With his passion for cycling and for the outdoors, Dodson Dietrich has been a lifetime supporter of Schuylkill River Greenways. He first heard about the plans for the Schuylkill River Trail when he was growing up in Berks County and riding his bike near the original Headquarters of what was then the Greenways Association. “Of course, I didn’t really understand the potential of the SRT back then, but as a 10-year-old, the idea of being able to ride my bike from Reading to Philadelphia was pretty cool,” he shared.

Fast forward to his early twenties, Dodson became a financial supporter of Schuylkill River Greenways because of his advocacy for the trail and for the tourism and economic development it brings not just to Berks County but to all the towns along the trail. Like so many SRG stewards, Dodson’s commitment to SRG grew through the years as he rode the trail and participated in volunteer events with former Trails Director, Bob Fowell. After attending the Heritage Legacy Society Dinner at the invitation of another SRG supporter, Dodson volunteered to join the Board of Directors.

He supports the stewardship because of his advocacy to get the trail finished and provide for the maintenance into the future. “Because we aren’t a government entity, we need a to secure funding resource for maintenance – it’s absolutely the least glamorous thing we do, but without maintenance, we cannot move forward.” Stewardship is the dedicated vehicle that will enable SRG to complete trails faster.