by Barbara Dixson
Among the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve is an amazing group of people called the Friends of Schmeeckle Volunteer Crew, sometimes lovingly known as the Tuesday Crew. These folks have been in action in the Reserve since at least 2017, launching themselves into projects as ordinary as cutting downed trees and as extraordinary as creating the tables and benches in the Menzel Pavilion or hewing a trail, boardwalk, and viewing platform from woods and sedge meadow at Moses Creek Meadows. The volunteers typically gather early on Tuesday mornings for coffee and doughnuts before hitting the chainsaws, but with some projects, they’ve worked several full days a week in order to complete the next phase before the weather changes.
The members of the Tuesday Crew clearly enjoy each other, respect the wide range of skills among themselves, love the Reserve, and have no need to claim honors. And thus the high honor awarded them by the College of Natural Resources of UWSP is utterly deserved: the 2024 CNR Field Station Award.
Pictured above from left to right: Rick Rothman, Bill DeVita, Karl Wolf, Bob Bell, Bill Fisher, Mike Orella, Griffin Bray, Jim Buchholz, Jerry Lineberger, Ron Zimmerman, Denise Czaikowski, Peter Fee.
Schmeeckle Reserve director Jim Buchholz speaks about the work of the Tuesday crew.
Bill Fisher received the award on behalf of the Tuesday Crew.
Denise Czaikowski joins the crew when her job allows, and turns up for all sorts of Schmeeckle work days, for the pleasure of helping the Reserve.
Ron Zimmerman, president of the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve and retired director of the Reserve, is another faithful Tuesday Crew member.
How could Jim resist teasing folks who make joking around a foundation of good work?
Mike Orella (right) has been part of the Tuesday Crew since before it was the Tuesday Crew. Everyone knew that, no matter the day or weather, Karl Wolf (middle) would be there to get Moses Creek Meadows done.
Jerry Lineberger, faithful Tuesday Crew member and past president of the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve, sits with Brenda Lackey, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the CNR, who is a stalwart supporter of the Reserve.
Will Scheder, Friends board member, here to cheer the Crew on.