Center adds walking trail

With the help of the First Lutheran Church in Plains, a new walking trail has been created at the Paradise Center. Named the Interpretive Walking Trail, this is an easy walk around the center that allows visitors to learn about local landmarks and vegetation.

The project took just three days to complete for the group of 10 volunteers that donated their weekend to the cause. Among those tasks were cementing forms for posts, painting and installing the posts, raking and leveling the gravel and some light landscaping.

"Every year, through our churchwide body, they have a program that encourages us to participate in called God's Work, Our Hands," Pastor Carol Seilhymer said. "It's a day where we go out and do service opportunities. It explores our convictions as Lutherans, that every act of service is a daily calling in every life, and it moves freely in God's grace." This is the fourth year the church has participated in the God's Work, Our Hands project.

A second project members of the church helped with this year, was tending to the memorial garden that is located at the Plains Volunteer Fire Department. "Four members of the congregation, who are also gardeners, noticed it was overgrown and untended, so they contacted the fire chief and asked if they could come and clean up the memorial bed," Pastor Seilhymer said. "It was a good way of giving back to those volunteers at the fire department, and it was a thank you for what they do."

"Part of the reason why we do this, is we are living into our faith, we are part of this community, and we want to give back to the community," she said.