July Trails Talk

TAKING CARE OF THE TRAILS

The Dickinson County Conservation Board (DCCB) maintenance crew, along with their other duties managing the county’s parks and natural areas, provides general maintenance throughout our trails system. This work includes tree trimming, weed control, trail sweeping, power washing, mowing the trail shoulders and maintaining trailheads.  They also manage sign replacements and minor surface repairs.

Brian Cuperus, DCCB Maintenance Foreman, together with Trails Manager Clay Pavelko, handle coordinating all of the various jobs that are necessary each week and as the system expands so does the workload.  A major component of what they do during the summer is mowing over 30 miles of trail shoulders.  Mowing is a full-time, 40 hours per week job that is handled by DCCB summer employee Rick Weisbrod who rarely gets a break from the mower unless it is raining. Cuperus said, “Trails are a lot of work to maintain but it is rewarding to see the abundance of people using them.”  We couldn’t agree more and DCTB is grateful for the partnership with Conservation that enables us to keep the trails neat and safe.

 

 2020 DCTB VIRTUAL SUMMER FUNDRAISER

There are only a couple days left to donate to the Okoboji Foundation $5,000 July Nonprofit Challenge.  This is a great opportunity to support the Dickinson County Trails Board in planning and development of priority projects that include over 8 miles of new trail construction through the next year.  These projects include filling in street route gaps, a 4-mile expansion of the rail trail Tatonka Ska Trace, several maintenance improvements and new railing for the trestle bridge between East and West Okoboji.

Gifts of any size and form are accepted online at www.GiveOkoboji.com or can be given directly through the Okoboji Foundation or Dickinson County Trails. The fund with the highest giving
total over $5,000 in July receives an additional $5,000 from the Okoboji Foundation.  Please
consider giving to the Dickinson County Trails Endowment Fund during July to help the trails win.  For additional information and to donate visit www.dickinsoncountytrails.com .

UPCOMING BIKE RIDE

Sportsman’s 6^th Annual Tiki Ride:  Saturday, August 1 – Riders of all ages can enjoy 16, 24 and 40-mile routes with prizes and games along the way. The ride includes a shirt, gift bag and lunch at Sportsman’s with live entertainment during lunch and after the ride.  There will be many prizes, games and fun surprises along the route and riders will receive a raffle entry at each of the sponsored stops. Proceeds from the ride will support Dickinson County Trails.  More information on the ride is available at Sportsman’s Facebook site.

 

 

As always, Happy Trails to You and Yours.
Erin Reed, DCTB Executive Director