|
by Jean Aron, KTA Life Member
Jean Aron has been a life member with KTA since 1981. She remembers an organization much different from what is it has grown into today, and has been kind enough to share the history and development of KTA from her perspective and recollections:
As I see it, three major changes have affected the growth and efficacy of KTA:
- Expansion of KTA's member base to other parts of Pennsylvania, as well as neighboring states;
- Development of KTA's Trail Care Program, with its benefit both to trails other than the Appalachian Trail, and to the friendly comradarie it offers to KTA's members and other hikers/ maintainers; and
- Reorganization of KTA's governing and organizational structures, transitioning from a grassroots, volunteer-led club to a professionally-managed association, with a permanent office, Executive Director, and consistent, concerted advocacy for trails.
Expansion. KTA started as a coalition of Appalachian Trail (A.T.) maintaining clubs. The reason there was a "Trails" Committee at KTA was because they needed someone to focus on the concerns of the "other trails," i.e. those not part of the Appalachian Trail. Most initial member clubs were based on their location -- a city, or region, or on a specific trail. The growing list of non-A.T. clubs included the Mid State Trail, which was started by Tom Thwaites, and the Penn State Outing Club, and later completed and managed by Mid State Trail Association. Another was Western PA Conservancy, which brought in a whole other part of the state, including the KTA Presidency of Ed Beck from Pittsburgh, who was an enthusiastic participant in Trail Care for many years. Other newer clubs included the Ridge & Valley Outings Club, founded by myself, Jean Aron, in State College, and Pocono Outing Club, founded by Wayne Gross.
The KTA Trail Care Program was in its infancy in 1985, having made just a few random work trips on scattered trails before that. Then the big tornado hit the Quehanna area in late May 1985, laying flat a stretch of our northern forest from Penfield to 50 miles east. That was the jump-start for KTA's Trail Care Program to really grow and thrive. Most of us would agree that it is among the best things KTA has ever done! Tom Thwaites, of State College, was the major coordinator of this program for many years, until Joe Healey took over the leadership. Trail Care acquired a trailer to haul the growing inventory of trail-building tools. Currently, the Trail Care program is led by Ed Lawrence, and continues to grow exponentially, especially with the advent of Code Orange One-Day Trail Care events.
Reorganization has made KTA more accessible and visible to the public, and more legitimate in the eyes of public officials. Having an advocate in Harrisburg allows hikers to stay better informed about legislation, regulations and happenings that affect our trail systems on public lands, while giving us a voice in their management. Modern communications technology has made it easier to have regular newsletters and information exchanges with an increased number of people.
In short, I think KTA is doing quite well, and accomplishing many things that would not have been possible in years past. Never again will we experience what we did years ago at a KTA Council Meeting -- when the Chairperson of the wholly inactive "Government Liaison" Committee-of-One (duties that are now the responsibility of KTA's professional Advocate and Executive Director, Curt Ashenfelter) stood up to report, for the umpteenth time: "I have nothing to report."
Maybe now we can finally get some respect! |