A group of volunteers have breathed new life into two existing trails in Yanceyville, and hope county residents will benefit from those efforts.

“I’ve been riding trails in Danville and was excited to discover such great trails right here in Caswell County,” said Michael Wilkins, a recreational mountain bike enthusiast and Caswell resident. Wilkins and a couple of his friends, Chris Grubb and Bobby Gill, have worked hard in recent months, clearing debris to ensure the trails were passable.

Wilkins became involved when Matthew Hoagland, of Yanceyville, invited him to an Active Living conversation hosted by the Caswell Chapter of The Health Collaborative (CCTHC).

In November of 2019, the Caswell County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution of support for Piedmont Legacy Trails, a project of Piedmont Land Conservancy designed to promote trails in the 12-county region served by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council. This prompted CCTHC to extend an invitation for community members to have a conversation about the benefits of trails.

Amanda Hodges, Director of the Caswell County Chamber of Commerce, shared that she thought it was important to make sure residents and visitors had the opportunity to use and enjoy the trails, noting that trails were often important to tourism.

Emily Buchanan, Director of Caswell Campus Operations for Piedmont Community College said she was excited to be a part of such community projects that positively impacted so many aspects of a person’s well-being.

Many others have been involved, all voicing similar sentiments.

“This is what The Health Collaborative is all about,” said Shannon Moretz, Project Coordinator for CCTHC. “We bring together cross-sector groups of community members and other partners to consider how we might work together to improve the health and well-being of our region. Here in Caswell we are using a Community-Centered Health approach to implement The Health Collaborative’s Health for All Action Plan that focuses on five priority areas – Active Living, Healthy Spaces, Access to Healthcare, Healthy Eating, and Leadership & Capacity Building.”

Those involved reviewed the work done by others to develop the 2012 Heritage Trails Plan and to construct the Orchard Lake Trail, which runs from the Senior Center to Yoder’s Country Market and the Sunline Trail, which runs behind the Animal Protection Society and Oakwood Elementary School. Both are multi-use, unpaved trails, designed for walking, jogging, or biking.

The group agreed the current focus should be on maintaining and promoting Caswell’s existing trails. Wilkins and his friends quickly volunteered and, with the help of Barry Lynch, Caswell’s Director of Emergency Services, have both trails cleared of debris and ready for those who wish to run, walk, or bike.

The group hopes Caswell residents will enjoy the trails but stress the importance of practicing the social distancing guidelines recommended by the National Recreation and Park Association which include:

• NOT using trails if you have symptoms of COVID-19
• Washing hands before and after using trails
• Maintaining a six-foot distance from others
• Bringing your own water and not littering

If you would like to join the conversation please check out the next meeting on May 15th. Learn more HERE.