Built to Last: Why TCVS Is About More Than Any One of Us
This past Sunday, twelve volunteers loaded up and drove over an hour into the backcountry — to clear a path to a long-forgotten trailhead that leads to a lake most people in this valley have never seen. The alder was thick, the sun was warm, the company was great, and by the end of the day we had cleared 2.8 km of trail against a goal of 1.5.
It was a good day. It was also just a Sunday. And that's exactly the point.
Thank you to our incredible volunteers. Trails for Creston Valley Society is forever grateful for your support — you know who you are. 💚
The Work Behind the Work
What you see in the before and after photos is a trail reclaimed. What you don't see is everything that goes into making that day possible — the planning, the coordination, the grant writing, the memberships, and the systems being quietly built in the background so that TCVS can keep doing this work regardless of who shows up next season.
Here's the honest truth about volunteer organizations: people come and go. Board members move on. Long-time volunteers get busy, change towns, change seasons of life. That's the reality. And for too many nonprofits, that reality means things fall apart when any one person retires.
TCVS is working hard to make sure that never happens here.
Positioning for the Long Game
Right now, we are actively building the kind of organization that doesn't depend on any single person to survive. That means documented systems, proper governance, clear onboarding, and a membership base that gives TCVS the stability to keep moving forward through whatever changes come.
The trails we are restoring will outlast all of us. They should. That's the whole point. And they deserve an organization strong enough to protect them for generations — not just until the next round of burnout hits the board table.
Part of building that organization means growing our volunteer team — not just on the trails, but behind the scenes. We have a few key roles we are actively looking to fill, and we want to be honest about what they involve and why they matter.
Volunteer Coordinator
This is one of the most important behind-the-scenes roles in the organization. The Volunteer Coordinator is the person who makes sure our volunteers are set up properly, informed, and accounted for.
Although 90% of this position is automated, responsibilities will include tracking and coordinating volunteers to ensure they have been notified of upcoming events and opportunities, confirming that waivers are signed and maintaining accurate records of volunteer hours across all TCVS activities. The Coordinator will report volunteer data to the board on a regular basis, giving us the numbers we need to demonstrate community impact to funders and partners.
This role suits someone who is organized, dependable, and comfortable working with a simple tracking system. It is a committed, recurring role — not a one-time contribution — and it is one of the most valuable things anyone could offer this organization right now.
Hiking Enthusiast — Community Champion
Love hiking? That's literally all this takes. One person or several — the more the merrier. This role has no limit.
Trails for Creston Valley Society is looking for hiking enthusiasts to help inspire and motivate our members to get out on the trails — no meetings, no admin, no tools, no experience required. Just a genuine love of getting outside and sharing that energy with others.
This is an informal, low-commitment volunteer role with one simple purpose: keeping the energy alive in our members-only community forum. We're looking for people who want to post about their hikes, share trail conditions, celebrate a great sunrise, rave about wildflowers, or simply say "who's heading out this weekend?" and invite people along for the ride.
You are not organizing or leading formal group hikes. You are not responsible for anyone else's safety or experience. You are simply a presence in the community — someone who loves the trails and isn't shy about saying so. If you already talk about trails constantly and post photos of your hikes, you might already be doing this job. We'd just love for you to bring that energy into the TCVS member community.
Fundraising Coordinator
TCVS runs entirely on grants, donations, memberships, and the generosity of this community. As we grow, so does our need for someone who can help us grow our fundraising capacity in a thoughtful and organized way.
The Fundraising Coordinator helps identify grant opportunities, supports event fundraising planning, coordinates with sponsors and community partners, and helps TCVS build the financial foundation it needs to sustain its trail work long into the future. This role works closely with the Treasurer and the board, and is ideal for someone who is creative, community-minded, and motivated by the idea that great trails don't build themselves — they get funded.
Previous fundraising experience is an asset but not required. What matters most is initiative, follow-through, and a genuine belief in what TCVS is building.
Membership Is How It All Holds Together
Every TCVS member is an investment in continuity. Not just financially — though that matters — but as a statement that this community values what we are building here. Memberships fund the work, strengthen our grant applications, and signal to partners and funders that TCVS has a real, rooted community behind it.
Join us in our mission to safeguard and maintain access to our precious outdoors for future generations. When you do, you have a voice — and the perks are pretty good too. 😉 - check them out here: https://crestonvalleytrails.ca/memberships
We are not just clearing trails. We are building something that will still be here — still sending people up into the mountains toward lakes they didn't know existed — long after any one of us has handed off the loppers and headed home.
Sunday was a great day. And there are a lot more Sundays ahead.
