The Division of Parks and Recreation utilizing trusties from the Department of Corrections implemented a tree trimming project this winter to enhance the beauty and safety in the state parks system. Clean up crews efforts were limited because the state parks system did not have a boom truck that allowed crews to remove dead tree branches from treetops. The South Dakota Rural Electric Association s General Manager, Audry Ricketts, heard about the project and offered to aid in the tree-trimming project. Eleven local rural electric cooperatives have donated boom trucks and employees for the project. The rural electric cooperatives have been a tremendous asset to the project.
Cooperatives are notorious for being leaders in their communities.
This is just one more example of the cooperatives commitment to their members, their communities and the State of South Dakota. Union County, Newton Hills and Palisades state parks and Beaver Creek, Big Sioux, Lake Vermillion, Mina and Farm Island recreation areas have already benefited from the partnership. Clean up crews will continue to work at Lake Herman, Oakwood Lakes and Roy Lake state parks, Richmond, Lake Poinsett, Lake Thompson, West Bend and Lewis and Clark recreation areas and the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve. In fact, statistics indicate turkey hunting is four times safer than ping-pong, and one is 50 times more likely to take a trip to the emergency room if they play golf. Hunt within your physical limitations.