Maine AT Club plans to build new Maine Trail Center in Skowhegan to help maintain the Trail

Skowhegan, Maine (WABI) - For decades, a group of dedicated Mainers has been the lifeline for maintaining the final 267 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

A fundraising campaign from the Maine Appalachian Trail Club is working toward a new base of operations for their volunteers.

“We have been a wandering band of gypsies for many years. This is really valuable, and when things are really valuable, you invest in them,” said Mike Stillman, Member of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club.

A total of $1.3 million dollars will go toward the new Maine Trail Center in Skowhegan.

They’ve raised more than half of their goal over the past few years.

The base is needed as a place to organize trail crews and to store tools and camping equipment.

Volunteers will go out for a week at a time to maintain sections of the trail, and preparing them is no easy work.

“And these people are going out with hand tools, power tools. They’re building rock staircases to protect the soil from erosion. They’re putting in small bridges in the wet lands. And this doesn’t happen without a sustained effort, and a lot of the trail is in poor condition. There are more people out there than ever before,” said Lester Kenway, President of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club.

“I think sometimes we can take for granted that these things just exist, that they’re just there for everybody, and they’ll just continue to be there,” said Stillman.

So these workers get ready for what they hope will be one of their final summers without a true place to call home.

“Our plan is to finish the goal of $1.3 million by the end of this year and engage contractors in 2022,” said Kenway.

For more information about the project and where to donate, visit trailchampions.matc.org.

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