Volunteer Spotlight

by Van Tran, Adam Fryska and Kelly Van Patten

HELEN WIGERSMA

On 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 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

Helen on Blackwater River State Forest, January 2021

Receiving a 25-Years of Continuous Membership Award at the 2018 FTA Annual Meeting Panhandle Trace Hike, checking Data Book in Blackwater River State Forest

that appeared after a burn, and watching an ambling gopher tortoise as it munched grasses along a dusty forest service road. When asked about her favorite moment on the Florida Trail, Helen recalls: “Though I love to do maintenance work with my fellow Western Gaters, I also love to walk and work my trail section on my own on occasion. One spring morning I was walking my section to assess its condition and determine what needed to be done in advance of an upcoming trail work day. As I came to an area that is open wiregrass with tall longleaf pine trees dotted within it, I was startled to see at least a dozen butterflies among many pink and light purple wildflowers swaying in the breeze. I had never seen that section in bloom in that abundance before and definitely had never seen that many butterflies in a group before. I simply stood in awe as the swallowtails flitted from flower to flower which were dipping and dancing with those light puffs of air ruffling them. Within a few minutes the butterflies moved on, but for those few moments, it was trail magic.” Over time, Helen took on greater leadership responsibilities within the Western Gate Chapter. Her first role was Secretary, which she followed up by assuming the Chapter Chair position from fellow long-time volunteer, George Brinkman. She served as Chair from 2011 to 2018, although even after officially retiring from this position, Helen has often continued to serve as the unofficial leader for Western Gate. She has served officially as Treasurer, organized chapter meetings and events, submitted quarterly financial reports and reimbursement requests for new equipment and trail building materials, and served as a point of contact for statewide FTA collaborations. She has also been a representative on the Chapter Council for the last several years and felt this was a great opportunity to learn from other chapters and tap into exciting new ideas and opportunities from elsewhere in the state. Helen has been working hard to develop future leaders for the Western Gate chapter, organizing elections for a new round of officers. Recruiting new leaders and avoiding leadership burnout is a challenge facing many chapters. To address this problem, Helen feels it’s important to create a better system to prepare and transition chapter leadership positions, including doing a better job of onboarding and encouraging new leaders. As a result of her efforts, the chapter is now looking forward to the election of a new Chapter Chair and additional officers later this spring. “We have had a lot of great people who have taken on the work of sustaining the chapter”, she says. After nearly 30 years of involvement with the FTA, and serving in a number of leadership positions within the Western Gate chapter, Helen has shared many valuable reflections and insights on her experiences.

Nick Power and Helen - Recognition of Nick as an AT through-hiker

Helen with son David and friend Bonnie Green starting out on Appalachian Trail hike that ended the very next day

An FTA Trail Crew assembles for a work party in the eastern Yellow River Ravines in 2016.

Dedication of FL Trail Terminus - Gulf Islands National Park Dan Brown, Ed Moore, Helen, Shawn Thomas, Ginger Moore

To anyone who is new to the FTA, or considering getting involved, Helen says, “There is a role for everyone—no matter what their age, background, physical ability or skill set may be. There is always a need that can be fulfilled by someone looking to give back to the trail.” Over the years, Helen has welcomed and trained many new trail maintainers. She does an excellent job of minimizing barriers to entry for those who might be intimidated to try their hand at trail maintenance for the first time. “The first thing I tell them is that volunteering with us is a lot more fun than working alone in their own yards. If you can work in your yard, you can work on trails. If you feel unsure about it, know that you will be working under the guidance of other experienced trail workers who can help you. There are many different jobs on a trail crew and we try to match you to one that you will enjoy.” Spend time with any FTA chapter, and you’ll quickly realize that a core group of long-time volunteers is the glue that holds the chapter together. These dedicated individuals are indispensable to the long-term health and continued sustainability of the chapter; they organize events, serve in leadership roles, and recruit new members. To these “veteran” FTA volunteers, Helen says, “It is so important that we support newcomers, and encourage them to become official members of the FTA outside of attending hikes advertised on Meetup. There is great value in viewing oneself as part of a broader, statewide organization- an organization that is beyond the trail, that is involved with protecting and preserving environmental resources throughout the state. We are an important part of the communication between the general public and our statewide leadership, such as land managers, partner agencies, and FTA staff. We have a bigger role than just being out there working and walking on our trail.” Helen’s long history with the FTA also provides her with some unique insights about how our organization is growing and rising to meet new challenges. She’s excited about the recent addition of new FTA staff members and appreciates how these positions have worked to assist the chapters and tackle issues such as diversity and inclusion. “Inclusivity is something we’ve needed for a long time. It is only in the last 5 years that I have recognized the fear level that some people feel when they are out on the trails, parks and our public spaces.” Helen also appreciates our partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and how our organizations have worked together to grow our programs and maintain the Florida Trail, even as this past year was shadowed by the COVID pandemic. Noting recent accomplishments like the development of a new C-sawyer training program, reopening the Econfina section after Hurricane Michael, and expanding our Gateway Community Program, she says “I think we’re on the right track.”

Celebrating the new eastern section of the Yellow River Ravines in 2017

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