TCCs and IMBA honored by Mississippi national forest

IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 1
March 1999

IMBA and our Subaru-sponsored Trail Care Crews program won the "Volunteer of the Year" award for 1998 in the Homochitto National Forest in southwestern Mississippi. Trail Manager Karen Brent presented the award in recognition of the TCCs' efforts to rejuvenate the forest's volunteer program and assist in establishing a five-mile, expert riding trail. Jan and Mike Riter visited the forest several times and Ric Balfour and Holly Hill visited once. The volunteer program involves the IMBA-affiliated Baton Rouge Mountain Bike Association, the Wompcats of Meadville, Mississippi, and several New Orleans bike shops.

Gary Bennett, Homochitto District Ranger, commented, "We feel that without the support and encouragement that IMBA has given us to start the new program, we wouldn't have the dedication of our volunteers that we have seen in the last two years."

Mississippi has six national forests with 200,000 acres of public land and hundreds of miles of unpaved roads and trails, open all year. For more info, write 100 West Capitol, Suite 1141, Jackson, MS 39269; (601) 965-4391.

Jan and Mike Riter, TCC No. 1, accept the Homochitto award.