Volunteers are Always Welcomed and Needed

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Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail (ECRT) is gaining momentum in our mission to create "A scenic Southtowns Rail-Trail for enjoying nature and connecting communities." Through months of pandemic and beyond, hundreds of people have walked, run, skied and snowshoed the beautiful tree-lined natural surface trail on the 2-mile Orchard Park town section as well as the newly completed and opened 1.3-mile section from the Orchard Park Depot to Jewett-Holmwood Road in the Orchard Park Village. Another 8 miles of trail are open to the public in Springville and Concord NY, allowing hundreds access to picturesque land for winter sports and summer walks, runs and bike rides. Development of this scenic 27-mile recreational trail is well underway.
 
To make the leap into major improvements, requires strategic planning, financing and qualified, dedicated individuals to join our energetic, creative, and talented team. Let us pool our talents to create the Southtowns community treasure we envision. Could this be your moment?
 
If you are passionate about developing the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, and want to help build a legacy for years to come, we have several exciting opportunities to get involved with our volunteer organization:

 

• Development Leadership: Work to identify and cultivate relationships with institutional benefactors, corporate sponsors, and individual philanthropists
   

• Grants Writer: Identify and apply to relevant public and private funders
   

• Fundraising Leadership: Formulate community fundraising activities and annual campaign
   

• Event Planner: Assist in planning, logistics, and execution of local ECRT events
   

• Paralegal/Contracts Attorney: Assist in preparing contracts and formal correspondence to ECRT stakeholders
   

• Communication/Public Relations: Advocate for the trail, and keep our supporters informed through various media and events; photography, especially at events; Social media and newsletter content creation

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• Community Engagement:  Plan and execute meetings to update the public and to receive feedback

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• Recruitment: Recruit enthusiastic trail supporters to join the team

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• Trail Maintenance: Install signs, clean up fallen limbs, record/report trail maintenance problems, identify maintenance needs

If you'd like to volunteer, we would like to meet you! Contact us at get-involved@ecattrail.org to start the conversation.