2003 Trail Watch Volunteer Program 

	Adair Andrews received a commendation from Genie Zakrzewski, Director of St. Louis County Parks for his response to an emergency at Spanish Lake Park.  Adair notified Ranger Control of a man down on the trail at Spanish Lake's Sunfish Pond.  He found the victim lying on the trail having an epileptic seizure guarded by his chocolate lab, Polo.  Ranger Eric Franzen responded to the scene and found a disoriented man having problems answering questions.  An ambulance was dispatched and he was transported to a hospital for further medical treatment.  Due to Adair's Trail Watch training, he was able to quickly respond and the victim was saved from permanent injury, and possible even death.  Other Trail Watch volunteer's have assisted park rangers with finding lost children, reporting vandalism, returning lost keys to park visitors, and answering questions from other trail users.  

	"It's Like Neighborhood Watch out on the trails," says Sue Kuhnert, Coordinator of Volunteer Services for St. Louis County Parks.  Trail Watch volunteers are hikers mountain bikers, roller bladers and equestrians who choose to give extra meaning to their exercise and recreation time by serving as "extra eyes and ears on the trails," assisting St.. Louis County Park rangers.  Trail Watchers are independent volunteers who report safety hazards or suspicious activity, keeping trails safe and pleasant for park visitors.

	Area-wide orientation Training Sessions are being offered to prospective Trail Watch Volunteers from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm on Thursday, March 13 (Queeny Barn); Tuesday,. April 15 (North County Recreation Complex); Thursday, April 24 (Affton Community Center); Wednesday, May 7 (Greensfelder Recreation Center) For more information or to register for any of these training classes, call (314) 638-2100.  There are currently over fifty Trail Watchers patrolling trails in the following County Parks:  Queeny, Creve Coeur, West Tyson, Lone Elk (Chubb Trail), Greensfelder, Jefferson Barracks, Grant's Trail, Belle Fontaine and Spanish Lake Parks.  Cingular Wireless supplies cell phones for the volunteers involved in the Trail Watch Program.