By Darren Lum

Stories and photos from rail trails in the Highlands and around the world can convey the affection and love people have for the trails Pamela Marsales co-ordinator of the Toronto to Algonquin Gateway says.

These stories will be the heart of the upcoming Rail Trail Stories event the result of a partnership between TAG and Friends of the Rail Trail or FoRT.

Marsales said among the many stories that stand out for her is one about how a young family from Sweden came here to hike the Rail Trail.

“It makes you wonder. How did people from Sweden find our a Rail Trail and what was their experience of it? We would like to know more” she said.

The stories can also include the experiences of people from the Highlands who went to other rail trails in communities in Ontario Canada or around the world.

“We’re inviting them to submit their stories and pictures to me ahead of time and according to the time we have available we’ll try to curate as many of those into the evening” she said.

Held from 4:30 p.m. to close to 7:30 on Sunday Jan. 19 at the HHOA Fish Hatchery the event also offers people the opportunity to share experiences through an open microphone storytelling portion.

Catering will be provided by SIRCH who will be serving up homemade soup sandwiches squares and cookies – vegetarian and gluten free available.

Tickets are $18 or $25 with the purchase of a FoRT membership. Memberships help with funding ongoing programming. Children 14 and under are free.

The all-ages event includes the screening of two short documentaries each close to seven minutes. One is the Rodney Fuentes filmed/edited and co-produced TAG documentary TAG Along the Greenway and the other is focused on New Zealand’s Otago Central Rail Trail.

For more information or to RSVP email pamela.marsales@gmail.com or call/text 705-457-4767.