The Cross Vermont Trail Association (CVTA) needs your help. Our mission is to create a safe, 86-mile, multiple-use trail across the state of Vermont, connecting 17 towns from Burlington to Newbury. We've had some tremendous accomplishments in 2005 and we have an ambitious but attainable agenda for 2006. In order to achieve this, we need your financial contribution, however large or small, to help us continue our work.
Our annual operating budget is quite frugal, made possible by some very generous local donations, such as office space and newsletter printing. The CVTA has two staff who are only part-time. This reduces our overall costs, and maximizes every dollar we spend.
However, much of the funding we receive is committed to purchasing engineering
services, materials and land and doesn't include the full cost to administer
these projects. Your contributions help us to plan and implement our
on-the-ground work and fulfill requirements from our funders to raise
matching funds. In fact, every single dollar you donate
to the Cross Vermont Trail Association is stretched farther because
it will be matched withfour dollars in public and private
grants.
Here's what your past support has helped us to achieve, and what your
continued support will help us to accomplish in 2006:
CVTA's Accomplishments for 2005:
Established a continuous trail across Vermont (much of it on-road, but it's a start!)
Completed the GIS mapping of the entire CVT route.
Received grants for project planning, trail crews, and materials to continue work on the "Old Route 2"
trail section in East Montpelier.
Received grants to fund engineering plans for the "Powerdam Walk & Bridge" trail section in Montpelier &
East Montpelier.
Hired a Trail Programs Coordinator - Greg Western (welcome aboard, Greg!)
Purchased 10 ¾ acres of land in Plainfield, permanently conserving ¾ mile of CVT and 250 feet of shoreline
on the Winooski River.
Worked with the Green Mountain Club's Long Trail patrol (3 weeks) and the VT Youth Conservation Corps (2
weeks) to build a section of the CVT in East Montpelier.
Organized our 7th annual National Trails Day Event, and led a family-oriented fall foliage ride on 20
miles of the CVT from Groton to Newbury.
Created a Trail Protection program, with the goal of conserving and establishing 7 miles of CVT by 2011,
working with as many as 29 landowners.
Secured letters of commitment for trail easements from 3 landowners in East Montpelier.
Engineering students at Norwich University created trail surveys and landscaping designs for technical
portions of the "Old Route 2" trail section.
With the help of Representative Bernie Sanders, we've been targeted to receive federal funds in the 2005
Federal Transportation Bill.
CVTA's Goals for 2006:
Work with the Green Mountain Club's Long Trail Patrol and the VT Youth Conservation Corps to build a
section of the CVT in East Montpelier.
Create engineering plans and conclude landowner negotiations for approximately two miles of trail in
Montpelier, East Montpelier, and Berlin, including a bridge across the Winooski River.
Secure two trail easements from landowners in East Montpelier and Plainfield, conserving ¾ mile of future
Cross Vermont Trail.
Construct and install signs on the on-road portions of the CVT.
Apply for grants to fund trail planning, project coordination, engineering and construction costs for our
trail projects.
Create a stewardship endowment to ensure the long-term monitoring of our trail easements.
Hold 2-3 volunteer trail day events, a National Trails Day event and a Fall Foliage Ride.
Print and distribute our newly-designed trail maps!
If you've ever dreamed of having a safe local path to take your children bicycling
or skiing on the weekends, or where you can ride your bicycle to work
away from busy state roads, then please help to make that dream a reality.
Your charitable donation is tax deductible. Please download the membership
form (below) and send your contribution in the form of a check or money
order to:
Cross Vermont Trail Association, Inc.
C/o CVRPC
29 Main Street, Suite 4
Montpelier, VT 05602
