Our Summer Trail Steward, Emily Richards, reflects on her twelve weeks of AmeriCorps service in the Mad River Valley.
These past twelve weeks living and working in the Mad River Valley have provided me with an incredible opportunity to learn a tremendous amount about a wide range of topics and to develop and grow as a person.
Here is a summary of some of the tasks and new experiences that my work with Mad River Path brought:
Weed wacking to control vegetation growth, as well as identifying and removing invasive species on and around trails
Installing a new bridge at Cloudwater Farm and at Sugarbush snowmaking pond (including a lifetime first local lumber mill visit), as well as disassembling an old bridge
Planting posts for new signage
Flood remediation and mitigation trail projects, as well as removing downed trees
Serving as a counselor for summer camps
Tabling at farmers markets
Preparing for and presenting at public meetings
Assisting in writing and reviewing grant applications
Aiding in script review and code of ethics creation for Attitude of Gratitude project
Designing new signage for the Mad River Path and StewardMRV
Writing blog posts
Volunteered for and alongside other local organizations
One of my favorite memories from my time at the Mad River Path was a warm Wednesday in June. Misha and I spent much of the day outside carrying out trail work. Towards the end of the day, I had finished digging a hole for a post and could feel the sweat dripping from me and my exhaustion; yet, I felt incredibly fulfilled and proud of myself. Completing something physically challenging and seeing tangible results was incredibly rewarding for me.
Living in the Mad River Valley this summer has been a special experience for me. I arrived to a muddy, wet, and still cool valley with trail work largely focused on flood mitigation. I experienced the valley in the peak of summer with long hot and humid days and found the trail work centered on keeping up with how quickly plants were growing. I leave the valley noticing that the days are becoming shorter and drier and that fall is clearly around the corner. I am grateful to have lived in this undeniably stunning place, to have experienced the magic of swimming here, and to have eaten one of my favorite fruits, blueberries, straight from the bush.
The people and community in the valley are unique. I love running Common Road and waving at everyone I pass. I love that many here prioritize practicing and passing on art and trade skills. I love constantly bumping into people I know and having genuine conversations and connections. I felt seen, heard, and that I belonged. This summer has served as a constant reminder for me of the goodness of people. I am immensely grateful for all who donated to make my coming here and serving with Mad River Path even possible. I am also incredibly grateful for the kindness and inclusivity I have been shown, from General Wait House community lunches to evening Spanish conversation groups at Joslin library and barn dancing at Cloudwater Farm to help with my bike from Stark Mountain Bike Works. Thank you all!
I certainly leave a little part of my heart here in the Mad River Valley. I hope to be back soon.
Thank you for all you have done to help me during my time!
Best,
Emily