The Unsung Heroes
A little-known aspect of trail maintenance is tool maintenance. WTA's unsung heroes of trail maintenance, The Tools, get extra lovin' and attention each spring.
On Saturday, 17 hard-working volunteers teamed up at a DNR facility in North Bend to recondition 200 trail maintenance tools. Tools were cleaned, their business ends sharpened, their handles lovingly sanded and painted.
Keeping WTA’s tools in good working condition is hard work, and makes one appreciate the tool talk at the beginning of each work party -- especially the part about using tools in a manner that maximizes the life of the sharpness of a Pulaski or an axe. Volunteers not only donated their time and muscles, but their electric sanders and filing equipment as well.
The hard volunteer work put into the maintenance of WTA’s tools is one reason the Tool Heist two weeks ago was so devastating.
This tool maintenance work party is a big once-a-year event. The rest of the years’ work and all of the pulaskis, axes, shovels and loppers we use are dependent on this tool maintenance effort.
Check out the Washington Trails Association page on Facebook to see pictures from this past Saturday of the hard working volunteers. And while you're there, become a fan!
A big Thank You! to all who participated.
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