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Linton Chamber visits Goose Pond FWA
The Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce (LSCC) held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 19 at the Goose Pond FWA Visitor’s Center.
Goose Pond FWA Property Manager Travis Stoelting gave a brief history of Goose Pond, noting how early efforts in the area to farm the land failed, as well as a planned housing development, leading to the creation of the site we enjoy today.
Stoelting said the restoration project, begun in 1999 and completed in 2008, includes about 5,000 acres of protected wetlands with more than 35 miles of levees and restorative plantings.
He said the area provides many educational opportunities and is visited often by school groups as well as adult groups, tourists and other visitors.
Stoelting said the Visitor’s Center is planning to create a half-mile “learning trail” around the building, complete with educational and informative signs posted at trail intervals. The trail will be funded by grant money as well as donations from the Friends of Goose Pond.
Stoelting introduced Interactive Naturalist Peggy Wolfe, who said the location is a big draw for tourists and locals alike.
Wolfe said the Visitor’s Center maintains a visitor count with the help of a sign-in book since 2007, with more than 8,500 names in the guest book. She said since many more people visit the area without signing the book, it is estimated the site has drawn between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors since the center opened in 2016.
Wolfe said she is planning a bird-spotting board for the center and said one of her favorite Goose Pond FWA attractions outside of the migratory birds is the meteor shower-watching events that draw eager falling-star spotters, particularly around the time of the Perseid meteor showers.
The Visitor’s Center even lends a hand to local businesses, keeping current lists of places to stay in Greene County as well as a list of local restaurants.
In other business:
• LSCC President John Cotter opened the meeting, welcoming new member Jiffy Treat of Linton. Cotter said Jiffy Treat is under new ownership and will celebrate joining the Chamber with a ribbon-cutting at the location near the end of June.
• Greene County General Hospital CEO Brenda Reetz and Marketing Manager Stacy Burris introduced a new member of their team, Dylan Hefflinger.
“Dylan is our first TeamOrtho athletic trainer and we are offering his services to all of the Greene County schools, if they choose to utilize athletic training in their sports,” Burris said. “Dylan is a certified athletic trainer who is trained to help enhance performance by optimizing the physical health of student-athletes. By showing student-athletes how to properly prepare for high-intensity exercise in order to minimize the risk of both catastrophic and chronic injury. In the event of an injury he can provide immediate care as well as support the student-athlete throughout the entire injury process. This includes preparing for surgery, post-operative care, rehabilitation and returning the student-athlete to competition.”
• Cotter reminded members and guests of the upcoming fish fry fundraiser on April 12 from 4-7 p.m. at the Roy Clark building in Linton’s Humphreys Park. The event is the major fundraiser for the Chamber for the year, Tickets are available by contacting any Chamber member or the Chamber office in Linton.
Cotter said preparations are underway for the 2019 Linton Freedom Festival. He said the construction of parade floats has been started by some and steadfastly refused to reveal the design of their own.
Cotter said the Linton citywide garage sales are planned for June 8 and said the Chamber is seeking donations of items to sell. Those with items to donate may contact Tracy Keen at State Farm Insurance in Linton for more information.
• Cotter said another upcoming event, the 2019 Greene County Family Expo, is coming to the Linton Armory on Thursday, April 4 from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
The free event centers on family health and retirement planning and will include professionals from various medical, retirement planning and senior adult care locations offering valuable information for all ages. There will be scheduled speakers on related topics as well as simple health screenings available on-site. Guests will be able to make appointments, have their questions answered, enjoy light refreshments, take home valuable brochures and register for door prizes to be given away at the event.
The next meeting of the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce will take place on Tuesday, April 16 at noon at Greene County General Hospital.