The Geneseo Outing Club is in the final stages of an ongoing volunteering project. GOC members have been building a trail inside the Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area for the past three years. Senior GOC president Richelle Pennington led the most recent trip to the Mount Morris Dam on Saturday Oct. 18. “We had 15 people come on the trip, but only because we don’t have enough tools for any more than that,” Pennington said.
The Army Core of Engineers run and maintain the dam, also offering tours for the public to become more educated about how the dam runs.
“Our goal is to build a beginner hiking trail for visitors to walk while waiting for their tour to start,” junior GOC treasurer Breann Coffaro said.
He added that, “Tours of the dam are really popular, so people come really early to sign up.” The groups of people who sometimes line up hours before their tour is scheduled to begin will ideally use the mile-long trail.
“We cleared brush, cut trees and generally cleaned up the area during the first few visits,” Pennington said. “During our last trip, we started putting mulch down on the trail.”
The mulch was made from the cut trees as well as old playground materials. “As more people walk on the trail, the mulch will settle and the trail will become easier to maneuver through,” Pennington said.
While the three-year project is coming to an end, GOC will still be making trips to the Mount Morris site to maintain the trail.
GOC will then embark on a new endeavor after their project is finished. “We like to take suggestions from our members as to what projects we do,” Pennington said. “Our club’s goal is to promote outdoor ethics and to teach others to be more respectful of the outdoors.”