We can't do it without you

Wisconsin River Trail Organization Volunteers

Wisconsin River Trail Organization Volunteers care love our community want to help our kids believe in our trail love what we stand for want a better life love to bike love the outdoors want to give back

There’s no better feeling than donating a little bit. If we each give that little bit, we gain so very much.

We really need your support in order to keep this project thriving. There are many needs for all types of volunteers. Below are just some of the ways you can help.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

Why give?

Want to know why Wisconsin River Trail Organization volunteers keep showing up, year after year? Because they believe in what this trail gives back—to our kids, our families, and the Driftless community that raised us.

Every donation—especially recurring monthly gifts—helps demonstrate local support to grant committees. It proves this community is invested in the trail, in the lives of future generations, and in the power of shared purpose.

We always need volunteers and board members to keep moving forward. There are many needs, never enough hands, and always room for one more trail supporter. Contact us if you’re interested—there’s no pressure, just an open door.

Ways You Can Help

Whether you have a few hours to spare or want to jump in with both feet, we’ve got a spot for you. Here are just a few of the ways you can get involved as a Wisconsin River Trail Organization volunteer:

Administrative Help

Help us mail brochures, send donation thank-yous, and manage communications. Bonus points if you love a good spreadsheet.

Door to Door

Our dream? Friendly faces walking the community, spreading the word and asking for small donations.

If you’re up for it, we’d love your help!

Phone Call Drives

We always need support contacting potential donors—especially around events. If you’re comfortable on the phone or great with email, let’s talk!

Events

Volunteers are needed for every event and we can put you to work in an area of your choosing.

Let us know if you are available for any of the events listed and what you might be interested in doing.

Thank you for helping us!

Board Member

Want to help shape the future of the trail? WRTO board members are all volunteers who help lead the vision. You don’t need to be local—just engaged and ready to roll up your sleeves.

Other ways

Got a talent or idea that’s not listed? We’re always open. There’s room for everyone willing to reach out and help.

Love Grows... with giving with kindness on the Wisconsin River Trail with a smile because you helped because you cared from your heart here

Volunteers, we need you ALL. And there is always something for everyone to do. Joining the WRTO volunteer team just means more fun for all of us!

We won’t ask you to do anything you don’t want to and we are happy to wait until the right volunteering position is open at the right time for you. So no worries and thanks for your extra commitment to our Wisconsin River Trail project!

Events You Could Help With

Wisconsin River Trail Organization volunteers help power all of these events—whether it’s checking in guests, hauling gear, or working behind the scenes.

Trek the Trail 5k & 10k

This annual spring race showcases the beautiful lower Wisconsin River valley, with 5K and 10K routes weaving through Boscobel, the Sanders Creek walkway, and parts of the future Wisconsin River Trail.

Whether you’re a serious runner or just in it for the fresh air and friendly vibes, this fundraising event brings the whole community together.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Trek the Trail is powered by volunteers—plain and simple. We need help with registration, water stations, trail marshals, timing, setup, and cheering on participants.

Got energy to spare? We’ve got a spot for you.

Learn More about Trek the Trail

Trek the Trail 5k & 10k

Runners at the WRTO Trek the Trail 5K and 10K event in Boscobel, Wisconsin.
Dr. Rumley’s Snuff Band performing live at a past Wisconsin River Trail Organization event in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

Music Events

From bluegrass to classic country to local rock legends, WRTO hosts music nights each year that bring the Driftless community together. Past performers with local ties include Dr. Rumley’s Snuff Band, Countryfied, Bobby G. Rice, and more.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Love live music? Help us make the night run smoothly! Volunteers are needed for ticketing, setup, cleanup, merch tables, and keeping things fun and friendly.

Bonus: you get to hear great music while you pitch in.

Learn More about WRTO Music Events

Taste of Boscobel

Our annual Taste of Boscobel event brings together local wineries, breweries, restaurants, and musicians for a night of sampling and celebration. It’s a delicious way to support the trail while showcasing the best of Boscobel.

Volunteer Opportunities:
This is a “many hands” kind of night! Volunteers help with setup, drink station assistance (yes, we’ll train you!), raffle tables, check-in, and clean-up. And yes—you’ll probably get to sneak a few samples, too.

Learn More about The Taste of Boscobel

Taste of Boscobel

Attendees at the WRTO Taste of Boscobel event enjoying food, drinks, and live music—one of many Wisconsin River Trail Organization events in Boscobel.
Rooster Andy’s Chicken being grilled at the WRTO Chicken BBQ fundraiser in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

Chicken BBQ

Held every July 3 at Kronshage Park, this fan-favorite fundraiser serves up classic chicken barbecue plates by Rooster Andy’s. It’s a delicious WRTO tradition that brings in major support—and hungry neighbors.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Want to help out? We need folks to assist with meal packing, drink tables, directing traffic, selling raffle tickets, and yes, cleanup.

The grill may be hot, but the vibes are always cool.

Learn More about The Chicken BBQ

Bike Safety

The Bike Safety Program is directed yearly by the Boscobel Hildebrand Library staff with assistance from the Boscobel city police department, WRTO, and amazing individual volunteers.

To find out more, please contact the library at bwdirector@swls.org

Bike Safety

Wendi Stitzer, WRTO board member helping at Bike Safety Day hosted by the Boscobel Library.
Volunteers cleaning up trailhead areas during WRTO’s Earth Day Community Clean Up.

Earth Day Community Clean Up

Every Earth Day, we gather volunteers to help clean up the trailhead areas and surrounding natural spaces. It’s a grassroots effort that makes a real impact—and gets us all outside for a great cause.

