There is a literal army of people who are dedicated volunteers to the epic Tahoe- Pyramid Trail. And like every army, it is organized, disciplined and devoted. There are volunteers on the administrative side, trail builders and adopters, communicators and marketers, tech gurus and fundraisers, mappers and engineers, accountants, community leaders, and those who can’t be put in a category.
When you’re a part of the team, it can be overwhelming to see the dedication and care with which people so gladly gift their time and talent. As Board Chair, trying to learn about everything everyone is doing is challenging to say the least. Each of the dozens of volunteers plays an important role, and there are so many that in a brief column like this, it won’t work to “name names”.
The “big” projects we’re working on get airtime, like our drive east to finish the trail, but behind the scenes there’s amazing and important, not always exciting, work being done by the army. I’m so very grateful as it is the volunteers’ efforts, in their totality, that makes our project, and our team, so effective. Some of these efforts include a new CRM system, updating our website, realigning our financial accounting system, prepping for 2025 trail maintenance and improvements, addressing vandalism issues, developing new cool swag, expanding our leadership base, securing financial support, planning for summer trail tours and rides, orienting new board and committee members, updating our bylaws and developing needed policies, maintaining easements, expanding use of our GIS system, setting up a shared drive for volunteers, streamlining and improving allocation of assets, working on board succession planning, working with the State on the NDOT Feasibility Study, developing our first annual report, submitting our 2024 tax return, and conducting a board assessment. There are many reasons for, and benefits of, these actions being done right now by volunteers but that’s too much information to include here.
In addition to all this work is our ever-present need to communicate with you, and with our trail partners (owners/utilities/marketing/maintenance/etc.). Those partnerships enable our volunteer work to be exponentially effective by keeping doors open and relationships strong. I’m grateful for the entities from Tahoe City to Pyramid Lake who have seen the light and made the connectedness of the TPT possible.
Please join me in thanking all of the volunteers who have provided, continue to provide, and will provide the help needed into the future. And if you happen to be one of those volunteers, please accept my sincerest thank you. It’s because of all of you, the trail is well maintained, well used, well loved and here for all time.
For all of our 2024 volunteers, please pick up your t-shirt as our way of showing our appreciation. They will be handed out at the Annual Meeting on April 10th.
~ Chris Askin, Chair of the TPT Board
