Kentucky Guard Soldiers trade desks for trails in community service effort
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers stepped away from their usual office duties to volunteer at the Salato Wildlife and Education Center, helping maintain hiking trails while strengthening teamwork and giving back to the local community, Sept. 18.
The volunteers representing the G-1, G-9, Office of the State Surgeon, Medical Detachment, and Public Affairs Office, spent the morning clearing trails of debris, picking weeds, moving rocks, all while building community ties.
They brought weed trimmers, clippers, rakes and other tools to make the trails safe for walking again by clearing long brush and overgrowth that can make the paths hard to navigate.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Noy Boriboune, deputy G-1, noted the benefits of stepping outside the traditional military work environment.
“It brings us together, builds camaraderie and helps restore that esprit de corps,” Boriboune said. “It also gets us away from the screens and phones. We’re able to laugh, have conversations and still be productive.”
Boriboune said the event also provided an opportunity for Soldiers to serve the community in a different way.
“I think we had a great time,” Boriboune said. “It was a way for us to give something back as opposed to doing your traditional military activities.”
Jules Foster, conservation education coordinator with the Salato Wildlife Education Center, said the center relies on volunteers throughout the year to help maintain its hiking trails.
“There are about five miles of trails out there, and we are a really small staff,” Foster said. “So having the Soldiers come out and help us maintain those is an incredible benefit to us and to the people who use those trails.”
Founded in 1995, the Salato Wildlife Education Center features a variety of indoor and outdoor exhibits highlighting Kentucky’s native wildlife, including snakes, bald eagles, bison and bobcats.
“Service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off,” said Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Smith, noncommissioned officer in charge of Military Family and Soldier Readiness. “Clearing trails at Salato was hard, sweaty, rewarding work, and it was a chance to invest in a place that connects Kentuckians with the outdoors and our state’s wildlife.”
For the Soldiers, however, the day was about more than clearing brush and maintaining trails. It was another opportunity to put the Guard’s commitment to service into action.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished, but I’m even more proud of how we accomplished it. Everyone brought their best attitude, looked out for each other and shared a lot of laughs along the way,” Smith said. “That kind of camaraderie is what makes giving back something you want to do again and again.”
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