Volunteer Opportunities:
This one’s simple: bring your gloves, your crew, and your good attitude. We’ll provide the bags and direction—you just bring the helping hands.

Birthday Calendar

As a community of supportive trailblazers, we would love to invite you to join our birthday calendar fundraiser. For just $10, you may add up to 6 birthdays and your anniversary to be added to our calendar! 

Learn More

Birthday Calendar

Birthday Calendar

As a community of supportive trailblazers, we would love to invite you to join our birthday calendar fundraiser. For just $10, you may add up to 6 birthdays and your anniversary to be added to our calendar! 

Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteers help collect names, distribute forms, coordinate printing, and manage calendar delivery. It’s a low-key but super valuable way to support the trail year-round.

Learn More

WRTO’s printed community birthday calendar featuring local business ads and trail photos.
A display of donated auction items for the Wisconsin River Trail Organization’s annual banquet fundraiser in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

Annual WRTO Banquet

Our biggest event of the year, the WRTO Banquet is packed with community spirit, silent auction items, and good-hearted fun. It’s 100% donation-powered—and an absolute blast.

Volunteer Opportunities:
We need help with setup, auction item organization, table decorating, check-in, and post-event cleanup. If you love bringing people together (and maybe bidding on a basket or two), this is your moment.

Learn More about the Banquet

Volunteer List

We’re proud to recognize just a few of the incredible Wisconsin River Trail Organization volunteers who’ve raised their hands, rolled up their sleeves, and said, “I’ll help.”

Whether they donated an auction item, served on the board, helped run an event, or quietly showed up to do the work no one sees—these are the folks who’ve kept WRTO moving forward.

This trail doesn’t happen without people like you. So if your name’s here—thank you. And if it’s not yet? There’s always room for one more. Contact us if you’d like to get involved—we’d love to have you.

Debbie Ashmore
Jake Bacon
Teesha Bacon
Robin Baumeister
Becky Becker
Barb Bell
Tom Bell 
Richie Bender
Dave Bennett
Sam Borowksi
Jordan Borowski
Brady Borowski
Jay Borowski
Kara Breems
Tony Breems
Kari Brown
Scott Brown
Courtney Brueggeman
Matt Brueggeman
Kay Burns
Wendy (Waltz) Butler
Charlie Calabria
Darlene Coffey
Will Connelly
Sue Connely
Dennis Connely
Karen Cooley
Hayley Curtis
Paula Davis
Kim Drake
Steve Elliott
Sue Elliott
Wayne Elliott
Darcy Elliott-Wiegel
Angie Finney
Dean Fisher
Lisa Friar

Mary Fritz
Randy Galer
Greg Gardner
Sue Gardner
Justin Glasbrenner
Jamie Glasbrenner
Tyler Hernan
Lisa Jacobson
Tim Jacobson
Gary Johnson
Ben Johnston
Andy Jones
Marsha Jones
Robin Jones
Crystal Krachey
Brenda Kreul
Karl Krogen
Kempert Krogen
Marianne Krogen
Abbey Lane
Jeff  Lee
Mary Lee
Maria Lemiux
Joel Leonard
Karen Leonard
Carrie Lessard
Doyle Lewis
Jody Mayne
Kerry McCabe
Joe McDaniel
Mac McMullen
Bomber Merwin
Diane Merwin Johnson
Todd Miller
Bob Morrison
Annie Nance
Angie O’Brien

Pete O’Brien
Marsha Parker
Greg Patchak
Dr. Tom Pelz
Donna Phalin
Frank Phalin
Pat Phalin
Stacey Phalin
Patsy Pippin
Barb Puckett
Kelly Randall
Lori Reid
Mike Reynolds
Jeanenne Richardson
Deb Robertson
Angela Sailer
Jean Salzgeber
Meredith Sime
Craig Sommers
Jo Sommers
Madge Stewart
Wendi Stitzer
Jim Vale
Dean Vial
Jory Vial
Levi Vial
Tammy Vial
Tonia Vial
Karen Wacker
Fred Waltz
Sally Waltz
Steve Wetter
Matt Wiegel
Mark Winters
Brian (Shorty) Youngs

Want to see your name here next year? Contact us or sign up to volunteer today.

If you’ve volunteered your time or donated and don’t see your name or business listed—thank you, and we’re so sorry we missed it! Our website is always evolving, and we’d love to include you. Please reach out via our contact page so we can give you the recognition you deserve.

Our Trail Through Your Eyes

We’re grateful to the talented Friends of the Wisconsin River Trail who’ve shared their photography with us—capturing the Driftless beauty of our trail and surrounding landscapes.

Special thanks to Mark Hackett, Robin Reynolds, Michelle Farrell, and Jack Kinney for donating images that help tell our story and inspire others to support the trail.

📷 Snapped something amazing on the trail? We’d love to see it! Tag us in your photos on Facebook or send them our way if you’d like to be featured on our website or social media. This trail belongs to all of us—and your perspective helps bring it to life.

Add your name

We won’t ask our Wisconsin River Trail Organization volunteers to do anything they’re not comfortable with, and we’re happy to wait until the right opportunity comes along. No pressure—just appreciation.

Thanks for your extra commitment to the Wisconsin River Trail project. You’re the reason this dream keeps moving forward.

 

WRTO Money Raised to Goal
Money Raised 50%
$300,000
0%
Phase 1
Goal Met - Thank you! 100%
$200,000
0%

Phase 2a

Goal: $1.6 million
0%

Phase 2b

$1.5 million
0%
Phase 3
Money Raised 0%
0%
Phase 4
Money Raised 0%
0%