One Last Pitch
Why we think you should support PCTC
Can you share this pitch with three people? A PCTC board member will give you a high five at the Trail Party on Nov 7 at Rising Silo if you do!
This is the last extra email from our monthly newsletter, we promise. We just wanted to lay out the case, in one place, for why we think you should support PCTC. We’ll keep it short and sweet. Please check it out!
Building New Trails For YOU
Go check out this map: https://www.povertycreektrails.org/maps
PCTC built: Crosscut, Chimney, Snyder’s Knob, and Possum Track. PCTC also put hundreds (thousands maybe) of hours into the other trails at McDonald Hollow, helping plan the layout, clearing the corridors, and doing finish work.
Check out this video of Chimney, which opened just this year.
PCTC is building: Yard Sale, a bike-optimized, intermediate difficulty trail on Stonecutters hollow. Lower Chimney, a multi-user trail that will complete Chimney trail, the easiest way from the top to the bottom of Brush Mountain.
Check out this video about Yard Sale, which we hope to complete and open soon.
Maintaining Existing Trails
Without maintenance, trails simply go away. PCTC has been maintaining the trails on the Brush Mountain Properties and in the National Forest for over 10 years. This year we cleared over 100 trees from the trails. We also constantly maintain drainage features to get water off trails, and repair mud-holes that love to develop on Poverty Creek Trail.
We Are Your Representatives
We advocate for what our community of trail users wants and needs. We listen to you at volunteer work days, our trail party and pint nights, and more. The main reason Chimney trail is a mellow-grade, multi-user trail is because we heard that was what the community wanted/needed. We are not land owners or managers, we are solely here to advocate for YOU.
People Like Lucas and Jude
Lucas and Jude are both dedicated PCTC volunteers, they are the ones talking in the Yard Sale video above. They are incredibly talented trail builders, and they are working for all of us, FOR FREE. They have selflessly put hundreds of hours into building Yard Sale and other trails (with lots of other volunteers!), motivated by nothing more than wanting to build something that will bring people joy.
If that’s not worth throwing some dollars our way to say thanks, I don’t know what is.
We Are Long-Term
We are in it for the long haul. We’re over 10 years old now. Since we started keeping track of volunteer hours in 2016, PCTC has logged over 7,200 hours maintaining and building trails. We average over 900 hours per year.
We aren’t going anywhere. Once the new trails are finished, we will still be out there, keeping them clear and maintained. Investing in PCTC is investing in the long term maintenance of our trails!
We Build Community
We are an organization for ALL trail users. The only one in our area we know about! We build and bolster that community with events like our Trail Party and Pint Nights, trail work volunteer days, and by supporting our local race weekend: The Brush Mountain Breakdown and Rowdy Dawg races. We have pictures of the races up, by the way, if you want to check them out!
Why Do We Need $10,000?
We need money for all sorts of stuff to stay running: fuel, tools, food for volunteers, insurance… But this year we are specifically trying to raise $10,000 so we can hire a contractor to build a portion of Lower Chimney. Why? First, we think it’s a critical piece of trail to open up Stonecutters’ Hollow to more people, and it’ll get done faster if we can hire someone. Second, the very bottom is in an open field and requires some very technical work that should be completed quickly to minimize impact.
How Can You Help?
Of course, come to a volunteer day! We will announce them through this newsletter!
But right now, the best way is to either donate via our website or @povertycreektrails on Venmo, or come to the Trail Party on November 7th from 6-9pm at Rising Silo Brewery and buy raffle tickets, merch, or a silent auction item!
AND/OR SHARE SHARE SHARE This newsletter! Forward the email, post the link on socials, print it and attach it to a pigeon! Reaching new people is the hardest, and you can help!
