Meet our 2025 award winners!
Each year at our annual Trail Forum conference, we honor some of the most outstanding individuals who have contributed to the Carolina Thread Trail. This year, we were proud to honor our Saxby Chaplin Volunteer of the Year and our Trail Champion of the Year, and to award a special Carolina Thread Trail Legacy Award for the first time ever.
Saxby Chaplin Volunteer of the Year
Duane Harrelson first began volunteering with the Thread Trail less than two years ago, but even in that short time he has demonstrated why he deserves to be our 2025 Saxby Chaplain Volunteer of the Year. Duane’s commitment to trail maintenance at Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Trail in Statesville, NC has been unmatched, from mowing to clearing the trail, taking care of the parking lot and more. In the short time he has been volunteering, Duane has logged more than 850 hours, the most of any single volunteer since we started tracking volunteer hours more than 10 years ago. His dedication to the trail is truly inspiring, and despite the hours of work, he always greets you with a smile on his face. We are so grateful for everything he has done to keep this space beautiful and accessible for all.
Trail Champion of the Year
Shirley Brutko, Director of the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail, exemplifies what it means to be a trail champion. Shirley has been working to advance trails for over 20 years and has always been one of the biggest proponents of the Thread Trail. Her vision, passion, persistence and trust-building have resulted in the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail becoming one of the more popular trails within the Thread Trail footprint. The Gateway Trail is lauded for its design, which accommodates a wide variety of users and abilities, and its scenic location and welcoming environment. Shirley’s tireless work, leadership and boundless positive energy have made the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail what it is today.
Carolina Thread Trail Legacy Award
A tireless leader for trails and economic development in Gaston County, Bill Carstarphen is an integral player in bringing the Matthews-Belk South Fork River Corridor to life. As a partner of the Thread Trail and as a business leader in the county, he has gently steered a vision for connected, vibrant communities along the river, with trails serving as the “thread” tying it all together. He has been an advocate for bringing trails to the top of Spencer Mountain, a project which is now moving forward into construction, as well as completing the gaps in the trail corridor so that outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy a 29-mile trail from Spencer Mountain to the SC state line. Bill also previously served on the Board of Directors for Catawba Lands Conservancy, and has played an important role in conservation in Gaston County, protecting a significant portion of his own property through the Conservancy.