Volunteer Gallery

Photos starting from 2015 through the present day showing the various stages of the JJTrail Project and the multitudes of students, parents, and community volunteers who contributed their time to help complete this huge effort.

If you have any photos you’d like to include in the volunteer gallery, email them (with a caption please!) to jjtrailrace@gmail.com.

Volunteers at the 4th annual JJTrail Race in April 2022
Lewisboro Trail Volunteers George Scott, Mike Surdej, and Jim Berenson plus race day volunteers Austin and Eric Swarthout at the 4th annual JJTrail Race April 2022.

Volunteers at the 2022 JJTrail Race distributing bibs to runners, hikers, and walkers.

Dedicated Trail Building Volunteers Erich and Devin Braun turn into runners at the 4th annual JJTrail Races in April 2022.
Members of the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps who are on standby at the 4th annual JJTrail Race in April 2022.
Volunteers Dan and Brendan Welsh work on the railing supports for bridge #2
Mike Surdej, Rob Cummings, and Steve Warshauer at bridge #1
Members of the John Jay Track & Field team hauling one of the four 800 lb beams down the trail to bridge #1 to the site of bridge #2
Volunteer and Bridge designer Mike Surdej drives the gator over the bridge the first time.
Team members from the JJ Track & Field team moving the fourth and final beam for Bridge #2 to its location. They are shown here crossing Bridge #1, demonstrating its strength and ability to hold over 25 team members who are carrying a 750 lb beam at once.
Volunteers handing out shirts and bibs the day before the 2018 JJTrail Race in front of the Cross River Pharmacy. Thank you Stu & Elaine for being a sponsor and letting the team use the sidewalk space!
Rina Pollak, Rob Cummings, and Deb Burman at the race in 2019 (photo by Carol Gordon)
Samantha, Olivia, and Mikayla fasten decking on boardwalk #2 in late June 2019.
Boardwalk #3 foundation work
Alyssa, Bryce, and Amelia fasten the boardwalk #3 decking.
Ian and Tim lay out the blocking between the boardwalk joists.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqwzIZla6J/
Brian and Aidan move the giant boulder off the trail during the hottest day of July 2019. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqwlRdFSWo/
Jim and Chris lay out the upper ramp for boardwalk 6.
Bridge #2 under construction in early April 2018 featuring many of our volunteers.
August 11, 2019 – JJTrail Beam Moving Team made quick work out of the 3000 pounds of beam material. Four trips in just under 90 minutes!
Frog Hollow boardwalk in progress August 2019 with Tim Farrow, Peter Gressler ’21, and Jim Berenson.
Clodagh, Ciara, and Alyssa work fastening decking to the Causeway Boardwalk in September 2019.
Tim and Jim dig ever lower for the south foundation of the Championship Bridge
Tim, Kyle, Jim, and Mike move a piece of the south foundation block over the construction bridge.
Olivia Flynn, Krista Longo, Rina Pollak, and Amelia Walsh work on boardwalk 3-4 in July 2019.
Andrew Simmes, Kerri Kuntz, Orion Cummings, and other students cut the trailhead at Pit Field on the JJ campus in August 2016.
Kerri Kuntz, Kevin McMahon, Orion Cummings, Colin Morefield, Jack Mango, Andrew Simmes, and Libby Gressin construct the temporary bridge over the future site of Bridge #1 in August 2016.
Brave first crossing of the construction bridge before plywood is laid down in summer 2016.
Will Kennedy ’18, Orion Cummings ’19, and Ian Wiatric ’19 clear brush from the trail in summer 2016.
Jack Mango cutting invasive Japanese barberry from the trail in Summer 2016.
Ryan Jenkins ’18, Will Kennedy ’18, Charlie Stewart ’18, and Brendan Oates ’18 prepare to help pull down a tree in Summer 2016.
Brendan Oates ’18 clearing brush in summer 2016.
Coach Tom Nohilly with bridge engineer Mike Surdej at the site of Bridge #1 in September 2017.
Members of the JJ Track & Field Team use the rope carry technique to move the big beams to the site of Bridge #2 in December 2017.
Members of the JJ Track & Field Team use the rope carry technique to move the big beams to the site of Bridge #2 in December 2017.
Members of the JJ Track & Field Team use the rope carry technique to move the big beams to the site of Bridge #2 in December 2017.
Brendan Carroll ’18, Will Gagliotti ’17, Ryan “RJ” Jenkins ’17, and Mills Reed ’18 prepare to move gravel down to the site of bridge #1.
Mike Surdej putting the pieces together for the foundation blocks in summer 2016.
