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Lorana Jinkerson
Marquette
Hero Story
For decades, Lorana has worked tirelessly to develop, maintain, protect, and promote the Trail. Her efforts have been recognized by the National Park Service (NPS), the federal administrator of the Trail, and in 2022, she was honored for contributing over 10,000 volunteer hours to the NCNST.
Lorana Jinkerson began her journey with the North Country Trail Association (NCTA or Association) in the mid 1990s and since then has led in every volunteer and philanthropic service.
The North Country Trail Association is the steward for the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST or Trail) and works closely with the National Park Service to build, maintain, protect and promote the Trail. This stewardship is accomplished through volunteer efforts with local Chapters throughout the Trail’s eight states. Of these states, Michigan is host to 1,163 of the total 4,800 miles. In Marquette, Michigan, the NCTA Marquette Area Chapter is responsible for 118 miles of Trail. Lorana has actively been involved with that Chapter since the mid-1990s and served as the Chapter President from 2005-2021.
Under her leadership, the NCTA Marquette Area Chapter has experienced new growth in membership and volunteerism. At the time of her retirement from office, the membership had grown to 246 members. This took grassroots action to accomplish. Lorana has made sure the Trail is well represented in the central Upper Peninsula. She has encouraged the Chapter to become involved in area events to help raise awareness, bring media attention and grow involvement. She has made personal connections with decades of members through phone calls, Chapter newsletters and invitations to Chapter meetings and functions. As a result, the Chapter experiences a strong engagement retention rate and has opened up possibilities for new persons (and perspectives) to get involved.
When the Association began the Next Generation Coalition (NGC), Lorana was one of the first Chapter leaders to embrace its mission of engaging young people. Lorana established a strong partnership with Northern Michigan University, with successful results. She served as a mentor to the individual who is now an Association intern leading the NGC program. Through this mentorship, this person learned how to organize and cultivate volunteers, as well as a strong understanding of the Association’s Chapter structure.
Lorana, always with the best interest of the Association in mind, helped create a successful Chapter succession plan which allowed her to step back and allow new ideas and engagement to emerge. Although she has retired her leadership role with the Chapter, Lorana’s local volunteer efforts are still active. She continues to volunteer for trail projects. She serves as a trail angel by providing respite and resources to distance hikers and she has been known to allow camping in her yard for those needing a place to stay as they journey through Michigan.
The impact her involvement has made for the Trail is evident. The Trail is located on public and private lands. Lorana has built relationships with numerous private landowners to establish trail sections that are off-road when public land isn’t available. Subsequently, this has minimized the area of road-walk and enhances a “road safe,” positive trail experience. To continue that positive trail experience, she is physically maintaining the Trail while also planning for its future. She also worked with the Marquette community to establish interpretive signage along the Trail and encouraged other groups to events on the Trail’s behalf and/or in an effort to promote the Trail as one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the country.
While in the Chapter’s presidential role, Lorana extended her volunteer service to the NCTA’s Board of Directors for many years. It was through this experience that she developed a holistic understanding of the National Trails System and the intricacies involved when carrying out the mission of our nation’s longest National Scenic Trail. Inspired, she took on the role of Trail Protection Chair, showing incredible patience and dedication in leading the NCTA through discussions about this monumental task in securing the corridor of the NCNST over private land.
This understanding deepened her commitment to the Trail as an advocate and major donor. She even led efforts to recognize others as Chair of the NCTA Awards Committee for many years. Now, she continues to be involved with the organization, serving on a number of committees, including the Development Committee and the North Star Editorial Advisory Committee (the NCTA’s quarterly magazine). Each time the Association’s annual Celebration has been held in Michigan, Lorana has played an active role in its development, bringing hundreds of hikers to explore and experience the state.
As an ambassador, she shows a personal commitment to hikers. She has provided transportation, meals, or a place to rest, which truly embrace the Trail Community’s giving philosophy. As a stakeholder for the NCTA community, she promotes Michigan and the sections of NCNST within our great state. She is a connector and convener.
What makes her unique is her ability to lead change in a fair and open way, not just for a year or two, but for decades and throughout her golden years. With a recorded 10,000 volunteer hours, and based on today’s independent section numbers, the Association has benefited the equivalent of $284,400 worth of time and talent.
