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| volunteers work on Sherman streambank |
Volunteers from other countries were with BRASS again this year to work on projects in the watershed. Seven volunteers from Lithuania, France, Belgium, Slovakia and Slovenia spent three week working in Willsboro and Westport. The Town of Willsboro provided housing at the old camp on the Noblewood Park property. In return, the volunteers cleared park roads, the new septic field, trails to tent campground sites and pit privy areas, covered trails with wood chips, and formed and poured concrete at the Willsboro boat launch on the Boquet River. Many thanks to Teresa Sayward, Peter Jacques, Dale Ferris, Peter Paine, and Marshall Benedict for their support and assistance with volunteer work in Willsboro.
In addition, the volunteers degreased, primed, and painted bicycle racks made by Paul Spooner and given by BRASS to watershed towns. And, they hand-shaped and seeded sections of Jerrold Sherman's streambank in Westport that suffered damage from high water following a ‘97 BRASS erosion control project.
All was not work. The volunteers took advantage of Burlington, Montreal, high peak trails, bicycle and canoe trips, private swimming pools and Lake Champlain, and dinners provided by residents and BRASS. All fun was not without some trauma. Two of the canoes were swamped by waves in Lake Champlain, volley ball games were wicked, and a final night soccer game in and out of the large trees at Noblewood left bruises and bumps. But despite soreness, rain, and hungry mosquitos, the volunteers were always cheerful, joking, and trying out new English expressions.
No lengthy stay by foreigners is comfortable without many helping hands and hearts. BRASS wants particularly to thank A.J. Longware, John & Laura Doyle, Eve Fine, Robert Lukens, Herb Longware, and Volunteers for Peace (VFP). VFP is the organization, associated with UNESCO, that searches for and places volunteers throughout the world in workcamps providing services in housing, health, education, and the environment. This year, VFP sent BRASS $300 toward food purchases.