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First footbridge on E&A Rail Trail.
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Second footbridge construction
is underway...Summer installation!
Lots of Great
Successes in 2015
and More to Come.
All of us involved, in whatever way, with the EVTA over the last couple of years, have enjoyed significant successes through enriched friendships, teamwork, enthusiasm, willingness to help each other for the common good of our community. Just a few of the great things accomplished by the hard work of our all-volunteer group:
1. Received and are completing a Jandy Ammons grant for a native species garden, trail and significant tree and plant identification trail. (special thanks to Martha Smith and Joe Mickey)
2. Completed the 140-foot bridge and trail with multiple culverts, etc.
3. Set the gong (thanks Bob Hillyer and others)
4. Set benches, rest stations, viewing deck at shoe factory dam, steps to the water, plantings all along the trail
5. Two significant trail sculptures..."100 Strong" at Municipal Park (thank you, artist John McComb) and "Transitional Peace" (thank you, artist Chazz Ellstone) at the shoe factory dam
6. Christmas decorations on the E & A Rail Trail bridge (thank you, JoeBeaver)
7. Beginning of the mountain bike/hike/run trail ~ 3 miles of trail now
8. Two "Peace" benches, three Eagle Scout benches, one individual bench and two memorial benches
9. The Mark Garner Memorial and dedication
10. 40-foot bridge, by Harrison Hall and family on the Grassy Creek Trail
11. Two 25-foot bridges on Wells Knob and 3 miles of trail
12. Two miles of trail coming out of Stone Mountain
13. 1 1/2 miles of trail between Grassy Creek and Byrds Branch Campground
14. Smashingly good monthly Constant Contact to all interested
15. Received the Golden Spike Award from NC Rail-Trails Inc and hosted statewide meeting of the NCRT
16. Helped establish a second E & A Rail-Trail group in Sparta headed toward Stone Mountain.
17. Downtown trail sign tree
18. 550-foot section of trail town entry trail with benches, informational signs, etc.
19. Installed 17 multi-modal QR coded historical and biology related signs along the trail
20. Continued to promote the E & A Railroad book our EVTA team wrote
21. Annually conducted the Trails Boogie, Insane Terrain, Tour de Vino, Duck & Turtle Regatta,
22. Set up a Trail Angel group to assist MST thru hikers
23. Just received the contract from the state for the 178-foot bridge over the Elkin Creek by the reservoir on the Stone Mountain Trail
24. Spun off an independent Watershed Now group working to get the turbidity out of Elkin Creek
25. Continued to participate in hatchery supported trout fishing
26. Continued to be engaged with the Overmountain Victory Trail, Yadkin Valley Heritage Corridor
27. Developed a splendid new birding trail with now 126 species identified on the trail
28. Became the Task Force Leader for the Mountains to Sea Trail between Devils Garden and Pilot Mountain
29. Worked to establish a state designated master plan for the EVTA Task Force between Stone Mountain and Pilot Mountain
30. Established an officially designated kayak and canoe route for the MST between Elkin and Pilot Mountain...working with local outfitters, Superintendent of Pilot Mt Park, etc.
31. Worked hand in hand with Elkin Mayor, Lestine Hutchens and staff, especially Recreation & Parks Director Adam McComb, Town Commissioners, Tourism Development Authority, Surry and Wilkes County Commissioners, Jonesville Town Manager and others to achieve mutual goals of enriching our economy and community well-being.
32. Worked with many local businesses and groups to achieve our successes, especially Joe Walker at AllStar Rentals, Skull Camp Brewery, Chatham Foundation, Elkin Tourism Development Authority, Bob Greene/Hg Greene's General Store, Elkin Parks & Recreation Board, WIFM and Walters/Ringamen Oral Surgery, Interact Club, Yadkin Valley Riders Club, Boy Scouts of America, Yadkin Valley Rotary, VFW, Prism Medical Products, Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, Yadkin River Adventures, NC DOT, TAMPCO (Ken & Patricia Nicks), Jim Harrell Sr. in two fundraisers, Charles and Betty Fletcher and Kevin Campbell for plants, Jimmy Chappell, Tammy and David Sawyer, Jim and Cynthia Douthit, Johnny Hall, Derrill and Lori Rice and also over 70 businesses helping with the Duck & Turtle Regatta, Kate Dixon and others at Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail, Emily Herbert at NC Rail Trails, Inc., Yadkin Valley General Store.
33. Many thanks to those who make this all possible...landowners like A Classen, Marion and Charlie Classen, Jack Partin, Don Alexander and others.
34. Also special thanks to the Governing Group of the EVTA, Committee Chairs and volunteers who have given and coordinated over 4,000 hours of volunteer labor this year in support of our adventures.
EVTA Governing Group past and present includes: Bob Hillyer, Joe Hicks, Joe Mickey, Denise Lyon, Bob Larson, Robert Ball, Rob Libbert, Will Gwyn, Terry Kryska, Mark Fowlkes, Cynthia Beane, Richard Moore, Stuart Taylor, Randall Ray, Susan Rose, Bill Blackburn, Bill Blackley and major committee members Ron Storey, Brian Ratledge, Nancy Goodwin, Pamela Bauman, Rob Arnold, Randy Tulbert, Randy Mayes, Johnie Hopkins, Martin Weibel, Martha Smith
Major new plans for this year include completing more Mountains to Sea Trail on the ground, completing the mountain bike/run/hike trail, installing the 178-foot bridge over Elkin Creek in the city limits, a motorized "Trail Tour" opportunity run by the VFW for citizens who are unable to walk the trail and more.
Our successes are driven by our imagination. Join us in 2016!