Richard Stone doesn’t own the Polly Ann Trail nor does he get paid to maintain it, but he takes great pride in his efforts to keep it clean, attractive and accessible year-round.
‘It makes me feel good,? said the 80-year-old Oxford Village resident. ‘It gives me something to do.?
For his efforts, Stone was recently named the Polly Ann Trail Ambassador of the Year for 2014.
‘Dick has been a great asset to the trail and the trail council,? said Trail Manager Pat Ball. ‘It’s just nice to know there’s people out there that are willing to donate their time and energy to keep things good and right for all of us.?
Stone received this honor because he routinely plows snow, trims branches, clears debris, removes litter and cleans up animal waste along the portion of the trail that stretches between the M-24 pedestrian bridge on Pleasant St. and W. Drahner Rd.
He does all this on a voluntary basis. He isn’t the slightest bit interested in receiving any pay or notoriety.
‘I’m not looking for anything,? Stone said. ‘I just do it because I want to.?
A few folks have offered to pay for the gasoline he uses when plowing the snow, but he always refuses.
Some of Stone’s handiwork is located along the trail.
Regular users have probably sat on it.
Stone rebuilt a trail bench that had been badly vandalized. Not only did he donate the labor, he reached into his own pocket and purchased the necessary materials.
‘I didn’t expect anything for it,? Stone said.
He also assembled, free of charge, a new trail bench that had been donated by someone else and even helped install it.
‘He’s my go-to guy,? Ball said. ‘He’s retired and he likes to tinker with things.?
‘It’s just nice to have him,? the trail manager added. ‘You could always use one more (Richard Stone).?
Stone has been doing these things for the trail for the last three or four years because he and his wife of 60 years, Twila, regularly use it for both exercise and enjoyment.
‘Everyday that we can, we walk it,? he said. ‘That’s one of the reasons I like to keep it open. We enjoy seeing the (wild) animals, except for the coyotes. I’m not too crazy about that.?
Many times when people see him working on the trail, they’ll thank Stone for his efforts.
‘That makes me feel pretty good,? he said.
Stone wished it noted that his neighbor, Larry Allen, also helps keep the trail clean. He frequently walks with the couple and ‘picks up trash and stuff on the trail just like we do.?
‘I don’t want to take all the credit,? Stone said.
The only request Stone wished to make of his fellow trail users is for them to please clean up after their dogs by bagging the waste and taking it with them. Don’t leave it laying on the trail and don’t bag it up, then just leave it there. ‘A lot of people walk their dogs and pick up after them, but there’s a few people that don’t care,? Stone said.