Abington Residents, Students All About the 'Trust'

Early Monday morning there was an audible crunching sound underfoot, as volunteers made their way over the frozen earth of the .

Despite the 13-degree temperature, about 10 volunteers came to the Trust in order to join the thousands of other volunteers across the Delaware Valley, who committed themselves to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

While the Trust has an open invitation to volunteers throughout the year, it does recognize annually the MLK Day of Service as a special date for volunteers on its calendar – the Trust also reminds such volunteers to dress in layers.

“We’ve got warm minds, but our extremities are numb,” Chris Dartley, the Trust’s restoration manager, said with a laugh.

Dartley helped lead the volunteers to the day’s task: removing invasive vines from hibernating trees.

“This project’s called ‘Free-a-Tree,’” Dartely said.

He explained that volunteers helping to remove such vines — which include porcelain berry, oriental bittersweet and Japanese honeysuckle — help to pave the way for projects in the warmer months.

“[Volunteers] always help us,” Dartley said. “Otherwise we wouldn’t have the time to get to all the trees.”

He led the volunteers to a three-acre area around the main headquarters of the Trust, which is located in Huntingdon Valley. In this area, volunteers were armed with pruners and work gloves to help untangle stubborn vines from sleeping trees.

“I think it’s important to do this, because it’s detrimental to the trees,” Kyle Wilson, a volunteer from , said.

Wilson, a senior, said that this was his third time volunteering at the Trust, as he made stewardship of the Trust a part of his senior project.

Wilson came with four other Abington Senior High School students.

Instead of using the MLK Day national observance as a holiday, the students chose to help fulfill their school’s community service hours at the Trust.  

“It’s easy and it’s outside,” Dan Howard, a senior, said.

Howard’s classmate, Pat Grillakis, recalls also volunteering with his football team at the Trust this past fall. He said that the Galloping Ghosts worked hard to help dig trenches for new trees.

“And, we’re the right people for the job,” Grillakis said.

Working alongside the high school students were a few members of the Trust.

Both members expressed similar reasons for wanting to spend their day of service at the Trust.

“I want to see it preserved and open to the public," Maureen Schaeffer of Abington said.

Schaeffer said that she often takes long meditative walks throughout the Trust, although she has not yet explored all of the preserve’s 805-acres.

She said she didn’t mind the chilly air — and removed the invasive vines with the determination of someone on a mission.

“If you learn about it, you will love it, if you love it you will protect it,” she said.

Likewise, Trust member and retired Abington High School teacher of 36 years, Harris Brown, also took a fervent approach to the task.

Brown, who became a member after getting lost and accidently finding himself in the Trust, described the preserve as, “An oasis in the middle of urban development.”

A member since 1989, Brown said he has enjoyed all of the Trust’s attractions, including its nature trails, opportunities to lead bird walks and build 78 blue bird boxes throughout the property. He also found the opportunity to pursue his passion of nature photography at the Trust, which he proudly displays on his site www.harrisbrownphotography.com.

And, like all the volunteers at the Trust on the MLK Day of Service, Brown said he didn’t mind working outside in the cold.

“If you dress properly, the weather doesn’t bother you much.”