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Leadership
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Our
Summer Staff provide
continuity and skills in worship, music, programming,
and wilderness
activities. Prerequisites include completing one year of college,
CPR/First Aid certification, a heart for servant leadership, and
typically 4 years of experience
(or more) with Wilderness Trail. From the very beginning, we have been blessed with
talented, devoted, and deeply spiritual Summer Staff. Interested persons
may complete and return the Staff
Application. Opportunities include both hiking and non-hiking
positions.
Many of our
former
Summer Staff
volunteer their time to lead hikes in the Spring,
Summer, and Fall. |
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"Junior Staff" assist the WT Staff
during the summer. Requirements to be a Junior Staff are:
(1)
have completed 3 Summer Events;
(2) be 15 years of age or older;
(3)
receive positive recommendations from WT Staff and their own youth
leaders.
If you meet these requirements and you'd like to help out
and learn more about Servant Leadership, complete and return the
JS Application. |
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Volunteer
hike leaders over the age of 18 complete our
"Servant Leadership"
course, which provides
training in group building, trail knowledge, and wilderness first aid. At
least 1 Servant Leader is placed in every hiking group to maintain spiritual,
emotional, and physical safety. Our Fall and Spring events in particular
are led by Servant Leaders. |
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Our
Board of
Directors
meets 3-4 times annually to guide the future of our
ministry.
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Michael Blackburn, Chair
Waynesville, NC |
Mike Hudson, Vice Chair
Jacksonville, FL |
Patrick McDowell, Finance
Waynesville, NC |
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John Mark Roberts, Trustees
Waynesville, NC |
Eric Sollie, Trustees
Waynesville, NC |
Paula Kunka, Secretary
Shelby, NC |
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Matthew Blackburn
Waynesville, NC |
Rob Blackburn
Asheville, NC |
Sarah Blackburn
Asheville, NC |
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Dee Campbell
Shelby, NC |
Susan Campbell
Shelby, NC |
Steve Ellis
Waynesville, NC |
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Steve Holland
Kernersville, NC |
Jim McFall
St. Petersburg, FL |
Mike Pass
Waynesville, NC |
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Malcolm Roberts
Walnut Cove, NC |
Mark Thompson
Shelby, NC |
Sharon Wilson
Shelby, NC |
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Dan Baker
(danbaker@wtrail.com) is our fearless
Summer Director, providing leadership for our programming and Staff during our
Summer Events. Dan hails from Waynesville, NC where First United Methodist
is his home church. He earned a B.A. in French at the University of North
Carolina in Chapel Hill in May 2007 and is currently in his third and final year
of the Masters of Divinity program at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dan
first hiked with Wilderness Trail as a rising eighth grader in 1998, started as
Summer Staff in 2003, was Assistant Director in 2007, and became the Summer
Director in 2008. Dan
enjoys folk music, clogging, and a good bowl of ice
cream. |
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Alisa Tripolino
(alisa@wtrail.com) is our Executive Director, working on the fundraising, administration, and development
needed for Wilderness Trail to grow. "AT" is originally from St.
Petersburg, FL, and went on her first hike with Wilderness Trail in 2001 with
the youth group from First UMC. She served as one of WT's stellar Hiking
Staff from 2007 to 2009. AT is a graduate of the University of Florida
with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Nonprofit Management. She
enjoys being outdoors, a strong cup of black coffee, and Tampa Bay Rays
baseball. |
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From Mary Brown...
As of June 1, I'm leaving my professional role
with Wilderness Trail to pastor a United Methodist Church in Charlotte,
NC. I've already told my new church that they are getting a much
better pastor thanks to my years with Wilderness Trail, where I've learned
how to fundraise, organize, track finances, work with volunteers, preach,
and many more things including - most importantly - how to be a servant
leader. Wilderness Trail has shaped my life and ministry, and will
continue to do so. I can't wait to bring my own group of hikers to a
WT event!
I've also been blessed to make many wonderful
friends through this ministry, and although I won't be at every event like
I used to, I'm already looking forward to reuniting on a rocker on the
front porch - but next time, as a participant. ;)
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