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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Hike Ontario. Volunteers are always welcome. We need people
with skills in marketing, public relations, fund raising, writing,
and advocacy.
Volunteer of the Year Awards
2008 Hike Ontario Volunteers of the Year Alphabetical Order
Ron Hunt
Nominated by: The Rideau Trail Association The Ottawa Club of the Rideau Trail would like to put Ron Hunt's name forward for a Hike Ontario award. Ron has been a member of the Rideau Trail since 1977 - over 30 years. He has been active both at the club and the association level. At the club level, he was chair of the Ottawa Club for two different terms - both in the 1980's and again in the 2000's. As an Ottawa member he has led hikes, organized the last end-to-end of the entire trail, maintained the Cameron lot - a piece of land owned by the club and been the interim activities co-ordinator. At the association level, he has been president of our association twice - in the 1980's and now as our current president. As well as presiding over our quarterly meetings, Ron takes an active role. He developed a PowerPoint presentation in 2004 promoting the Rideau Trail and has delivered this on numerous occasions since then. He also facilitated the RTA Strategic Planning process in 2005-2006 As if club and association work is not enough, Ron has been the RTA Representative on the Board of Hike Ontario since 2004. He facilitated Hike Ontario 's strategic planning process in 2006. We know that Ron is an asset to any group to which he belongs. But we like him best on the trail using the president's walking stick to lead the way.
George Rhine
Nominated by: The Thunder Bay Hiking Association George was instrumental in saving our Silver Falls trail, when Ontario Power Generation was going to close our access to the trail. George has worked with the local MNR and Provincial Parks in maintaining existing trails, and reclaiming trails. His most challenging venture has been the recovery of the Pigeon River Trail on the Canadian side of the Canada/Minnesota border.
2007 Hike Ontario Volunteers of the Year (Alphabetical Order)
Frieda Baldwin
Nominated by: Huronia Trails
Patrick Capper
Nominated by: the Voyageur Trail and The Maitland Trail
Nick Kuret
Nominated by: the Grand Valley Trails Association
2006 Award Winners (alphabetical
order) John Clark
Nominated by: Thames Valley Trail Association
John Clark is the retiring (as of Nov 16,
2006 ) President of the Thames Valley Trail Association. Our
constitution requires that board members serve a maximum of
six years and John has met this requirement. He was the Activities
Director before he became President and stepped reluctantly
into the role as President when it seemed that no one else
was willing to undertake this responsibility. I have heard
some members say that "John saved the club" when he took over
a job in this manner. John was hesitant about the role of President
due to his humble and self-deprecating nature. He does not
like running meetings and feels others have better writing
skills. Nevertheless, he performed these duties to the best
of his ability and always showed willingness to accept suggestions
or request feedback for improvement in these areas.
John is really "Mr Everything" for the Thames
Valley Trail. He served as a rep to Hike Ontario and kept that
connection alive. He is one of our most frequent Hike Leaders
and Trail Maintenance workers. He even coordinated trail maintenance
in July and October this year when we did not have a Trail
Maintenance director.
John personally coordinated Standard Hike
Leader training offered by Hike Ontario . This resulted in
the training of over 30 Hike leaders for our club and others.
This foresight has stood us in good stead when we needed more
trained leaders as our traditional Rambler (Tuesday and Thursday
morning hiking program) leaders found health and other considerations
made it hard to lead regular hikes personally. These new hike
leaders also provide leadership on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday
hikes. We also trained another 20 last Sunday to make over
50 leaders trained in the last two years with the assistance
of David Francis from Hike Ontario .
John also set up and coordinated a Saturday
morning hiking program in conjunction with the Middlesex County
Health Unit which has been introducing families and others
to hiking in a gentle, relaxed fashion. During John's tenure
our club has seen its membership increase slightly from a disturbing
low number, offer more and varied hikes, adopt Brice Trail
standards and the Trail Captain system for maintenance, sign
the trail for appropriate uses and bring forth to fruition
an interpretive sign project that will with text and pictures
explain the features of the Thames Valley and the Carolinian
forest it inhabits at 9 different locations in 9 different
signs.
Terry Kirk
Nominated by: Ganaraska Trail Association & Hike
Ontario Executive
Terry Kirk has worked hard to develop supportive
hiking relationships with corporate landowners and the various
levels of governments. Whether it is working with Simcoe County
(one of GHTA's biggest landowners) or gravel pit operators
on the environmentally-sensitive alvar, Terry makes sure they
support hiking trails.
Terry has also held various positions in
the Ontario Trails Council, Hike Ontario , and Ganaraska Hiking
Trail Association. Terry is also a proponent of risk management,
and has worked with landowners and other trail groups to ensure
responsible use. Unlike many hikers, Terry is in his element
dealing with senior politicians and major
corporations - most of us hate that stuff! He knows how to
find and reach the right person to talk to, and then gets their
support for whatever hiking initiative he is working on. He
knows that these types of relationships take a long time to
develop, and more importantly,to maintain - especially with
members of government who suddenly get moved to a different
ministry whenever there is some cabinet shuffle. His strong
determination has produced results when others would have given
up long before.
Terry is now nurturing corporate and government
relationships, through his continuing interpretive signs projects.
