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



By the time you read this, perhaps, summer will be here. So we will celebrate the year's longest day (okay, so it was really yesterday) with one of the shortest Take Fives!

And off to the beach we'll go this summer. Thanks to Brian Berchtold, "resident photographer" of Presque Isle State Park for this lovely masthead shot from a "bubbles on the beach" evening. How did I not know this happens? 



Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator

News of Note


Thanks to everyone who is calling, emailing, and writing their legislator (and the governor). As budget negotiations continue in Harrisburg, they all need to know that the Keystone Fund and Environmental Stewardship Fund are off-limits. We already have a billion dollar infrastructure problem in our state parks and forests. It doesn't make sense to cripple the system even further.


From the Department of Good News, we love a good "before" and "after" shot. This is the chimney at the Blankley Picnic Area on Rainsburg Mountain in the Buchanan State Forest, funded partially by a grant from our good friends at REI and partially through the forest district itself. Summer (and spring, winter, and fall) picnics ahead!

Trough Creek/Raystown fans! An effort is underway to form a Friends of Trough Creek chapter of the Foundation. The first informational meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 15 at 6:00 PM in the park's Pavilion #1. Come out and find out more.


At Work and Play in the State Parks and Forests



NORTH SOUTH

Saturday night is the National Wildlife Federationia's annual Great American Campout Day. Summer is made for sleeping outdoors and a program at PARKER DAM STATE PARK on Saturday morning will help you learn the ins and outs of Setting Up Camp.

Two great things join together tonight at SAMUEL S. LEWIS STATE PARK - trivia and kickball. Sounds like summer fun for sure.






EAST
WEST
A Sunset Paddle at RICKETTS GLEN STATE PARK will usher in the new season in fine style on Saturday evening.

Register ahead if you need a boat.

Largely undeveloped, HILLMAN STATE PARK is a great setting for a Night Hike. Please register in advance for this Saturday night gathering and bring a flashlight! (And here's hoping for good weather for the FRoGs' Pioneer Frolic at M.K. GODDARD STATE PARK.




UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Those "in the know" understand that the FRIENDS OF OHIOPYLE are out on their trails on the first Saturday of nearly every month (no matter the weather). So that muscle-building trail maintenance camaraderie thing is always available. But they also have a practical need. Ohiopyle, the state's largest park, is a tourist mecca in a tiny population center. So the FOO volunteers travel some pretty hefty distances to serve their park. They could use some membership help - designing and administering a robust membership program. Do you have ideas? A little time? Contact Chair Andrea Funyak-Fedak and share your expertise.

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).



Picture of the Week


We just needed to do Pileated Part 2 this week because Rich Reed was back at M.K. Goddard to stake-out the nest we featured two weeks ago. The entire series of photos are just wonderful but I could not resist this one which shows, as trivia players now know for sure, the distinct difference between mom and dad.

Take Five for Trivia


Okay, so I admit that my brain is a little water-logged from all the rain (four different HARD rains Thursday as I wrote this) and I was feeling a little silly with last week's question. Frog "paws" are called "hands." And the FRoGs of M.K. Goddard can use all the hands they can get for their events. Webbed or not!

Marci visited another state forest picnic area this week where funds from an REI grant will be used to plant native tree species later in the fall. Where in the forest was Marci?

Send in your answer and we'll enter your correct response into our monthly prize drawing. All correct answers each week will go into the hat and at the end of the month we'll draw one lucky winner. The more correct answers you submit in a month (up to four or the occasional five depending on the month), the more chances you'll have to win.

In closing




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.



Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) is a proud member of Earth Share and 1% for the Planet and is a Gold GuideStar participant.


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