Volunteer Spotlight: Doug Pollock

Doug Pollock and his family moved from Pittsburgh to Erie in 2009. An avid outdoorsman into mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and hiking, Doug and his family were elated to discover Asbury Woods which just happened to be less than 3 miles from their home. “We are SO BLESSED to have this gem in our backyard! The trails, boardwalk, and Nature Center are available year-round for our enjoyment. What better way is there to destress from the hustle and bustle of work or everyday life than to just get outside in nature and take a breath of fresh air?” Doug so enjoyed and appreciated what Asbury Woods had to offer, he decided to get directly involved by sharing his passion of nature and the outdoors with others.

Before the winter of 2009, Doug took the initiative to meet with staff members at Asbury Woods to inquire about an opportunity to teach cross country skiing. “I taught alpine skiing and cross-country skiing in the past at my hometown of Somerset, PA and had about ten years of experience as a ski instructor. I have always loved teaching young and old to introduce them to a winter sport that often people shy away from.” And as the say, the rest is history. 13 years later Doug is still teaching cross-country clinics at Asbury Woods.

Doug’s clinics are meant to be fun and instructional and are appropriate for beginners as well as advanced skiers. “Every time I teach a clinic where I have beginners or advanced skiers, I get such a great feeling seeing the smiles on their faces. I love it when they ask about the ski rentals that Asbury Woods offers and how they can come back and ski the trails on their own to practice what they’ve learned.”

As for volunteering at Asbury Woods? Doug’s answer is short and to the point. “DO IT! If you have a passion of nature and the outdoors, just talk to one of the staff members or volunteers about opportunities available. We all have gifts and skills. Put them to use and have a BLAST doing it!!”

Snowshoe and cross-country skis are available for rent at Asbury Woods starting in December. For more information, go to https://www.asburywoods.org/rentals/snowshoe-and-cross-country-ski-rentals/.