BY JOHN CONLEY

Associate Editor

A volunteer recruitment party for the Great Eastern Trail drew nearly three dozen people on Monday night at Twin Falls.

"When you throw a party (like this), you never know what's going to happen," said Becky Morris, an AmeriCorps VISTA working on development of the West Virginia section of the trail. "I think this is awesome."

The GET, an 1,800 mile hiking trail stretching from New York to Alabama, is already 70 percent complete, Morris indicated. The West Virginia section will go through Wyoming, Mingo, McDowell, Raleigh and Summers counties.

"This is exciting," remarked Steve Clark, a West Virginia State University extension agent who worked to get southern West Virginia included along the trial. "We had a great turnout."

Those attending picked a name for a hiking club (TuGuNu) and elected a club president, Steve Reece. (TuGuNu incorporates parts of the names of the Tug, Guyandotte and New Rivers.)

Volunteers are being recruited to help clear trails, do data entry, contact club members and other activities.

The trail's path through the region extends roughly from Matewan to Camp Creek, Clark said.

Under the currently proposed route, the trail's Wyoming County segment would go through R.D. Bailey, Elkins Gap north of Pineville, Twin Falls and Mullens, Clark said.

"The biggest hurdle will be to get landowners to sign agreements," he remarked.

He hopes to see the Twin Falls to Mullens section open some time this year.

"Becky did a great job of organizing this meeting on such short notice," Clark commented. "We really want volunteers of all ages."

Morris, recruited to work on the West Virginia trail by GET President Tom Johnson, said she "sent out tons and tons of emails and notices" to attract volunteers.

Among the organizations which have expressed support for the trail are the National Coal Heritage Area, National Park Service, West Virginia Scenic Trail Association and West Virginia State University Extension Service.

To volunteer or learn more, contact Morris at 304-732-6707.