Peg Zende admits that she and Mike Ruthem were a little skeptical when they learned about the plans Aaron Dodds, project manager for the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District, had for some adjacent property in Wayne Township.

“When Aaron started this project and told us about his dream, we were naysayers,” Zende said. “We weren’t accepting of it, and we were concerned. We wondered what this was going to do to this slice of heaven that we had.”

That dream has become the Hellbender Preserve in Wayne Township, which offers a chance to enjoy the natural beauty of Jefferson County, a walking trail and a chance to experience history.

Zende was speaking Monday evening, shortly after she and Ruthem had accepted the Distinguished Service Award during the district’s 81st-annual meeting and banquet.

“Because of who Aaron is, and because of who the people are who represent this agency are, what they bring to the table is transparency and truth,” Zende said while speaking to the 100-or-so supporters who had gathered at the St. Florian Event Center.

“They worked with us, they told us about it and we saw their dream, and then we saw them make it happen,” she continued. “They rolled up their sleeves, they worked hard at it and they accomplished something amazing. It is more wonderful than we could ever have imagined it to be.”

Officially opened in April, the Hellbender Preserve already has attracted a lot of interest. Some of its attraction comes from providing a place to enjoy outdoor activities, and some of it is from the chance to view the historic Lincoln bridge and railroad tunnel No. 8 that are a part of the property.

“The goals of Hellbender Preserve are being realized, and in just six short months the property has become a great place for conservation, education, recreation, history and preservation,” explained Aidan Sammut, Cross Creek and Yellow Creek watershed program manager for the district while introducing Zende and Ruthem.

It’s attracted more than 25,000 visitors from the Tri-State Area and beyond and has served as an education site for students from local school districts and the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

“There wasn’t a day the whole summer when people weren’t there,” Ruthem said. “It would start in the morning with runners, women with jogging strollers and other people meeting up, and it went all the way through to the busiest part of the day, in the evening after dinner.

“There are some people in this room who had some amazing dreams that turned into some realities for a lot of people,” he added.

Dan Mayhugh, the owner of Dillonvale-based Dig-It-Man Excavating, also was recognized for his efforts with the Hellbender Preserve. His company had been contracted to construct the limestone trail that travels the old rail corridor, Ken Perkins, the district’s treasurer, explained while introducing Mayhugh as the recipient of this year’s Special Recognition Award. That job, Perkins added, was expected to take just five days.

“But as work began, something remarkable happened,” Perkins said. “While working alongside our staff, several hidden features of the property began to reveal themselves — including an entire arch and wing-wall of the historic Lincoln Bridge that had been buried beneath 20 feet of soil and vegetation.”

Mayhugh stepped up and donated his own time and resources to unearth those landmarks, Perkins said, adding by the time everything had been completed, it took five weeks with more than a few 12-hour days.

Also recognized during the evening were Danny and Belinda Boyce, who took home the Conservation Cooperator of the Year Award. They have been operating their 108-acre Golden Promise Farm for almost 50 years, Wendee Dodds, district administrator, explained.

“We come together to showcase conservation successes, recognize conservation champions and thank our partners, supporters and landowners who share the common goal of conservation of natural resources,” said Mark Nelson, the district’s board chair, during his opening remarks, which was built around the theme “Charting a Course in Conservation.”

Nelson and Perkins were re-elected to the board, it was announced. Winners in the photo contest were John McCauley, Gary Bush, John O’Donnell and Amy O’Donnell.

“Here in Jefferson County, we have seen time and time again that conservation is not some unattainable thing done by people far away, because those who refuse to listen to their critics are the ones who make the land sing again,” Dodds said during her remarks.

That determination to succeed can be seen every day in all parts of the county — as the work of the soil and water district with the Hellbender Preserve demonstrates.

“These people don’t ask of other people what they are not willing to do themselves,” Zende said. “They worked hard for this. We saw that, and so we became ‘yay-sayers’ to the trail, and we’re excited for it. The best thing we offer is an invitation to come and visit us out there and see what it’s like, because it is a dream come true.”

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)