Helen on Blackwater River State Forest, January 2021
Volunteer Spotlight by Van Tran, Adam Fryska and Kelly Van Patten
on the beaches. Not my thing. I love the outdoors which, to me, means woods, trails, plants and wildlife. Turns out, that meeting notice was for developing a new chapter of the Florida Trail Association (FTA). It was all about hiking, and I was hooked.” Helen didn’t come from an “outdoorsy” family. There were no family camping trips or vacations to national parks. Her love of the outdoors got its start, of all places, at a hospital! Her childhood home was in an urban environment. Across the street was a large hospital that had expansive grounds, including a picturesque stream that Helen often found herself drawn to. The stream was her source of peace, solitude, wonder and play. Wherever life took her in the years to come, she continued to seek that same feeling in outdoor spaces across the country. Helen went on to
pursue her education, start a family, and serve 25 years as the library director at Missouri Western State College before moving to Florida. When Helen first discovered the Western Gate chapter of the FTA, she was drawn to the recreational group hiking aspect of the chapter. She particularly enjoyed that members would point out and teach each other about native plants they encountered along the way. Initially, she didn’t know that the group was also responsible for keeping trails maintained. Often, hikers would bring along loppers and paint brushes, and perform trail maintenance while they explored the landscape. “Our introductory hike was on the Jackson Red Ground Trail, an existing trail in Blackwater River State Forest. We soon learned that it was our chapter’s assignment to keep that trail blazed and cleared for all hikers. Those ‘work hikes’ were a great way for us to get acquainted with each other and with our local public lands. We quickly built a sense of community among the 20 or so founding members.” In the chapter’s early years, Helen worked closely with Ginger and Ed Moore, who were spearheading the reinvigoration of the Western Gate chapter and bringing the chapter’s trails up to the standards established by the U.S. Forest Service. Though she continued hiking and volunteering for trail work on occasion, once she retired in 2010 from the University of West Florida, “I devoted my life to the FTA” she said, with a chuckle. To this end, Helen’s first major responsibility was serving as the trailmaster for a 5.5 mile segment. This segment just happened to be part of the Jackson Trail in the Blackwater River section, where she first hiked the Florida Trail in 1992. “I have a great sense of ownership of my little segment. I love the feeling of peace and fulfillment that I have when I spend a few hours clearing back the blackberry brambles or removing the blow-downs after a storm. It’s better than cleaning the house!” Like many of us who spend time on trails, Helen developed a deep appreciation for the unique landscapes and wildlife that she encountered on her hikes. Moments of “trail magic” for Helen have included an up-close interaction with a doe and her twin fawns, discovering an amazing pitcher plant bog
Footprint
Winter 2021
HELEN WIGERSMA
O
n an ordinary morning in 1992, Helen Wigersma was reading her local newspaper. After living her entire life in the Midwest, she was a relatively new Floridian, having moved to Pensacola in 1990 for a new career challenge. Helen had always enjoyed outdoor recreation, and after a couple of years getting established in her new position and within the community, she had been looking to connect with like-minded people. She yearned for trees and hills and streams, and wondered if Florida was the right place for her. She sipped her tea, turned the page in the sports section, and came across a posting that essentially read “If you like to hike in the woods, come to this meeting.” From there, it was history! “I was instantly interested. I felt that most recreation here in Florida was focused
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