John Williams, Caroline Williams ’19, Dennis McGroary, Ciara McGroary ’24, and Clodagh McGroary ’20 at the site of bridge #1 in summer 2017.
Harry Heftler ’20 and Rob Cummings work with Charlie Stewart ’18 to level the foundations of Bridge #1 in summer 2017.
Dan Welsh, Rob Cummings, and Joe Mokszycki get ready to roll the big beams up and onto the foundation blocks at bridge #1 in September 2017.
Dan Welsh and Tony Gonçalves at the site of bridge #1 after fastening two of the big beams to the foundations in Sept 2017.
Paul Saloom, Brendan Carroll ’18, George Scott, Mills Reed ’18, Alex Kuehl ’18, Ed Soriano ’18, Pippa Nuttall ’19, Lauren Pollak ’19, Andrew Simmes ’19, Terrence Kelly ’19, Jack Buckley ’18, and Will Kennedy ’18 on the newly placed beams for bridge #2 in February 2018.
The full crew at bridge #2 after moving the beams across the span in February 2018.
Dan Welsh, Rob Cummings, and Jim Berenson at bridge #2 in February 2018.
Rose Bonnano, George Scott, Chris Winter, ___, ___, Sean Winter ’21, and ___ at bridge #2 in Feb. 2018.
Filling buckets with crushed rock for fill at bridge #2 site.
Big crew at bridge #2 site in March 2018 during the big push to complete the bridge before the inaugural 5k race in April 2018.
Orion Cummings ’19 and Rob Cummings at Bridge #2 site in April 2018.
Charlie Stewart ’18 comes to volunteer injured at bridge #2 in April 2018.
Laura Fernandez ’20 and Dan Welsh work on decking for bridge #2 in April 2018.
Andrew Simmes ’19 as part of the wood-chip bucket brigade in April 2018 prepping for the first JJTrail race.
Rob Cummings and Jim Berenson at the site of the pallet causeway in December 2018.
Mills Reed ’18 at the Bridge #1 foundations in September 2017.
Mike Mongiello and Rob Cummings work on the John Jay Booster Club sign in front of the Cross River Shell in March 2019.
Rob Cummings, Sam Howse ’19, Kyle Hafter ’19, Jim Berenson, Akshay Amin ’19, and Isaac Gordin ’19 at the site of Boardwalk #1 in May 2019.
Jim Berenson and Rob Cummings at boardwalk 3-4 in July 2019.
Bryce Walsh, Byron Wilson, Tim Farrow, and Jim Berenson at the site of boardwalk 3-4 in July 2019.
Chris Winter, Dennis, Alyssa Cohen, and Danny Siegel work on decking at boardwalk 3-4 in August 2019.
Jim Berenson, Peter Gressler ’21, and Rob Cummings at the Frog Hollow Boardwalk in August 2019.
Jim Berenson and Marc Schreiber at The Causeway Boardwalk in Sept 2019.
Tim Farrow, Jonah Peris ’20, Jim Berenson, and Rob Cummings at the Causeway Boardwalk Sept 2019.
Devin Braun ’22, Rob Cummings, Tim Farrow, and Jim Berenson at the Causeway Boardwalk Sept 2019.
Lucas Mongiello ’25 tightens the lag bolts into the foundation for bridge #3 in October 2019.
Erich Braun, Kyle Wolff ’22, Devin Braun ’22, and Danny Siegel assemble the south foundation for bridge #3 in November 2019.
Kyle Hafter ’19 and Sam Howse ’19 work in the mud at boardwalk #1 in May 2019.
Isaac Gordin ’19 and Akshay Amin ’19 work in the mud at boardwalk #1 in May 2019.
Marc Schrieber, Mike Surdej, Bill Crawford, and Tim Farrow load up lumber for transport to boardwalk construction sites on the trail.
Samantha Kanner, Olivia Flynn ’22, and Mikaela Kirby ’22 fasten decking to boardwalk #2 in June 2019.
Clodagh McGroary ’20, Aidan McGroary ’20, Jasper Meikle ’20, Martin Viall, Jamie Meikle ’20, and Dennis McGroary work on finishing decking for boardwalk #2 in June 2019.
Jim Berenson, Noah Goldman ’21, and Alyssa Cohen dig the foundation hole for boardwalk #6 in July 2019.
Aiden Oates ’22 and Brian McMahon ’22 work to remove a boulder obstruction from the main trail near bridge #3 site in July 2019.
Peter Gressler ’21, Bryce Walsh ’21, and Amelia Walsh ’21 work on the exit ramp at boardwalk 3-4 in July 2019.
Devin Braun ’21 and Jim Berenson work on boardwalk #6 in July 2019.
David Gordon ’15 works on decking for boardwalk #5 in July 2019.
David Gordon ’15 and Mike Surdej work on fastening in the retention logs for boardwalk #6 in July 2019.
Lauren Pollak ’19 and Kai Viall ’22 work on the entrance ramp to boardwalk #5 in July 2019.
Marc Schrieber takes the gator over the freshly completed boardwalk #5 in July 2019.
Jasper and Jamie Meikle along with Paul Collura install decking for boardwalk #2
Bryce Walsh, Martin Viall, Dennis McGroary, Aidan McGroary, and Clodagh McGroary dump wood chips in the off-ramp area of boardwalk #2
Martin Viall installs the final kickplate to the boardwalk #2 ramp.
Jasper and Jamie Meikle along with Paul Collura install decking on boardwalk #2