On Wednesday, September 28, the Rochester Land Trust again welcomed the strong young backs of ten Tabor Academy students and three teachers to help RLT volunteers with a major project on Church’s Field River Trail.
RLT volunteers had transported and stockpiled locust logs and pressure-treated planks donated by Peter and Carolyn MacGregor of Rochester to the site. When the students arrived, they immediately set to work hauling and placing first the locust stringers then the double row of planks in the designated areas. Others peeled bark from the logs and still others hoed out grooves for the logs to lay level in while the adult volunteers screwed the planks in place.
When the students finally re-boarded their bus to return to Marion, over 300 feet of bog-bridges were laid and mostly screwed in place. The amount of work they accomplished in such a short span of time is mind-boggling. Visitors to the Church’s Field River Trail will now be able to get from the field to the river keeping their feet dry in the wettest sections, no matter what time of year.
The RLT volunteers who donated time and muscle to this project included Bob Lawrence, Bill Taylor, Brianne Donovan, Bruce MacPhail, Derek Barratt, Kelly Barratt, Laurene Gerrior, Norene Hartley, Rosemary Smith, and Russ Keeler. They along with the Tabor group exemplify volunteer service at its finest. The Rochester Land Trust takes this opportunity to thank both groups and hopes the example of the “elders” help to nurture a desire in the students to give time and energy to worthy causes. But we think that is what Tabor Academy is teaching with its Day of Service. Our hats off to them!