Our annual banquet is set for October 3 this year and you are invited to attend what should be an enjoyable evening with fellow members.
The keynote speaker will be Beth Dayton, longtime resident of Salem. Beth, a retired general surgeon, has spent countless hours over the last decade or so building, improving and maintaining trails for boots and bikes. She will give a presentation (with photos) about some of her experiences and the many ways that volunteers can work on the Willamette National Forest.
Beth was raised in Bozeman, Montana and spent her childhood skiing, hiking and canoeing with her family. Her love of the wilderness was passed on from her late father, former Chemeketan Irving Dayton, and is now actively shared with her own family. Since retirement, she has created (and leads) the Salamander Trail Crew, a group of volunteers who go out weekly to maintain trails, and she leads the Cascades Volunteers saw education program. She is a Forest Service certified chainsaw and cross cut sawyer, instructing sawyers since 2020.
You’ll hear tales of the trail crews and learn how you can volunteer your time and talents to improve the forest experience for others. Opportunities vary from active trail work to trailhead hosting to identifying invasive plants. Always on the go, Beth enjoys partaking in nearly every type of non-motorized outdoor recreation. She’s always ready with a laugh and tons of enthusiasm. Come and be inspired!
9/19/2026 update: registration is closed