FoOTNotes - Vol. 2 / No 4 (May 2005)

FoOT Volunteers and Supporters,
Just a couple of quick but exciting news items.

• Trail Status: Summer weather is upon us, and we expect a slow down in trail work. This would be a good time to stop and submit those reports for work you did this spring and haven't gotten around to reporting yet. If you haven't gotten around to working your section this spring - you might want to get to it before it gets any hotter. Winter damage to drains and waterbars are evident and annual growth is in full swing.
• FoOT Director Honored on National Trails Day: Kris McMillen, FoOT Director and Vice President for Maintenance, was just named by the American Hiking Society as the 2005 Trail Volunteer of the Year for southern district. Kris has been active in trails work for years and was one of the founding organizers of FoOT. She has been active in trails work across Arkansas. She has been a member of the Ozark Highlands Trail Association, building and maintaining trails in the Ozarks. She was chairman of the Arkansas trails council in 2002, and she currently adopts a trail in Hot Springs national Park. Kris is also President of the Ouachita Mountain Hikers, a Hot Springs based hiking club with a long service of trail stewardship. Congratulations Kris !!
  Congratulations to all of you in FoOT. It is the remarkable response to FoOT, and the early success that we have had, which has played an obvious role in this award. This is the third major award won by FoOT principles this year - a tribute to the dedication and hard work of all our members.
• Nancy Mountain Shelter: Great news. It looks like the nancy Mountain Shelter will get replaced - perhaps this year. FoOT has been informed by the Ouachita National Forest office that they have received a grant sufficient to purchase materials for replacing the shelter, which was destroyed last year by an arsonist. FoOT will still need to provide volunteer labor for constructing the shelter (probably later this fall). FoOT member Mike Sims is the project leader for the shelter, so expect a call from him when it is time to organize the work party.
• National Trails Day: National Trails Day is this Saturday, June 4. FoOT is co-sponsoring a National Trails Day celebration with the Ouachita National Forest at Lake Sylvia. This is a great way to get out, celebrate the trails we love, and have some fun at the same time. Details can be found at the ONF web - site: http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ouachita.htm . Hope to see you there.

Have a great summer - Keep it up the great work.