Rosemary's interest in trail building grew from her youngest son's experience with the Backcountry Trails Program within the California Conservation Corps. During that time, her son's letters home included stories of basic trail and rock work, as well as the construction of retaining walls.
"He introduced me to the various tools used in trail work and shared his stories of the brilliant night sky, the kiss of the sun, caress of the wind, bite of the night air, and the exhilaration of an afternoon thunderstorm. All of this stirred within me the longing to fall in love with the wilderness once again, and you can imagine my delight when I learned of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado," said Rosemary.
One of Rosemary's favorite aspects of volunteering with VOC is exploring remote parts of the state and working on trails that she otherwise might not have thought of or known about. As she puts it, "places where no light pollution convolutes the radiance of the Milky Way, where the quiet of the night is only interrupted by the yips of coyotes or an elk's bugle." Years of volunteering on well-organized projects amidst beautiful scenery and in the company of great people eventually inspired Rosemary to become a VOC Crew Leader.
"I love seeing people from all walks of life come together, work hard, and unwind. It's a pleasure to meet such folks, to guide them on the proper use of tools and techniques, and see how a rough piece of Earth transforms into a trail that looks like it has been in place for years," said Rosemary. "It fills me with tranquility to spend the day cutting new trail, restoring old trail, or fitting together the puzzle of the right rock placed perfectly to be stepped upon without falter for decades. And, it doesn't hurt that we're all well-nourished by a crew who prepares delicious meals!"
On a professional level, Rosemary serves as the statewide community planning coordinator for the STI/HIV/VH services section of the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. She enjoys spending time with her family that includes five adult children and five grandchildren.
Interested in learning more about VOC volunteer leadership or becoming a Crew Leader? Click here!
