VolunteerFest 2025 - Celebrate, Cultivate, Connect!
By Marian Styles and Amber Jones
It was a lot of work, and well worth it. The camaraderie among people knowledgeable about, and curious about, the outdoors at the 2025 PATC VolunteerFest led to valuable connections and heartfelt celebrations of each other’s work.
More than a dozen educational sessions held on Saturday covered wide-ranging aspects of trail work, hiking, and cabin maintenance. Session leaders shared their expertise on subjects as varied as trail treadwork, battery-powered tools, mapping, and hike-leader dilemmas. VolunteerFest attendees learned about backpacking, GPS, and invasive plants, among many other subjects.
PATC officers answered questions during a Saturday afternoon town hall, followed by a rousing happy hour and barbeque dinner. Special honors were awarded to PATC’s most dedicated volunteers, while additional volunteer hours were chalked up preparing for the weekend’s activities, performing administrative and logistical functions, and leading the educational sessions.
One of the greatest benefits of the gathering, besides sharing skills, was the opportunity for a diverse cadre of volunteers—of many ages and walks of life--to get re-acquainted or to meet for the first time.
The weekend offered recreation as well. Early risers on Saturday joined a sunrise hike around the Caroline Furnace property, which is surrounded by George Washington National Forest. Two longer hikes took place on Sunday, in light rain—at Seven Bends State Park and Buzzards Rock. Evening campfires also drew attendees together (see next article).
VolunteerFest 2025 was a resounding success. PATC volunteers learned new skills, met new outdoor enthusiasts, and reconnected with others. Many thanks are due to co-chairs Iva Gillet and Jayne Mayne and all their helpers for a year’s worth of effort that made it an exceptional event.
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