Our Stories
HSS and AmeriCorps
Our Hiawatha-Shore-to-Shore Chapter recently submitted two separate press releases regarding the recent help they received from a great group of AmeriCorps Volunteers. Read below and find out all the amazing work that was accomplished by team “Cedar Six!”
October 12, 2012
From: Kay Kujawa
President/Communications Coordinator, Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter of the North Country Trail Association
AmeriCorps Cedar Six team arrived in St. Ignace September 11 and began improving the North Country National Scenic Trail as well as assisting the USFS with their new trail system at the St. Ignace office on US-2. Their stay in the St. Ignace area began with three days of training that included sessions in safety, orientation, and trail construction. Hands-on training was conducted in the Castle Rock Project area. A switchback was designed, laid out, and constructed and a short bridge and a 60 foot section was boardwalk was built. Materials for the boardwalk were hand carried to the boardwalk site.
Monday, September 17th work on the Rural Schools Project site began in earnest with the construction of the first of 33 boardwalk and bridge sections in the area between H-40 and Hayward School Road (3339). Rainy day sign building sessions were held at the Kujawas’ garage.
The week of October 15th Cedar Six constructed new trail tread on a 1.5 mile reroute north of M 123 in the Loon Lake area of Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
The team returned to St. Ignace to begin work on a new city park around the pond near the ice arena. They cleared the new tread area, benched a hill, and constructed tread and a small bridge. The east side of the pond was cleared for bull dozer work and a trail section was woven through a dense cedar area.
The team wrapped their stay with a 300 section of boardwalk through exceptional difficult terrain, removed old trail railroad ties that been used as sills in the Naomikong area, and installed the distance signs that they had constructed.
The team was made up of 10 young volunteers from nine different states ranged age 18 to 24. This was their last assignment in a 10 month stint. They built 3500 feet of boardwalk including 5 bridges, 2.5 miles of new trail tread, built and installed 18 signs. They also spent two Saturdays at the USFS office working on a new trail system.
October 30, 2012
Press Release: Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore chapter of the NCTAFrom: Kay Kujawa President/Communications Coordinator, Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter of the North Country Trail Association
AmeriCorps Team Cedar Six worked on the North Country National Scenic Trail for 8 weeks. The ten person team represented 9 states. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a federal team-based national service program for men and women between the ages of 18 and 24.
Corps members are recruited nationally and are from different social, cultural, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds. They are trained in CPR, first aid, leadership, team building, service learning, disaster response, and much more.
The first week with the team Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore chapter volunteers led trail construction training sessions building a switchback, a bridge, and a boardwalk in the Castle Rock area. Safety sessions were also part of the first week training. The team visited the new trail project sites at the USFS office and other work sites.
Cedar Six built over 3100 feet of boardwalk between H-40 and Hayward School Road. In addition to a 40 to 45 hour work week for the NCT the team spent two Saturdays volunteering at the St. Ignace USFS office assisting with construction of the new hiking trail there, at the Great Waters event in St. Ignace, and at the St. Ignace Library.
The week of October 15th they worked at Tahquamenon Falls State Park building a 1.5 mile reroute of the NCT in the Loon Lake area north of M-123.
Team Cedar Six wrapped their time with HSS hauling railroad ties from the bottom of the hill at Naomikong Overlook and installing NCT information signs that they had constructed from Curley Lewis Highway south to H-40.