Through his initial involvement in Hike Ontario 's Legacy Signs
project, Terry had helped to get numerous interpretive signs
developed, and continued this effort with about 8 more
signs this year, fully funded by corporate
sponsors. These signs not only reflect the commitment he has
obtained from corporations and governments, but also promote
the educational aspects of hiking to the public.
Ron Maybury
Nominated by: Rideau Trail Association
Ron has been a m ember of the Rideau Trail
Association since 1986 and was Cub President of the Rideau
Trail Association from 1993 - 1995
As Past President, Ron led Task Force that
developed the Rideau Trail's Optimum Route Plan in
1997 and was part of the team that built the bridge over the
jock river near Richmond Ontario in 1999 which was one of the
improvements recommended in the Optimum Route Plan.
Ron is the T rail Maintenance Coordinator,
Ottawa Rideau Trail Club from May 2004 to the present and was
the driving force behind the joint project between the Ottawa
Rideau Trail Club and the National Capital Commission in the
construction in 2005 of a 200 metre boardwalk in the
Stoney Swamp area of the NCC which resolved
a perennially wet area for both the Rideau Trail and the NCC.
Ron has also been instrumental in the development
and installation of signage which has made it easier for people
to locate the Rideau Trail in Western Ottawa . Ron has been
the Rideau Trail Association's contact and key link with a
number of organizations such as the Rideau Valley Conservation
Authority, Friends of the Jock River and the Eastern Ontario
Model Forest since 1998. In his spare time, Ron regularly leads
hikes as part of the Ottawa Rideau Trail Club's activity program.
Peter Verbeek
Nominated by: Ganaraska Hiking Trail
Association
Few people have dedicated their lives so
much to Hiking as Peter Verbeek. After countless years of involvement,
including several executive positions with both the Ganaraska
Hiking Trail Association and Hike Ontario , Peter is gradually
retiring from Hiking.
There is probably no hiking activity that
Peter has not done in his time, from serving on Boards of Directors,
to developing a new guidebook, to blazing new trails, or doing
end-to-ends. Peter has done 8 end-to-ends of the Ganaraska
Trail, and at least 18 crossings of the challenging Wilderness
section. Peter has been an Ambassador for hiking, encouraging
many new hikers to take up the sport, then turning them into
end-to-enders. Anyone who has done an end-to-end with Peter
has been very appreciative of his coaching and enthusiasm.
In 2004, a group of hikers presented him
with a bronze plaque - mounted in a rock at Loon Lake in the
middle of the Wilderness section! One year, Peter volunteered
over 650 hours and drove over 14,000 kms for hiking. Few people
have promoted hiking more than Peter. And Peter has done most
of that behind-the-scenes, one-on-one with people, rather than
standing in the shining light of glory with high-profile projects.
Current Volunteer Openings:
Provincial Volunteer Coordinator:
Hike Ontario needs a dynamic, dedicated person with excellent people skills to join our team as our Provincial Volunteer Coordinator. This position is responsible for recruiting, screening and placing new volunteers. Additional responsibilities include coordinating volunteer recognition events. Commitment is variable and is primarily home-based.
Trail Researcher:
A volunteer is needed to develop a user friendly database of trails and footpaths of Ontario . This project can be completed from home and will not require travel. Ideal candidate has experience with database development, has a base knowledge of Ontario 's trail system, excellent oral communication skills and highly developed internet research skills.
Chairperson, Young Hikers Program Committee:
YHP Committee chair is responsible for coordinating the activities of the Young Hikers Committee and the Youth Advisory Council. The YHP is designed to engage more youth in hiking and walking as a way to explore nature, to get physically fit, and to learn leadership skills. Position is ideal for a student currently enrolled in a relative field (education, recreation etc.) or someone with experience in developing and implementing youth based programs. Commitment is flexible and is primarily home-based.
Chairperson, Communications Committee:
The Communications Committee chair is responsible for ensuring that the objectives and commitment s of the communications plan are met, and for coordinating the activities of the committee volunteers. Commitment and responsibilities are flexible and primarily home-based.
Communications Committee Members:
Communications Committee Members are responsible for the publication and distribution of Hike Ontario magazine and Trail Mail, e-newsletter, marketing, our website, coordinating our participation in public events and for the promotion of Ontario Hiking Week, Spring Hike Day, International Trails Day and other special events across the province. Commitment and responsibilities are flexible and primarily home-based.
Fundraising Committee Members:
Fundraising committee members are responsible for the implementation of a multi-faceted fundraising strategy that includes special events, direct mail campaign , corporate sponsorship and acquisition of project grants. Commitment is flexible and is primarily home-based.
Risk Management Committee Members:
Risk Management committee members are dedicated to pursuing best practices, providing sound advice and proactively engaging in and encouraging safe practices and education on trail issues. The committee also identifies threats to the ongoing operation of hiking trail associations and hosts workshops and information sessions on risk management issues and liability insurance. Commitment is flexible and is primarily home-based.
Office Administration:
Dedicated hikers are needed to staff our resource centre in Mississauga. Responsibilities include answering public inquiries (phone & email) and preparing information mailings. Commitment is flexible.
Become a Hike Ontario Volunteer - Apply online today!
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