Volunteers help Sawtooth Society protect Sawtooth National Recreation Area
BY MARIA PREKEGES
The Sawtooth Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, plans to clean 100 miles of trail this summer and will rely on a steady stream of volunteers to get the work done.
Volunteers have been no problem in the past, as more than 600 of them have flocked to the SNRA since the volunteer program was started in 2013.
The volunteer effort is called the “Austin Kraal Memorial” program, named for a young man who spent many summers working in the SNRA.
“The Austin Kraal Memorial volunteer program was an idea brought to the Sawtooth Society by Kevin and Debi Kraal,” said Kelly Conde, volunteer and membership coordinator for the Society. “Their son, Austin, spent many summers working on the trail crew in the SNRA. When he passed away in 2011, the Kraals approached the Sawtooth Society with the idea of starting a volunteer program in his honor. They wanted something that would give youth an opportunity to visit the SNRA while giving back to the area.
Austin Kraal was originally from Boise but was living in Denver when he died at the age of 26.
Donations from Austin Kraal’s memorial service provided startup money for the Society’s volunteer program, which still involves Kevin and Debi Kraal, who come to the SNRA every summer as volunteers.
Conde said that since its inception, the Austin Kraal Memorial volunteer program has continued to grow.
“The volunteer program started in 2013,” Conde said. “Before that time, our volunteer numbers were fairly low. In 2013, we brought almost 150 volunteers to the SNRA to complete 12 projects. This year we have nearly 250 volunteers and will complete over 20 projects this summer.
“This summer is looking to be the best one yet,” Conde said. “I have really focused on bringing groups of people—especially youth—and making it almost an ecotourism experience. The volunteers get a lot of amazing work done, but they also have an amazing time and experience the SNRA in a way they wouldn’t normally.
“For the youth, we have a lot of volunteers who have never been to the Sawtooths before. It’s really amazing seeing these kids discover the wonders of this area.”
Both adults and youth are wanted and encouraged to volunteer. There is a wide range of projects, so Conde is able to match a project to a person’s ability. For more information, contact the Society via its website at www.sawtoothsociety.org/volunteer, or contact Conde directly at (208) 994-1695 or at kelly@sawtoothsociety.org.
The Sawtooth Society was formed in 1997 with a mission to “preserve, protect and enhance the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.” The Society is the only nonprofit group dedicated exclusively to serving as an advocate for the SNRA, preserving open space and enhancing its recreational facilities and services. The Society has funded some 75 recreation-related projects since it was formed.
The SNRA was established in 1972 and encompasses 730,864 acres north of Sun Valley in the Sawtooth, Hemingway-Boulders and White Clouds wilderness areas. Recreational activities include hiking, backpacking, whitewater rafting, camping, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, fishing and hunting.
