REM Award Honorees (2007) — Rene Burdet (Kennebec Messalonskee Trails)

KMTrails’s volunteer of the year is Rene Burdet.

Rene is from Switzerland, though he is a long time resident of Belgrade. He must have brought with him his cultural and childhood love of hiking, because he has been involved with thinking about trails in Central Maine for decades.

As a member of the Waterville Rotary Club, Rene lead efforts to establish a set of trails across the City. However, that effort must have been way ahead of its time, as it ran into opposition from landowners and ended up as a short nature trail around Seton Hospital.

Rene has been with the Kennebec Messalonskee Trails Board since its inception, and continues to play an important role in financial planning and trail planning for the organization. He's just great!

For more information about Kennebec Messalonskee Trails, please visit its website.