer in full swing, it’s hard to imagine that before we know it, people will be back in flocks to come enjoy the beautiful Sunshine State.   The Friends of the Legacy Trail do a phenomenal job at increasing awareness and improving the user experience on the Trail.  Volunteer Ambassador Patrols keep the Trail safe and in shape by being that extra set of eyes. Volunteer Surrey Riders get more people out on the trail experiencing something that they may not have been able to otherwise. And each and every week, The Friends of the Legacy Trail volunteers can be found at an informational table spreading the word and awareness of this precious public resource.

But there are other ways you can give back! The next few months, I will be working on planning a few Volunteer Work Parties for Trail Stewards who want to get outside and get their hands dirty.  A typical project will last 3-4 hours and may include trail maintenance such as clearing vegetation, invasive species removal, placing mulch, cleaning signs, and keeping the Trail in tip-top shape!

How to get involved:

The two existing roles that will be a part of this type of work are:

  • PLEG: Trail Steward [Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources\Legacy Trail]
  • POSP: Grounds Steward [Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources\Osprey Junction Trailhead]

If you haven’t registered as a Sarasota County Volunteer, click here to get started!

If you are currently a registered volunteer, when you signed up you selected an “assignment.”  Majority of the current volunteers are assigned as “Ambassador Patrols.”  But you can be assigned to more than one role! Log into your volunteer profile, and click to sign up for an additional role. This will enable me to see who is interested in this type of volunteer work for outreach purposes, and provides you an avenue to log your hours so we know all of the incredible work you do on the Trail!

We hope to see you on the Trail!

Megan Donoghue is a Parks and Recreation Specialist with the County Parks Department and is a member of the FLT Board of Directors.