Executive Director's Corner

Happy Spring Everyone! We have had quite a few changes since the last issue. First, we held our Annual Member Meeting a few weeks ago and elected six new members to our board and welcomed some returning members into new roles. David Waldrop was re-elected as President. Deborah Schroth, Leslie Wheeler and Darryl Updegrove continue their service in new capacities as VP Governance, VP Outreach and Development, and Secretary, respectively. Alan Bradshaw, Patrick Brennan, Bill Bush, Karl Byars, Jim Catalano, and Rick Robbins were elected as Directors. Congratulations all! We have been fortunate to quickly fill our staff openings and are glad to have Chelsea Collison on board as our Communications and Outreach Manager. Thanks to a grant from the Partnership for the National Trail System (PNTS) we again have a Gateway Communities Intern, Jane Pollack. We have expanded Abe Christian’s role and he is now full-time. Welcome Chelsea, Jane, and Abe! Over 450 photos were submitted for our 2022 Official Florida Trail Association calendar contest. We have some incredibly talented photographers and refining those photos down to 13 was difficult. Those not chosen will get a second opportunity to promote the Florida Trail Association in other credited ways. Thank you to all our entrants and congratulations to the winners. Members stay tuned to learn how you can get your own 2022 calendar once they are produced. I hope you enjoy this landscapes issue. The Florida Trail doesn’t have the extreme elevation gains of other National Scenic Trails but we do have a diversity of landscapes. Maintaining and protecting all our landscapes are why we are here and rely on your support and time to accomplish so much.

Happy trails,

discover simple.