Volunteers Create Community

Dan Rogan | OSI Katahdin Region Coordinator

Being OSI’s Katahdin Region Coordinator for close to four years now has shown me that engaging with the community can look like a lot of different things. I often tell people that “Coordinator” is just short for “my job is getting to talk to a lot of really cool people about really cool things every day.” In 2026, these people are the many volunteers that are showing up to support local initiatives like helping to open the doors at the Katahdin Gear Library spaces in both Millinocket and Patten. They also show up to plan and run events, steward Katahdin Area Trails, support community outdoor programs, and so much more.

I’d like to tell you a bit about what it’s like working with those local volunteers. While it may be my job to be “the Coordinator,” I also live in the Katahdin Region, Millinocket specifically. This is one of the region’s communities that I get to work with every day, and is also the place I’ve chosen to call home. Those amazing people that show up to help make things happen? Those folks are my friends and neighbors. They’ve also chosen to call this place home, whether they grew up here or moved here like I did. They see the value of putting in the effort to support community-based outdoor recreation like creating access to gear and using local trails. There are so many great things happening in our neck of the woods and it’s because of the work we’re all doing.

There are too many wonderful happenings to comprehensively list on this short blog post. Needless to say, however, local volunteers are helping to shape their communities on the ground level. These fine folks are showing up, giving their support and valuable time, and investing in the activation of outdoor recreation resources. From Millinocket to Patten to Island Falls, and all the communities of the Katahdin Region, these volunteers are showing that they want to see their communities be a place for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the outdoors.

So, what are the volunteers up to, exactly? With the Katahdin Gear Library initiative for example, a lot of the focus has been on growing the skillsets and confidence of the volunteers to increase what these community spaces are capable of. Local programs and clubs have repeatedly chosen this space to gather. Our partners at Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters to use as the drop-off and pick-up place for their incredible youth programs over the summer. A local paddling club uses it as a jumping off point before heading out to the river. Same with the annual Millinocket Stream Clean Up that has happened the last few years. Peavey Brook Outdoor Center in Patten is becoming a hub in the north end of the region. It has been a camping site for youth programs and a meeting place for weekly group bike rides. Both spaces have hosted numerous trainings such as a recent series of bike tech workshops for volunteers. We’ve created a welcoming and thoughtful base where partners, locals, and visitors can come to use the space and the resources.

While volunteers may be trained up in all things Gear Library, where the magic really happens is the warm welcome and local knowledge they can share with people that stop by. We’ve seen AT thru-hikers, Eastern Divide Trail riders, visitors from out-of-state, born-and-raised Mainers, and everyone in-between looking for insights on the best local trails and waterways. Stocked with local maps and lived experiences, these spaces are more than just a place to rent gear. They’re community hubs, a gateway into all that the Katahdin Region has to offer, and these volunteers are at the door waiting to welcome you in.

Speaking of volunteers, how can you get involved? If you’re interested in joining these awesome people, fill out our volunteer interest form. Learn more about the Katahdin Gear Library initiative here. To learn more about the trails and what’s going on there, check out the Katahdin Area Trails website. Stay tuned for upcoming trail events like the upcoming Trail Rally! We occasionally post on social media, so find the Katahdin Gear Library and Katahdin Area Trails initiatives on Facebook and Instagram. Lastly, you can always reach out to me at volunteer@outdoorsi.org.

For my part, it’s been an incredible experience guiding these efforts to build up volunteer capacity. Recruiting local, motivated volunteers that see the real value in volunteerism and spending time in these spaces has been rewarding. What happens through these community initiatives is so much more than renting gear and maintaining trails. It’s welcoming, familiar faces helping you get outdoors. It’s knowing that there are people available to you that know their stuff and wants to make sure you have an excellent adventure with the right gear and knowledge. It’s really come to show that there are people around here that want to play a part in creating community around outdoor recreation in the Katahdin Region. I’m beyond proud to call these folks my friends and neighbors.