Rodney Sell, President of the Board of Build Lebanon Trails, is having a bench dedicated to him on Monday, September 17, 2018 at 10 am on the Island Loop at Cheadle Lake Park. We hope you’ll join the board at the award ceremony and congratulate Rod for the many years of work he has invested in creating the public trails in Lebanon that you use and love. Rod will be there!

Here’s a map of where the dedication will take place. You can view, download, or print the map using the icons at the top of the map.

Note that the mileages shown in this map are for the entire length of the trail. If you park at the North Shore parking lot (shortly after Russell Drive meets River Road), it’s about a half-mile walk each way to the dedication site. If you park at the Weirich Road entrance, it’s about a mile each way.

We know it’s a weekday and a walk to get to the dedication, but we’re very pleased and proud to offer this bench to Rod and hope that you can attend.

When you read some of Rod’s accomplishments, you’ll see why the Board holds him in such high regard.

Rod Sell is a dynamo and continues to promote an active lifestyle and the livability of the City of Lebanon.  The board of BLT would like to recognize Rod in the present for the more than 15 years he has already dedicated to spearheading Build Lebanon Trails, writing and submitting grant applications for the City of Lebanon (of which more than $2,300,000.00has been awarded to date), and advocating for the development of the gems of the trail system: the trails at Cheadle Lake Park and Marks Slough. 

Rod’s vision and dedication was evident when he was first out at Cheadle Lake almost 20 years ago with a machete cutting through the blackberries at the dawn of the development of the trail along the lake.  It is still manifested by the fire in his eyes when he discusses the progress of the trail development and when approaching private property owners to discuss easements for the connections needed to link the existing developed trails.

It is due to Rod’s passion and his eloquence as a speaker that many positive relationships have been built with private individuals and businesses.  These relationships have generated donations of funds, labor and materials, which have positively impacted and provided momentum for many of the trail projects.

Rod Sell, in addition to serving as President of the Board of Directors for Build Lebanon Trails since its incorporation in 2003, was chosen as Lebanon’s Man of the year in 2007.  Rod worked for the City of Lebanon for over 22 years, the last eight of which he served as the Maintenance Services Division Manager.  Rod has ridden thousands of miles on various bicycles, climbed mountains, jumped out of airplanes (on purpose!) skydiving, taken up swimming, competed in sprint triathlons, explored caves while crawling through small openings and recently, learned to scuba dive.