Lorana Jinkerson
Marquette
Hero Story
For decades, Lorana has worked tirelessly to develop, maintain, protect, and promote the Trail. Her efforts have been recognized by the National Park Service (NPS), the federal administrator of the Trail, and in 2022, she was honored for contributing over 10,000 volunteer hours to the NCNST.
Lorana Jinkerson began her journey with the North Country Trail Association (NCTA or Association) in the mid 1990s and since then has led in every volunteer and philanthropic service.
The North Country Trail Association is the steward for the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST or Trail) and works closely with the National Park Service to build, maintain, protect and promote the Trail. This stewardship is accomplished through volunteer efforts with local Chapters throughout the Trail’s eight states. Of these states, Michigan is host to 1,163 of the total 4,800 miles. In Marquette, Michigan, the NCTA Marquette Area Chapter is responsible for 118 miles of Trail. Lorana has actively been involved with that Chapter since the mid-1990s and served as the Chapter President from 2005-2021.
Under her leadership, the NCTA Marquette Area Chapter has experienced new growth in membership and volunteerism. At the time of her retirement from office, the membership had grown to 246 members. This took grassroots action to accomplish. Lorana has made sure the Trail is well represented in the central Upper Peninsula. She has encouraged the Chapter to become involved in area events to help raise awareness, bring media attention and grow involvement. She has made personal connections with decades of members through phone calls, Chapter newsletters and invitations to Chapter meetings and functions. As a result, the Chapter experiences a strong engagement retention rate and has opened up possibilities for new persons (and perspectives) to get involved.
When the Association began the Next Generation Coalition (NGC), Lorana was one of the first Chapter leaders to embrace its mission of engaging young people. Lorana established a strong partnership with Northern Michigan University, with successful results. She served as a mentor to the individual who is now an Association intern leading the NGC program. Through this mentorship, this person learned how to organize and cultivate volunteers, as well as a strong understanding of the Association’s Chapter structure.
Lorana, always with the best interest of the Association in mind, helped create a successful Chapter succession plan which allowed her to step back and allow new ideas and engagement to emerge. Although she has retired her leadership role with the Chapter, Lorana’s local volunteer efforts are still active. She continues to volunteer for trail projects. She serves as a trail angel by providing respite and resources to distance hikers and she has been known to allow camping in her yard for those needing a place to stay as they journey through Michigan.
The impact her involvement has made for the Trail is evident. The Trail is located on public and private lands. Lorana has built relationships with numerous private landowners to establish trail sections that are off-road when public land isn’t available. Subsequently, this has minimized the area of road-walk and enhances a “road safe,” positive trail experience. To continue that positive trail experience, she is physically maintaining the Trail while also planning for its future. She also worked with the Marquette community to establish interpretive signage along the Trail and encouraged other groups to events on the Trail’s behalf and/or in an effort to promote the Trail as one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the country.
While in the Chapter’s presidential role, Lorana extended her volunteer service to the NCTA’s Board of Directors for many years. It was through this experience that she developed a holistic understanding of the National Trails System and the intricacies involved when carrying out the mission of our nation’s longest National Scenic Trail. Inspired, she took on the role of Trail Protection Chair, showing incredible patience and dedication in leading the NCTA through discussions about this monumental task in securing the corridor of the NCNST over private land.
This understanding deepened her commitment to the Trail as an advocate and major donor. She even led efforts to recognize others as Chair of the NCTA Awards Committee for many years. Now, she continues to be involved with the organization, serving on a number of committees, including the Development Committee and the North Star Editorial Advisory Committee (the NCTA’s quarterly magazine). Each time the Association’s annual Celebration has been held in Michigan, Lorana has played an active role in its development, bringing hundreds of hikers to explore and experience the state.
As an ambassador, she shows a personal commitment to hikers. She has provided transportation, meals, or a place to rest, which truly embrace the Trail Community’s giving philosophy. As a stakeholder for the NCTA community, she promotes Michigan and the sections of NCNST within our great state. She is a connector and convener.
What makes her unique is her ability to lead change in a fair and open way, not just for a year or two, but for decades and throughout her golden years. With a recorded 10,000 volunteer hours, and based on today’s independent section numbers, the Association has benefited the equivalent of $284,400 worth of time and talent.