In early November, 2022, OhioHealth announced that it would donate $100,000 to Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) to be used for the Baileys Trail System.
ORCA manages the Baileys Trail System in partnership with Wayne National Forest, and the Athens Area Chamber is a proud member of ORCA.
According to the Athens Messenger news release about the donation, LeeAnn Lucas-Helber, president of OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, said of the donation: “We are proud to further our mission ‘to improve the health of those we serve’ through this investment. We know that outdoor recreation not only offers community members the opportunity to improve their physical health and wellness but, especially in the case of the Baileys Trail System, it is a key driver for the region’s economic growth.”
Read the full Athens Messenger article on the donation and the community’s response here.