Volunteers, time to get ready.
While set and go won’t come for a few weeks, people who like helping other people in a beautiful and friendly environment are invited to a training session for the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes organization.
A spring volunteer information and training gathering has been set for Sunday, May 18, from 1to 3 p.m. in the Glen Arbor Township Hall.
The Friends nonprofit is the largest volunteer organization in Leelanau County, offering opportunities to provide friendly patrols of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, help oversee an accessibility program that includes use of track chairs, and adoption programs for beaches, highways, trail sand rivers.
The first step is to attend the seminar — preferably in person, which encourages interaction among the hundreds of Friends volunteers. Refreshments will be offered. The program will also be offered via Zoom and a recording will be posted on the Friends website.
“It’s sort of a job fair atmosphere,” said Laura Ann Johnson, executive director of the Friends of Sleeping Bear. “We’re really encouraging our veteran volunteers to bring a friend or family member … it’s so nice to work on a team.”
One major project undertaken by the organization has been maintaining the Heritage Trail. Whole trees have been removed following recent windstorms. Soon a crew will begin removing roots that have buckled the trail surface while a contractor grinds the top even and applies a new coating.
