Green Circle Trail receives $10,000 from Slumberland Furniture owner
Mary Hesch, local owner of Slumberland Furniture stores in Stevens Point, Wausau and Marshfield, has donated $10,000 to the Green Circle. The gift is the one largest private donations to the 27-mile scenic hiking and biking trail.
Hesch is a regular user of the trail that loops around the Stevens Point area. Before moving to Stevens Point to open her first Slumberland franchise in 2003, she had heard of the Green Circle Trail from friends of her brother in Marshfield.
“Because of that, I purposely purchased a house within walking distance of a section of the Green Circle Trail. It is absolutely my favorite thing about Stevens Point,” Hesch said. “It feels so good to be able to give back to the maintenance of this amazing trail, but no amount of giving can match the amount of joy that walking and biking this trail has added to my life throughout my 15 years of living here in Stevens Point.”
Most Stevens Point urban residents are within 10 minutes of the Green Circle, yet more than 80 percent of the trail travels through parks, natural areas and along rivers. The Green Circle attracts thousands of bikers, hikers, joggers and skiers each year. It is consistently ranked near the top reasons people love to live, work and play in central Wisconsin.
“The Green Circle Trail Board greatly appreciates the generosity of Mary Hesch and Slumberland Furniture,” said Jim Canales, board president. “This exceptional gift will help us meet a goal of making the trail greener as we reroute a portion in Whiting to a safer, more scenic route.”
After the Whiting Paper Mill closed, Consolidated Water Power Company and Verso offered an opportunity to reroute 1.2 miles of the Green Circle away from Whiting Road and Sherman Avenue to a more scenic and natural corridor along the Wisconsin River. While much of the former mill site will be sold for development, this corridor will be left in a natural state, open to the public for outdoor recreation.
To acknowledge this significant gift, Slumberland Furniture will be listed on one of the trailhead kiosks, which will eventually be installed on every trail section.
The Green Circle relies on contributions and volunteers to support 100 percent of its maintenance and development. Click here to learn more about making a tax-deductible donation to the Green Circle.