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FOR TWENTY YEARS
Our Mission: Inspire Stewardship of Pennsylvania's State Parks and Forests

Susquehanna Sunrise
Tony Bendele

It was with not a little bit of amazement that I read the story on Pennlive on Monday that it was 24 years ago that the Walnut Street Bridge across the Susquehanna in Harrisburg was partially swept away by flooding. I remember driving across the I-81 bridge north of the city earlier that afternoon and it actually registered as I crossed that the ice and water looked particularly high. By the time I got home from errands, the collapse had already occurred.

It was a sad day. I had parked in Wormleysburg on the western shore of the river almost every day for years and walked across both spans of the People's Bridge to various downtown jobs.

So the photo of the river posted by Tony Bendele to the Hiking & Backpacking PA Facebook page on Thursday is particularly poignant. That benign sheet of glistening ice belies the danger it could represent. (Others of his photos from Thursday morning accompany the post. They are beautiful.)

Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator
Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation

News of Note

Jenna and Sarah spent the day at the Commonwealth Charter Academy in Harrisburg for the Central PA MLK Day of Service helping the youngsters make bird feeders. They had a great day - smiling faces, happy birds!

Earth Day isn't the only issue on our minds as the rumblings from the big building in Harrisburg with the gold dome on top are becoming increasingly troubling as budget talks loom. Naturally the place for DCNR funding is top of our minds and as we open discussions between you and our legislators, the issue of charging a fee for entry in our parks like many of our neighbors has come up repeatedly. Marci shared her thoughts on the matter in our News blog this week. Perhaps this will help you clarify your thinking or explain the problem to someone you encounter.

In furtherance of the budget drama sure to come, I had an idea for a way to simply illustrate the life and impact of a DCNR grant. The problem is that I am NOT an artist by any stretch of the imagination. So if you happen to be into cartooning, or know someone who is, I'd love to talk about the idea and see if we couldn't make something out of this germ of a thought.

I think we can all agree that a bald eagle is one heck of a cool thing to watch, no matter when or where. This slow motion clip of one taking off from a street near Boston this week is nearly as amazing as seeing one fly over a mountain stream.

Our focus the last few weeks has been getting Earth Day 50 organized and now the website is populated and live. Check it out at earthday50pa.org. You'll see plenty of room on the calendar for volunteer and educational events during Earth Week, Rothrock Week, and beyond. So if your organization or school is planning an Earth Day event, please let me know and we'll be happy to help publicize it. And who knows? Maybe we'll show up with stickers and other goodies, too!

And we don't pretend to know everything - if there is something we are missing, please let us know that also.

Pictures of the Week

Click each photo to see the original. Thanks to all the photographers and state park and forest fans who share their joy in these wonderful places. Share yours anywhere with #PPFFTakeFive.

This week's #TrailTuesday from DCNR is the Marsh Trail at Canoe Creek State Park. Their photo is VERY different from my last visit to the park with Bill.

The Friends of Shawnee updated their Facebook cover photo this week with this shot. Can you blame them?

Meanwhile, a little farther up the Susquehanna River near Lewisburg, Perry Meadows posted this Wednesday morning sunrise, complete with crescent moon. Click for that lovely little detail.

Ciji Kepner posted a group of shots last week from a visit to Ricketts Glen, including this inviting place to Take Five and enjoy your surroundings.

At Work and Play in the Parks and Forests

REGION	PLACE	DATE	TIME	EVENT
North	Lyman Run State Park	1/25/20	9:00 AM	Winter Adventure Hike #1
South	Little Buffalo State Park	1/26/20	1:00 PM	White Tailed Deer
East	Keystone College	1/25/20	10:00 AM	Keystone Creek Walkers Outdoor Expo
West	Laurel Hill State Park	1/25/20	7:00 PM	Owl Prowl

Be sure to check for any registration requirements (there are some on occasion).

A LOOK AHEAD TO EVENTS COMING UP (A Post-Valentine's Day Menu)

February 15 - F un in the Snow at Black Mo (Black Moshannon State Park, that is)
February 15 - Snowman in the Forest at Cook Forest State Park
February 15 - Introduction to Archery for Couples at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center
February 15 - George Washington's Birthday Party at Washington Crossing Historic Park

These and other fun events and fulfilling volunteer opportunities can be found on the PPFF events calendar and DCNR Calendar of Events. Bookmark them and you'll never miss the boat (or hike or festival).

Take Five for Trivia

To whom or what is Memorial Lake State Park meant to be a memorial? Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers who served in World War I and II, in recognition of the park's position within the grounds of Fort Indiantown Gap, the headquarters for Pennsylvania's Army and Air National Guard.

To wrap up January, we anxiously await word of the announcement of Pennsylvania's River of the Year. American Rivers hasn't even announced their nominations yet so let's look a little backward. What was American Rivers' 2019 River of the Year?

Remember, correct answers are thrown into the pot for a random drawing at the end of each month so the more you play and answer correctly the more chances you have to score a bandana (usually) from the prize closet. Send your answer to me - the only deadline is before I write and send Fridays at the end of a month.

For January we'll be giving away a 2020 State Parks Calendar so you have one last chance this week to be in the drawing.

Where Are We?

Places boxed in red are from photos (with the two yellows being approximations of the Susquehanna River sunrises) and calendar listings; the white boxes illustrate the "upcoming" events. Although we definitely have some overlap this week. Click the map to make it larger and more legible.

In Closing

SUPPORT PPFF

Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization - contributions to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. The official registration and financial information of PPFF may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll-free within Pennsylvania, to 800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

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