If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online

FOR TWENTY YEARS
Our Mission: Inspire Stewardship of Pennsylvania's State Parks and Forests
Sunset Fishing - Prince Gallitzin State Park
Jacqueline Stern Haga
Best wishes to everyone for a Happy Fourth of July! Please celebrate your Independence Day safely. We know - you've been spending time with the SAME PEOPLE for months now and are craving new faces and new places. So be friendly, be welcoming, be careful. 

Tomorrow is a Fish for Free Day. I hope you have a sunset as amazing as the one in our masthead this week. The shot's a vertical and I highly encourage you to give the thing a click to the dazzling original. And, oh yeah, it's our jigsaw puzzle this week

Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator
Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation
 

News of Note

Alas, I misspoke last week. The Friends of Prince Gallitzin will not be hosting the children's bicycle parade in the campground this weekend. I expect there will still be children and there will still be bicycles, but there will not be an official parade. 

We know you like to share your opinion so please do so with regard to the Bureau of Forestry's strategic planning process. Take the survey through Survey Monkey before August 31. 

This week's Lunch & Learn featured Allison Acevedo of DEP's Office of Environmental Justice. Alas, Facebook decided to kick the link mid-stream but we soldiered on through the YouTube channel. Give it a watch!

What should be your first stop when visiting an unfamiliar park or forest? Take a look at the latest video in PPFF Marci's series of helpful hints on the YouTube channel for the answer.

The 2019 photo contest winners are back on tour! PPFF Sarah installed them at Hickory Run State Park on Tuesday so please stop by the visitor's center and check them out for inspiration. The 2020 contest is open for business

Pictures of the Week

Great news! The various PPFF friends groups are starting to get back to work on behalf of their parks and forests. And they each have an amazing vision and focus. Here's just a glimpse at these hard-working heroes.

Keep an eye on our calendar of events as things begin to fill back in with when you can pitch in. You. Are. Needed.
Here, the Friends of Yellow Creek fulfilling a years-long dream of rebuilding a boat ramp for their sailing base. It won't be long until the Friends are hosting their weekly sailing lessons and spreading the joy.
Here's the Friends of Colonel Denning sprucing up at the park office. They'll be back out again on July 11 at 9:00 AM. Join if you can!
Cleaning up the picnic areas along Trough Creek was this week's mission of the Friends of Trough Creek & Warriors Path. They'll be meeting on July 9th at Warriors Path to plan what's next.
Like many of our chapters, the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace make a lot of money for park projects by selling firewood to campers. They ALSO spend a lot of effort and energy cutting it. This lovely pile was donated by park neighbors. Watch their Facebook page for the date when the splitting will begin!

At Work and Play in the Parks and Forests

As noted previously, events (involving fewer than 25 people) are starting to make a comeback. In any instance, it is always wise to make a call to the appropriate park office or sponsoring organization to make sure an event is truly going to take place or that space is available.
REGION PLACE DATE TIME EVENT
North Worlds End State Park 7/4/2020 9:30 AM  Guided Hike-Upper Alpine View
South Shawnee State Park 7/4/2020 9:00 AM Yoga on the Beach
East French Creek State Park 7/4/2020 9:00 AM Woodpecker Walk
West Laurel Hill State Park 7/4/2020 9:00 PM Moonlight Hike

A Look Ahead to Upcoming Events

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

We closed out June with a question on the life cycle of the firefly. They spend about three weeks as an egg, one to two years as a larva, three weeks as a pupa, then three or four weeks as an adult. Mating, lighting up the summer night, laying eggs. Gone. 

Our June winner is Charley, a/k/a Mr. Lucky. 

July is Park & Recreation Month, when we turn the spotlight especially on our partners in the community recreation field because we know that the special times spent in our state parks and forests are supplemented on a near-daily basis by your visits to the close-to-home local park in your neighborhood. Perhaps you will be as surprised as I to know that there are approximately how many local parks included on DCNR's interactive map? 

Send your answer to me and I'll enter you into the month's random drawing for a goodie from the prize closet if you answer correctly. Enter each week for more chances to win.

Where Are We?

Places boxed in red are from photos and calendar listings; the white boxes illustrate the "upcoming" events. Green boxes are news stories.

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.
Facebook
https://twitter.com/papff
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
 
Copyright © 2020 | Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation | All rights reserved.

Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation
704 Lisburn Road | Suite 102 | Camp Hill, PA 17011 | 717.236.7644

   
To unsubscribe from future mailings please click here.