VOLUNTEERS BRAVE CORNUCOPIA CHILL TO COMPLETE TASKS

Not everyone could get volunteers to show up for outdoor work on a Wisconsin airfield on the windy shores of Lake Superior in December. But RAF Director Jeff Russell and Wisconsin Liaison Amanda Levin were successful gathering a dozen folks who cheerfully helped take on maintenance and improvements at Cornucopia, including airport manager Tim Kaseno. Minnesota Liaison Amy Gesch and Wisconsin Ambassador Charlie Miller attended, as well.


“Amazingly, the hardy group braved the sub-zero wind chills and accomplished all the planned tasks for the weekend,” Russell said. They built privacy and windbreak fencing around the porta-potties, and planted beautiful evergreen trees thanks to Charlie Miller bringing his skid steer and tree spade. Volunteers removed brush along the sides of the runway; piled it and burned it, enjoying the chance to warm by the fire between labors.

“We just concluded our phase two work party at Sacaton landing strip, and I think we are about ninety percent finished,” RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller reported. Approval must come from the Glenwood District Ranger before Sacaton is open for general recreational use after decades of closure and neglect. As of now, usage is limited to facilitate additional work.


Thanks to a recent cooperative Challenge Cost Share agreement between the RAF and the Gila National Forest, work to reopen the airstrip began October 24-26 to lay out the runway footprint and clear the first 2,000 feet, and install a windsock pole. RAF supporter Randy Roth brought his front end loader and moved hundreds of basketball- and larger-size rocks that had made the “X” in the middle of the runway. He repurposed them around the segmented circle. Roth attached this heavy auger and drilled the holes for the windsock pole. Using the rear blade, he carved out the new runway and removed small trees. “What a huge help,” Keller said, “And he was always the first one working every morning.”

Keller conducted additional work the week of October 31.

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By Carmine Mowbray • August 14, 2026
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