Community rallies for trail rebuild

MANAWA – After the historic flooding in 2024, the Manawa Mid-Western Rodeo and Stampede were cancelled for the season, which left a hole in fundraising for the Little Wolf Trail Organization, as its only fundraiser was rained out.
However, the Stampede will return this year and it will mark the 15th year of the event.
This year’s Stampede 5k/10k walk or run set to take place July 5.
The Little Wolf Trail Organization is anticipating the Stampede to resume as it has with the start and end of the race at Lindsay Park in Manawa.
After the dam breached on July 5, 2024 and flooded Manawa, the downriver surge caused major to the river portion of trails. It damaged the boardwalks and bridges and left silt deposits everywhere.

Ann Wade, a Little Wolf River Trail Organization committee member, originally thought the trail would not be able to be fixed until closer to spring; however they had volunteers step up that were able to start working on the damage last fall.
Wade said there was an outpouring of messages from the community and volunteers who wanted to see the trail beck up and running, so the volunteers started cleaning the useable boardwalks.
They continued to get more volunteers to work during the winter months and were able to pound new posts and continue to rebuild the damaged trail.
Wade and the trail committee said they are thankful that so many people stepped up to assist in the repair of the beloved city trail.
Trail surfaces need to be built back, which they are in the process of completing, while making sure to give volunteers a public “thank you” on Facebook at the What’s Happening in Manawa page.
“The cancellation of last year’s Stampede the day before the event was heartbreaking but also for the city and residents,” said Wade. “But for the Little Wolf River Trail Committee, who hosts this event, it is our only fundraiser, it funds our continued maintenance and upgrades on these trails.”
The maintenance needed includes asphalt surface repairs, sealing cracks, loads of rocks for wash-outs, mulching parts of the trail, lawn mowing and tree trimming. Wade said the maintenance is endless. For volunteering, contact annwade@charter.net. Donations can be sent to Little Wolf River Trail Organization, P.0 Box 121, Manawa, Wisconsin, 54949.