350 Handwritten Thank You Notes We Never Expected
- Randy Martin
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
What started as a canceled mission trip became an unexpected opportunity to restore an overgrown trail at a local elementary school. A week later, Trailscape received 18 envelopes containing nearly 350 handwritten thank you notes. Sometimes the greatest impact of a trail isn't measured by the miles we build, but by the lives it touches.
When one door closes, another one opens...
Bryan DeVorss, our lead trail builder, was supposed to be spending his spring break in Mexico building homes with his church. When unfortunately, the trip was canceled because of safety concerns. To keep with the spirit of building and giving, the group decided to stay local and serve schools throughout our community instead.
As they worked on landscaping projects, someone noticed the excavator and asked Bryan what he did for a living.
When he explained that he build trails with Trailscape, the superintendent mentioned an elementary school that had an old outdoor education trail hidden in a small oak woodland. Years ago, students had used it regularly, but time had taken over. The trail had disappeared beneath weeds and fallen trees, and the school simply didn't have the budget to bring it back.
A few days later, we were standing there ourselves.
Looking around, it wasn't hard to imagine what it could become...
Where there's a will there's a way...
We cleared the fallen oaks that blocked the path, restored the original trail, and added a new section so students and teachers could once again experience that beautiful piece of land.
Watching the transformation was rewarding.
What happened next was unforgettable.
About a week later, the principal called Bryan. She told him every class in the school had written thank you notes.
Eighteen envelopes.
Nearly 350 handwritten messages.
We sat down and started reading them.
One after another.
Some were simple.
Some were funny.
Some were surprisingly thoughtful.
One student wrote that there had been no way to get past the fence before, but now everyone could enjoy nature at school.
Another shared that they had been scared of the forest before the trail was restored.
Others simply thanked us for making a beautiful place they could explore.
I'll admit, those notes stayed with me.
As a company, we spend a lot of time talking about access.
Access to the steep hillside.
Access to the dense woods.
Access to the parts of a property that often go unseen.
Most of the time we're thinking about private landowners and families, but this project reminded me that the same idea applies everywhere.
Sometimes access means a grandchild discovering a favorite overlook.
Sometimes it means a family taking an evening walk together.
And sometimes it means hundreds of elementary school students stepping into a quiet oak woodland that had been waiting for them all along.
The trail itself wasn't the greatest gift...
The opportunity to experience that place was.
I've always believed that people are healthier when they spend time outside.
There is something about slowing down, walking beneath the trees, listening to birds instead of traffic, and noticing the beauty that's been there all along.
Seeing those children respond the way they did only strengthened that belief.
We often say that Trailscape helps people experience more of the land they already own.
For a few days this spring, we had the privilege of helping a school rediscover a special place that had almost been forgotten.
Judging by the stack of handwritten notes that still sits in our office, I have a feeling that trail will be loved for many years to come.
Contact Us
If you’d like to give your current trail an upgrade please reach out to us and we will fashion a plan for you. Please contact us here, give us a call, or send us an email.
If your trail need maintenance please give us a call at (530) 852-5155, email bryan@trailscapeinc.com or fill out this quick form and we will get in touch with you to get you on our schedule.
Referrals
Would you be interested in having your trail maintained for free? Refer a friend, family member, or colleague, who contracts with us, and we will gift you this service as our way of saying thank you.
Randy Martin
Expert & Exclusive California Trail Builder.
Hundreds of Miles of Trails Designed and Constructed for Private Land Owners.
CONTACT:
randy@trailscape.net
(530) 852-5155
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