Carl Lorence of Susquehanna Township has volunteered at Keystone Trails Association for more than 20 years. Though his previous service includes his inclusion on the association’s board and he currently acts as a board adviser, Lorence’s work primarily involves working trailcares, or days dedicated to rebuilding, restoring and maintaining hiking trails throughout the state, which he oversees as project manager.
Why this place? “In 1990, I pledged to give 10 years to trailcares to make up for use of the trails for hiking. I fulfilled the pledge and continue to be involved, mostly in trailcares, and KTA, the statewide organization Preserving Pennsylvania’s Trails, was the perfect fit. As the projects manager for the standing stone trail, KTA is helping me complete our master plan in order to be worthy of being a part of the new long distance Great Eastern Trail spanning from Alabama to New York.”
What do you get out of it? "When you consider that there is no foot trail that exists unless it is constructed and then maintained mostly by volunteers of clubs, I get great satisfaction from doing a day’s work of trailcare and then looking over what has been accomplished. In some cases it’s opening an overgrown trail or improving the blazing or building water bars. I guess I should reveal a secret, and that is that there is so good a feeling from the fellowship and good hard work of trailcare that once you experience it, you are hooked.”
What do you like least? “I can think of nothing I dislike about being a part of KTA. They support extensive trailcares and are our much-needed and effective voice on every issue affecting foot trails. I hope this article will entice some to come out and experience the secret of trailcare — to just give it a try, to take Mother Nature’s gift of forest and valleys and then help provide an enjoyable journey through there hiking a foot trail.”
Carl was featured in the Patriot News' Volunteer Spotlight on December 1, 2011. Click here for the story.