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Great Headwaters Trails Foundation names new president, four directors

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The Great Headwaters Trails (GHT) Foundation named four new board members and a new president at its board meeting earlier this month.

Cheryl Todea, Cheryl Adams and Diane Gunderson are new directors at-large and John Gustavson will be serving as the organization’s treasurer. The board members will serve three-year terms.

In other executive team changes, Laura VanValkenberg was named GHT president for a three-year term and Mike Robillard will serve as secretary until September. The vice president position is currently open.

Robillard was one of GHT’s founding board members and is the proposed River Trail project manager. He has ties to other trails in the North Woods, as he is the project manager for Tara Lila, LLC., and the president of the Three Eagle Trail Foundation.

In addition to the new board members, Mark Olson and Gary Meister have agreed to serve another three-year term on the board. Other board members through 2026 include Joe Panci, Neal Adams and Nancy Schuller.

New leadership

VanValkenberg was born and raised in Cambridge, Wis., and she and her husband, Gary Meister, moved to the Eagle River area in 2008. She enjoys biking, hiking, traveling, gardening, baking and quilting. She has served as the volunteer ride director for the Ride With Leinie since 2022.

VanValkenberg said she has enjoyed bicycling since she was a youth.

“My oldest brother, Phil, was one of the founders of Yellow Jersey Bike Co-op in Madison in the early 1970s and supplied me with a sweet 10-speed Italian bike when I was about 10 years old,” she said. “I would often go along with him on bike camping trips around the state while he did research for books he was writing on cycling in Wisconsin.”

VanValkenberg said bicycling allows her to get out in nature, whether it is in the North Woods, or somewhere else in the state or country.

“I have always loved being out in nature and being on a bicycle, traveling from point A to B on a bike trail, is pure enjoyment,” she said. “Despite riding bikes all my life, I’m not a fast biker. I love riding at an easy pace which gives me time to look around and enjoy the scenery. To me, it’s not about speed; it’s about enjoying my surroundings, breathing the fresh air, and getting in some good exercise.”

As the new GHT president, VanValkenberg said she would like to see more volunteers join the organization.

“It’s certainly a team effort to keep the ball rolling. I’m also hopeful that over the next few years we will see good progress on the River Trail, connecting Eagle River to St. Germain, and an extension for the Conover-Phelps Trail that will go to the Torch Lake Campground,” she said.

Vanvalkenberg said it can be very rewarding to see conceptual plans come to fruition, especially for something that can help area communities.

“Everyone has different skills they bring to the table and an all-volunteer organization like Great Headwaters Trails Foundation needs support in so many ways,” she said. “Developing trails for biking and walking, that provide residents and visitors with safer routes and connect our communities, is important for our local economy and the health and well being of our area residents.”

The new directors

All of the new board members said they have a passion for the outdoors, including biking, and improving the North Woods lifestyle by serving their communities.

Todea has lived in Eagle River since the fall of 2000 and enjoys exploring the North Woods with friends, family and her dogs. She currently serves as the executive director at Trees For Tomorrow, an environmental education center in Eagle River. She enjoys exploring the outdoors and views serving on the GHT board as a way to connect her love of the outdoors with her passion for sharing that love with others.

After a career in education, Cheryl Adams retired to the North Woods and lives in Conover with her husband, Neal. She became involved with GHT in 2017 and worked with GHT to help complete and maintain the Conover-Phelps Trail. She and Neal coordinate efforts of the Friends of the Conover-Phelps Trail. Adams also serves as a member of the Vilas County Biking and Hiking Council and committee member for both the Leinie Ride and SepTimber Ride.

As an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys biking, kayaking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and exploring trails.

With over 40 years of experience in marketing and communications, Gunderson’s career began in Minneapolis, where she worked with companies like NordicTrack, Network Instruments and Lifetouch, as well as taking on freelance projects. After moving to Wisconsin, she spent 20 years with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, where she focused on fire prevention and private forestry education. Currently, in her role at Trees For Tomorrow, she blends her expertise in marketing and design with her love for nature. Outside of work, Gunderson enjoys the outdoors in her kayak on the Rainbow Flowage or hiking/snowshoeing the local trails with her three dogs.

Gustavson retired in 2023 after 41 years in finance and relocated to Eagle River. He began his career at Deloitte in 1983 and retired after 15 years as Corporate Controller of US Venture, Inc., in Appleton. Between those two positions, Gustavson worked in leadership positions in several companies/industries in Chicago, Green Bay and Appleton. He also started Titletown Brewing Co. in Green Bay in 1996. Gustavson graduated from UW-Madison with a double major in accounting/information systems and has his MBA. With the exception of 14 years in the 1980s to mid-’90s, he has resided in Wisconsin his entire life and has three adult children.

About GHT

The goal of the GHT Foundation is to help create more than 40 miles of 10-foot-wide hard surface walking and biking trails connecting all the towns in eastern Vilas County, including Eagle River, Conover, Phelps and Land O’ Lakes.

Once complete, the trail system would connect to the existing 55-mile Heart of the Vilas Trail asphalt biking-walking trail; the 13-mile Three Eagle Trail; the 11-mile Conover-Phelps Trail; and the 12-mile Wilderness Trail System in Land O’ Lakes.

The GHT Foundation is currently working with the River Trail Commission to connect the communities of Eagle River and St. Germain with the proposed 10-mile River Trail that would get bikers to the popular Heart of Vilas Trail that extends to Sayner, Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters, and Mercer in Iron County.

The city of Eagle River and towns of Cloverland and St. Germain have formed a multi- jurisdictional River Trail Commission to head up development of the River Trail, which would run parallel to Highway 70 and along the scenic Wisconsin River at several locations. The town of Lincoln has been invited to join the commission, but the town board has declined to participate. The GHT Foundation is assisting the commission with the development of that trail.

Since the GHT Foundation was incorporated in 2010, it has become a 501(c)(3), recruited many volunteers, worked with local and state entities for trail development, and raised more than $2 million to improve their communities with safe off-road biking and hiking trails.

VanValkenberg said the GHT Foundation is always looking for new volunteers. Anyone interested in learning more about GHT Foundation can call (715) 303-4483 or visit www.ghtrails.org.

Great Headwaters Trails, GHT, Foundation, board members, new president, board meeting, Todea, Adams, Gunderson, Gustavson, new leadership

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