What a lovely week! I got to visit two new state parks - Ridley Creek and Marsh Creek - on a beautiful summer day. Marci and I had spent a lovely Sunday in Philadelphia for a concert (don't get me started on who we saw or you'll have to hear a recitation of 40 years of crazed fandom) and then wove our way slowly back to the office, where poor Amanda, Beth, and Debbie were sweating in an office where the A/C had broken. The only drawback to the visits is that we didn't plan well enough to actually grab one of those paddleboards and hit the lake at Marsh Creek. Anyone can do it, they say. Next time!

The A/C is back now - just in time for delivery of the next printing of the Pennsylvania State Parks and State Forests Passport. This time around we've added a directory of the park and forest offices with their GPS coordinates. If you had one on order, Beth should have them fulfilled very shortly. If you don't have your copy yet, you're in luck. The next printing has Washington Crossing Historic Park in its proper place, so it is the perfect time to pick up a copy and head out for an adventure. And if you own an older version of the Passport, on its store page you can download an insert (that prints just peachy on an Avery 5163 mailing label) to tuck into the space under Yellow Creek State Park on page 116. And I'll have a pdf of that GPS directory there also shortly.

Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator

News of note

It's August and we are running a PPFF membership special for the duration of this long, hot, fun month! Join PPFF this month and we'll extend your normal expiration date from 9/30/18 to 12/31/18. That is 15 months for the price of 12 - three extra months of support for the programs and places you enjoy every single day.

Join today before time runs out!

And speaking of doing things before time runs out, the clock is now ticking on entries in the 2017 Parks & Forests Through the Seasons photo contest. All entries must be submitted by noon on September 7 - and that's only a month away. September. A month away. Check out all the photo contest details at our website.

Don't forget that on Tuesday evening (August 8), you can get your volunteer on at Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area. A new friends group is forming there and the ideas they're floating are unique to this unique resource!

Focus on friends

Welcome to a new feature for Take Five! On the first Friday of each month, we'll highlight one of our PPFF chapters, their recent accomplishments, what's in store, etc.

First up, the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace. Founded in 2010, the Friends tackle some big events each year (Iron Run Half Marathon and Charcoal Challenge 5k each June and the Fall Furnace Fest come this October 21 and 22). Our focus here, a hike to celebrate the full moon in July. Says board vice chair Mary Soderberg:

Forty four people participated in the first Full Moon Hike by the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The group was led by Rob Shaw and Andre Weltman of the Friends. The four mile hike started at Laurel Lake onto Mountain Creek Trail and back down the Old Railroad Bridge Road to Laurel Lake. An extra bonus in the hike was seeing a rainbow above Pole Steeple rock outcropping. At the new hiking bridge across the creek, some LED lights made the scene extra pretty as daylight faded. The moon showed itself through the clouds as everyone returned in the dark to Laurel Lake.

It's safe to say a good time was had by all and there are many more where that came from. This active and welcoming group has a place for you!  Learn more about them at their website http://www.pinegrovefriends.org and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Pine-Grove-Furnace-State-Park-131815140192988/.

At work and play in the parks and forests

Festivals in the Spotlight

For festivals this weekend, our focus goes west for the annual Pittsburgh/Portersville Double Boat Spectacular that are the Three Rivers and Lake Arthur Regattas. If you just GOTTA, this weekend you definitely can!

North

Not to be outdone by all those boats, Cherry Springs is the site host for the annual Potter County Woodsmen Show all this weekend.

South

This sounds like a festival too - Fun on the Beach Day at Greenwood Furnace!

East

A festival all its own is the monthly Volunteer Day at Ridley Creek where all those pretty trails I got to see for the first time on Monday are well-cared for by the Friends of RCSP. It's the first Saturday of the month! 

West

And speaking of Friends and volunteering and the first Saturday, the Friends of Ohiopyle will be out tomorrow and I suspect that with all the rain we've had here in Somerset/Fayette, there will be plenty of clean-up to tackle. You will be welcome!

No matter what region of the commonwealth you want to visit, our website Events and the DCNR Calendar of Events are great sources for things to see and do. Bookmark them!

Picture of the week

This amazing contraption is a WaterWheels adaptive wheelchair recently purchased by the Friends of Prince Gallitzin for park visitors with mobility issues. Talk to park staff to arrange for its availability during your next visit. Kudos!

Take five for trivia

We ended July with a question on the ebb and flow of the tides in the Pennsylvania state park that is a Delaware River estuary - Neshaminy. It was a new one for many of our trivia players so I fully expect an uptick in Neshaminy visitors. Of course, DCNR included it as a trivia question on their Facebook page, too, so I guess I won't be able to take all the credit for Take Five!

Congratulations to our July randomly selected winner - Chris of Jeannette. Good job!

This week's question is a direct result of Marci's and my day out on Monday. You already have two of them. How many Pennsylvania state parks and forests have "Creek" in their names? (This needs to be a check 'em off category in the next Passport!)

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.

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 is a proud member of EarthShare and is a Gold GuideStar Participant.