BHHT’s Summer Trail Steward program provides a rewarding and dynamic opportunity for young people to engage with our peninsula. The position serves as a platform to explore a wide range of interests from ecology and environmental studies to community building, the nitty-gritty of trail construction to the daily workings of non-profits. In a small organization, every helping hand has a tangible impact, and the Steward’s contributions make a real difference for the Trust and the towns we serve.
I was the Trail Steward in 2005, encouraged by my coach and mentor Jim Dow to take the job. During that summer I began to understand the importance of civic engagement and giving back to the place where I grew up. I gained a strong work ethic through the physical tasks of trail maintenance, while also being challenged intellectually, to think about the social and economic impacts of BHHT’s work in a big-picture perspective. It undoubtedly helped set me on a path to study rural community development in college, and inspired me to continue working with BHHT years later by joining the Board of Directors.
In honor of our first Executive Director, the James W. Dow Internship Program will keep this position available as a launching point for smart, engaged young people, as well as provide the needed support for the organization during our busy summer months. Jim cares deeply about the future of this place- its people and its land- and this position honors his legacy in a meaningful way.
Samantha Haskell was an intern for BHHT the summer of 2005. She grew up in Brooksville, has been a BHHT Board Member, and is the owner of Blue Hill Books.