Cornershot

To submit a CornerShot

The Roanoke Times welcomes CornerShot submissions from its readers. Here are the guidelines:

Length: about 200 words
Topic: CornerShots can run the gamut, but we generally prefer unique and clever observations on the human experience.
No poetry, please.
Email your submission to extra@roanoke.com with your full name and hometown and “CornerShot” in the subject line. You can also mail submissions to Kathy Lu, CornerShot, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, VA 24010.
Submissions are subject to editing.

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Bill Hackworth | A reader in Roanoke

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

If you have ever hiked a trail or walked or biked a greenway in this region, odds are that Dr. Bill Gordge had a hand in its design, construction or maintenance.

For his decades of work on local trails, Gordge has been selected by Cox Communications as one of the three finalists for this year’s Virginia Cox Conserves Heroes awards.

Gordge is an 85-year-old retired pediatrician, one of the early partners in Physicians to Children. He has spent countless hours planning, working on and advocating for local trails since the mid-1960s.

He leads an informal group of mostly retired folks affiliated with Pathfinders for Greenways. (Gordge led my family on our first hike with our months-old son back in 1979 on the Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail, which he has worked on.)

Known as the Wednesday work group, the volunteers are currently constructing a side trail connecting the Appalachian Trail to Catawba, so that hikers can resupply and visit The Homeplace Restaurant without having to walk on Virginia 311. Gordge also created a children’s obstacle course at Jubilee Acres (a summer camp for kids staying at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke). He teaches the work crew and students about sustainable trail management.

Voting is open at www.coxconservesheroes.com/virginia/vote.aspx through June 17. You can also view a video about Gordge at the site. The winner gets to select an environmental nonprofit to receive $10,000.

The other two finalists are from Tidewater and Northern Virginia, so if Gordge is going to win this award, this region needs to pull together!

Saturday, September 14, 2013