Each year, Promega employees are offered the opportunity to receive up to 40 hours paid time off to donate in volunteer service through our Promega In Action program. Providing sustained support of organizations in our community, our employees participate in a wide range of activities.
In 2023, we awarded 26 individuals who volunteered for 23 different organizations, some bringing along their Promega team members in attendance. From crafting comfort shawls for families of future organ and tissue donors, to volunteering with Meals on Wheels, to journeying to South Africa to deliver charitable donations for children in need, the opportunities to contribute to our community are abundant and impactful.
Ice Age Trail Alliance
One of our 2023 Promega In Action awardees, Rick Gamble, Director, ERP Delivery, dedicated his paid time off to the Ice Age Trail Alliance. The Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) is an organization dedicated to the preservation, maintenance, and expansion of land for the Ice Age Trail (IAT). As one of 12 National Scenic Trails in the United States designated by the National Park Service, the IAT is about 1,200 miles in length, following the terminal moraine of the most recent glacier to cover Wisconsin around 12,000 years ago.
Every year the IATA builds miles of new trail during Trail Crew events. Currently, the bifurcated trail, which splits in southern Waushara County and reconnects in Devils Lake State Park, is almost 700 miles complete. Fun fact: More humans have been to space than have hiked all of the Ice Age Trail!
While heavy equipment may occasionally be used to haul materials, all trail is built by hand using a variety of traditional trail building tools. The process is slow and tedious, taking 30-48 hours to build just 200 feet of trail in typical IAT terrain.
Trail Crew Events
Rick participated in three Trail Crew events. First was the Blue Hills Segment where he volunteered as a Swamper, which is the person who works alongside a Sawyer, or chainsaw operator, to haul away trees, limbs, and branches as they are cut down. This dangerous task meant hiking the treacherous terrain while climbing over downed trees and crossing several beaver dams, all while carrying chainsaws, gas, and bar oil.
A few months later in August 2023 he volunteered at the Iola Winter Sports Club event which involved stone and tread work through hilly and sandy terrain. He worked on a stone crew to build steps at the start of the segment and near the end of the segment, he had the opportunity to lead tread crews. The group’s efforts added around 1.5 new miles off the cross-country ski trails.
Cross Plains was the last large-scale Trail Crew event of the year, with a goal to build 2.5 new miles of trail to eliminate a 1-mile road walk. With proximity to Madison, this was the largest Trail Crew event in the history of the IATA. A record 268 volunteers participated, donating 4,776 hours of service in total. Rick had the pleasure of serving as a crew leader for all 4.5 days of the event, with a completely different group of volunteers each day.
When reflecting on this experience, Rick expressed, “Prior to volunteering with the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s Trail Crew, I had no concept of the amount of planning, coordination, and manual labor that went into building and maintaining our beautiful trail.” He thanks the Promega Philanthropic Committee for making the Promega In Action program a reality. “It was truly an honor to represent Promega while serving the community doing something I love.”
Are you looking for an employer who values community service? Promega Corporation has a long history of supporting its surrounding communities and the volunteer activities of its employees. Check out our career opportunities.
Riley Bell
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