The Finishing Touches
As One Thing Ends, Another Begins
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And just like that ... it's the end of the year! The end of the 125th anniversary celebration for Pennsylvania's state parks and forests. We hope you experienced at least one moment of "wow, I didn't know that;" "wow, this is a beautiful place I have never been before;" or "wow, that was really fun and we can't wait to do it again."
But just because the anniversary year is coming to an end doesn't mean the fun will. Nor does it mean that the Foundation's support for our state parks and forests will end. There is over $26 million worth of projects on the Needs List we compiled (with the help of the park managers and district foresters who know their neighborhoods best) for our website. Representing projects big (new playgrounds or buildings) and small (interpretive panels and educational materials), there is a place for everyone in our parks and forests AND a place for everyone's generosity there, too.
As for the beginning of "another thing" as referenced above, 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation! We're looking forward to sharing our story with you, here in the "pages" of Explore; on our website, in our newsletter, and on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages; and, well, anywhere you may find us out and about next year.
Look for our logo banner in a state park or forest near you! We definitely hope to see you wherever that may be. Happy Holidays! |
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Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator
Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation
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Pocono Mountains
Winter (and Year 'Round) Wonderland
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Our tour of five distinct regions of the Commonwealth as delineated by the good folks at VisitPA concludes with the Pocono Mountains region. And we're sure you won't be surprised if we focus our attention on this region at this time of year on winter recreation.
As the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau points out, Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties offer four seasons of fun. But there are a goodly number of people from all over the eastern United States who sit patiently waiting for the rest of us to "get over it" and get ready for the white stuff. And who can blame them? There are any number of private resorts ready to help you manage the exhilaration of downhill skiing (or a much-needed massage when the exhilaration stops). So call up the DCNR Winter Report (updated at least weekly all winter), bundle yourself in down, dig out the silk undies, polish your boots - and skis - and let's head outside for a little frosty fun. |
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PENNSYLVANIA PARKS AND FORESTS FOUNDATION CHAPTERS
Pocono Mountains Region
Friends of Beltzville (not strictly "Pocono Mountains" but close enough!)
Meetings on the first Monday each month at 7:00 PM at the park's Environmental Learning Center
Friends of Big Pocono
Meetings as needed to arrange volunteer days - the Facebook page is a great source for the latest information
Friends of Varden Conservation Area
Meetings as needed - their annual Varden Conservation Day in September gives everyone a chance to get acquainted
Visit the Foundation calendar of events for other events and volunteer opportunities with these Friends and the 39 other PPFF chapters! |
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Winter is a lovely time to visit Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, the home of Gifford Pinchot (one of Pennsylvania's - and the nation's - earliest conservation heroes). The mansion itself will be decorated for Christmas and open for holiday tours until the end of the year then will close until Memorial Day; the grounds are open for self-guided tours all year round.
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| Bruce Lake Natural Area in the Delaware State Forest provides a quiet, non-motorized respite any time of year but its nearly 3,000 acres are particularly peaceful and beautiful in the winter when cross-country skiers and snowshoers can traverse the nearly eight miles of (ungroomed) trail unimpeded but for the occasional passing fisher.
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| Old Route 611 in Gouldsboro State Park is another "any time of year" trail that becomes a special treat for cross-country skiers and snowshoers once the snow flies. It's a part of a 6-mile loop that includes an old railroad grade and lake views. This article from the Pocono Record might be about hiking but its descriptions hold true for skiers, too!
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The winter fun doesn't stop there! When conditions are right, visit:
Ice Skating:
Frances Slocum State Park. (Nearby Luzerne County)
Gouldsboro State Park. 1-acre section of the lake near Parking Area #4.
Tobyhanna State Park. 1.2-acre section of the lake near Parking Area #3.
Ice Fishing:
Gouldsboro State Park * Tobyhanna State Park * Delaware State Forest
Snowmobiling:
Delaware State Forest/Promised Land State Park. 23 miles of groomed trails available for registered snowmobiles
Pinchot State Forest. 24 miles of snowmobile and cross-country ski trails
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The Challenge Has Been Accepted
The Race to Put in an ADA Dock at Little Buffalo is ON
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 Accessible kayak/canoe launches are becoming more and more popular as people understand that they make the water life easier for people with recognized physical challenges and also for anyone who wants to make a transition from land to water in an easier manner. They bring together families and friends - and as all readers know from their copy of Wind in the Willows, "there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
"The Outdoors is for Everyone" is our cry at the Foundation and we're proud to work to spread the joy of these fixtures wherever possible. And that includes at Little Buffalo State Park.
The cost of a dock is roughly $50,000 which can be, as you might imagine, a daunting prospect. Right now (until the end of December), a local foundation has issued a Challenge Grant and will match - dollar for dollar - any donations we receive this month up to $10,000. Those donations and the matching grant will put that dock nearly halfway within our reach. If you can help the effort, please visit (and share) the link at http://bit.ly/LittleBuffDock.
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From gift memberships to native trees and flowers to support of recreation or history, a gift from Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation lets you connect the ones you love to the places you love. Visit PAParksAndForests.org/Support/Ways-to-Give for the details.
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Amusements Corner
Trivia - and Some Time in the Kitchen or By the Campfire
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 So it's December. And just a little past Thanksgiving. However, in the event you have leftover turkey in the fridge (or just haven't gotten over the craving), try this Dutch Oven Cornbread Soup from 50Campfires.com for your next outing in a Pennsylvania state park cabin.
Our October trivia concerned the US Brig Niagara and its role in US history. Commander Oliver Hazard Perry was aboard the Niagara when the American Navy defeated a squadron of British ships during the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. It was upon the Niagara where Perry penned his famous announcement of victory, "We have met the enemy and they are ours." Congratulations to Judy B who is, fittingly, from Edinboro up there near the Niagara's port.
To wrap up the year, what is the significance of the little stone cabin in our masthead?
Send your answer to Pam Metzger at the Foundation. All correct answers go into the hiking boot for a drawing for a "wearable checklist" to the state parks and forests - otherwise known as our bright orange bandana. |
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$105,515,619.04
That's how much Amazon.com has given to charity (as of October 2018) through the Amazon Smile program. Visit Smile.Amazon.com to designate Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation as your charity. A small portion of your purchases - at no additional cost to you - will be directed to the Foundation. |
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 You might have missed Giving Tuesday - but our gift to YOU in celebration of the day is posted to our website. Click the Giving Tuesday button on the homepage - with our thanks for your support and your enthusiasm for Pennsylvania's state parks and forests! |
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1845 Market Street | Suite 202 | Camp Hill, PA 17011
