Volunteers are the lifeline of Pisgah Area SORBA. Every dig day, cleared blowdown, and fixed drain on our trails traces back to someone who gave up personal time and energy to be out there. Our Trail Crew Leaders run the workdays, and our sawyers clear the trees that come down across the trails. After Hurricane Helene, both jobs got a lot bigger, and they keep showing up.
We wanted to hear from them in their own words. So we asked Glenn Taylor, Geralyn Waters, John Karnes, Craig Ruhland, Jack Duffey, and LeRoux Jooste how they got involved and why they keep coming back. Their answers inspire us, and we hope they do the same for you.
Let’s start with how they decided to get involved in the first place. Glenn rode the trails and looked up who maintained them which got him excited to join the cause. Geralyn had been part of a trail association where she lived before, so when she moved to WNC she went looking for the local group. John was already a SORBA member and sawyer in Atlanta. Joining the local chapter was high on the priority list the second he made the move to Brevard. Jack and his wife were living in Raleigh and driving up to ride on a regular basis. He searched for SORBA groups in the area so he could help out when they visited knowing the importance of giving back. Craig found us through social media and an old membership newsletter and jumped at the chance to get not only involved but was PAS’ past board president. LeRoux moved to Asheville from Philadelphia, as he had the dream to retire here for years. Mountain biking is his favorite thing to do, and before long he rode up on a PAS crew doing trail maintenance. He stopped to talk with them, loved what he heard, and then signed up on our website when he got home.
What makes these volunteers so special to PAS is how they keep coming back day after day. Sometimes doing trail work multiple days in a row, weeks at a time! John spent 20 years visiting Brevard several times a year without a real chance to give back. When he finally moved here paying it back for all those epic rides and good times continues to be so important to him. Glenn also shared how he loves the outdoors and helping make things better for everyone in the long term gives great purpose. Jack planned for this years ago when he retired for the last time (he's on his second go-around), he wanted to do something meaningful that kept him outside. He and his wife picked WNC over Bellingham and Vancouver. Since then he's learned trail building, maintenance, and sawyer work. Geralyn believes in where PAS is headed as she values our public lands and just like Glenn wants to keep them accessible and in good shape for generations to come. Craig remembers when PAS was 100% volunteer. He recalled how it could be more capable, more professional, more well-funded, more successful and more inclusive. He is so proud to see where it is today bringing together volunteers and PAS to make an even bigger impact. LeRoux rides three or four times a week, and often more. Now that he’s retired, he has the time to give back for all the joy he gets from riding in the forest. Just as important to him is the satisfaction of working out on the trails and the time spent with other volunteers who love it as much as he does.
Hurricane Helene and Our Crews
There was also the critical time when Hurricane Helene devastated WNC. Our volunteers were so dedicated to helping in anyway they could and ready at a moments notice. John was out the very first weekend the forest reopened, running a chainsaw for two full days. Glenn was out there too, cutting trees off trails as soon as crews were allowed back in. “Everyone who came past thanked us for clearing the trails,” he says. “People still thank sawyers for clearing trails.” Craig calls that stretch therapeutic. “Even when you're tired, your chainsaw is dull and your body hurts, it's the team of people you surround yourself with, which keeps you moving.
Everyone’s Mental and Physical Health
LeRoux brought up just how challenging it is when you can’t get out on the trails for both mental and physical health. The trails were a mess and closed, and he admits he was going crazy. Once back in to help, he felt even more connected to the work of clearing fallen trees and fixing drains that had washed out or filled with mud and silt. “If I ever needed a reason or motivation to volunteer that was it,” he says. Around the same time, PAS trained him as a sawyer, and “I just had more fun and met more people.”
Geralyn's favorite days were chainsaw work at Maxwell and Black Mountain. She learned from the more experienced sawyers while new volunteers, some from out of town, helped swamp. Jack's with her on that in addition to having food and a cold beverage after a hard day to bond with fellow volunteers and the forest.
Pisgah’s Meaning to Volunteers
Pisgah means many things to this community and for our volunteers it’s personal. For John, it's where he unplugs. Geralyn moved here for the trails and the easy access to nature. Jack calls it the heart of the area. “As corny as this sounds it gives me tremendous joy just being in the woods,” he says. “It's definitely a feeling/deep vibe that is hard to express but you can feel it.” Glenn also shared how special the deep history is in Pisgah. “Many of the trails we use were built to haul logs out, and plenty are too steep by today's standards. People ride and hike them every day anyway, so hopefully we can make them as sustainable as possible.” LeRoux agrees. “Volunteers make a huge difference. Sustainable trails keep the forest environment a beautiful natural playground for all to enjoy.”
Thinking About Joining Them? Just come on out! Geralyn shared how you can come solo or bring a friend. New faces are exciting for the group, and you’ll be welcomed right away. John’s advice is to stop waiting for the perfect time. Busy schedules and other priorities make it easy to find an excuse, but every little bit helps.
It doesn’t have to be a big commitment, either. Jack points out that you don’t need to make every workday. Give as much or as little time as you can. Pick a workday, show up, and introduce yourself to the TCLs running it. You’ll be working alongside riders, hikers, and trail runners.
Craig notes that trail work takes all kinds of skills, as varied as the people who use the trails. Glenn adds that WNC has a lot of trail nonprofits, and working together is how you build community.
We have so much gratitude for Glenn, Geralyn, John, Craig, Jack, and LeRoux as well as every TCL and Sawyer who helps or has helped PAS over the past 20 years. There is strength in numbers and we appreciate how these dedicated volunteers inspire the community to come in and steward the trails for the generations to come. Find an upcoming workday or event at www.pisgahareasorba.org and come see for yourself.