Craig and Kathy Della Penna are both experienced bicyclists who have done extensive touring on rail trails and have stayed at numerous bed & breakfasts on those journeys.
Craig is a licensed professional RealtorŪ working for The Murphys, Realtors, Inc. in Northampton, Massachusetts. He specializes in residential property near to rail-trails or other greenways. Web site at: www.craigdp.com
Additionally, he is the executive director of Northeast Greenway Solutions, a small consulting company set up to help bring cogent solutions to communities developing rail trails. NEGS collaborates with other non-profits, engineering companies, communities or grass roots trails organizations to assist in the development. Web site at: www.greenwaysolutions.org
He also works with the land trust community through an entity called Central Highlands Conservancy LLC which steps-in to preserve former RR corridor by buying it, preventing sales to adjacent landowners who would segment it. CHC later sells the corridor to the local land trust--when they can raise the money.Web site with more info at: www.chc-llc.org.
For 20 years he marketed rail freight and operated New England's largest and most successful railroad owned transloading facility--Railroad Distribution Services. From 1998-2004, he worked for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as their New England Field Representative focusing on the legislative affairs end of this issue.
Having given over 650 lectures in 16 states and Canadian provinces, he is one of the country's most sought after motivational speakers on the economic and community development aspect of rail-trails, and their leveraging small amounts of public dollars to redevelop forgotten or hidden lands into treasured places. He also has spoken at national conferences teaching people how get the courage to do what they love and get out of the corporate world's cubicle life.
He is the author of four books and numerous op-ed/guest editorials on the value of smart growth development, and rail-trails. In 2002, THE RIDE MAGAZINE named him as the most effective advocate for bike and rail-to-trail conversion issues on the eastern seaboard.
Kathy is a dedicated walker who is out on our trail both morning and night. She works for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Review Examiner. She is also the chief weeder and maintainer of our gardens, the colorist and decorator of our old fixer-upper house and the one who makes it all possible.
|
