East Central Energy (ECE) members, employees and directors moved mountains of brush and planted more than 200 pine trees during the ninth annual GreenTouch Day Saturday, May 3 at Father Hennepin State Park in Isle, MN. They got out their paint brushes and rakes at Pattison Park in Superior, WI on May 17, giving a facelift to many picnic tables and cleaning up the trails.

All together, 44 volunteers spent the two brisk spring days helping park staff complete projects they would otherwise not get done before the busy season. After a morning of exhilarating work, both groups enjoyed lunch provided by ECE and had a chance to win door prizes. Everyone went home with a hat and work gloves.

GreenTouch is a partnership between Minnesota's Touchstone Energy cooperatives and the Minnesota State Park system. ECE's GreenTouch sponsorship upholds the co-op's commitment to the Touchstone Energy values of integrity, accountability, community involvement and innovation. It also accents the importance ECE places on environmental stewardship. In addition to the volunteer help, the project provides funds for the State Park Guide and the parks' junior naturalist program.

ECE Director Don Martens and his son, Brian, walk up the trail to the shelter after a day of helping plant trees at Father Hennepin State Park.


Les Pinz of Isle loaded logs into his trailer and hauled them to the park's firewood pile.

Scott Robb, left, of Isle, has volunteered on GreenTouch Day since it started. He and park employee Jim Remer were among the group which planted trees at Father Hennepin.

The brushing crew worked hard, repeatedly filling a pickup truck and a tractor bucket with debris. Father Hennepin State Park Manager Bob Johnson, left, Ryan Tulp of Princeton, ECE Director Bob Thompson and Tom Brausen of Onamia were on the team.