Coming into the first official three-day weekend of the year and we're all ready for a break, are we not? We've been working hard for two weeks now and that's a lot to expect.

Actually, 2017 needs to get itself re-organized. I wound up with a stomach bug of some sort a week ago and still am off my feed. Then Bill's Big ol' Mac decided it needed to crash (thank goodness for back-up drives). So I'm ready for a reboot already. Of course, a good way to take one's mind off such things is by doing something good for others - in the spirit of MLK Day on Monday find a place to do just that. If you don't have a project in your own community, visit the MLK Day of Service website and do a search for something nearby.

This week's masthead is a favorite view at lovely little Colonel Denning State Park, a gem of a park we get to feature all too infrequently. There are several more lovely shots that accompany this one on the Book of Faces.

Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator

News of note

I did promise last week an announcement of the winners of this year's PPFF awards and, drum roll, please. Oops. Press embargo! Well, not everyone's been notified quite yet so it wouldn't be right for them to read about it first. Next week!

In the meantime, we'll be working to get the event organized, including the annual silent auction that raises money for accessible recreation equipment to be used in park/forest programming throughout the state. You may recall that we have already purchased accessible kayaks and bikes with these funds - and there is always a need for more. Contact Beth Artz, our Silent Auction queen, if you have an item to donate (including your time to help organize this big project).

Congratulations to the Allegheny River for being selected as the 2017 Pennsylvania River of the Year. This will be a fun annual river sojourn so keep an eye on the website for the Penn Soil Resource Conservation & Development Council, who nominated the Allegheny and will shepherd the year's upcoming celebration. As an interesting sidebar, check out Penn Soil's campaign to build a "baby arch" in Warren to celebrate the work of Pittsburgh Des Moines Steel Company boilermakers where the stainless steel for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was crafted. Pretty cool!

At work and play in the parks and forests

Scheduled events at this time of year are a bit like the weather - up and down, hot and cold. Here are some goodies to enjoy!

North

A Winter Trails Day snowshoe trek will take you along the General Kane Trail at Kinzua Bridge tomorrow afternoon.

South

The 4th annual SnowFest and Polar Plunge at Greenwood Furnace State Park happens tomorrow morning. It once again includes the SnowFest Five-Miler sponsored by the Friends of Greenwood Furnace. Registration for the race begins at 11:00; plungers plunge at 2:30.

East

The Friends of the Delaware Canal will once again Tromp Along the Towpath tomorrow - this time from the park office to historic Uhlerstown and back.

West

This week's Winter Stroll in the Park at Presque Isle is the North Pier Trail.

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

A lovely shot of winterberry in the snow at Codorus State Park.

Take five for trivia

The first question of the year elicited two very different takes on an answer, and that's wonderful. My rather oblique phrasing asked what bird "you are most likely to see at your feeder this winter." I was going for the dark-eyed junco which Project FeederWatch says will be found at 97% of Pennsylvania feeders. But of course there are individual variations at your own feeders so who am I to argue with those who find more black-capped chickadees than others (PFW says 77% of you will have them also). If you'd like to participate officially in Project FeederWatch, visit the website for more information.

This week we'll play our first game of "Who's this park/forest named for?" of 2017. We can't do it visually, unfortunately, as the subject in question was truly a revolutionary and mysterious figure. He could have been born in 1736, or was it 1737? He may have joined Washington's Army in Philly or New Jersey. He was wounded at Brandywine, or was it Princeton? Whatever the case, central Pennsylvania claimed him and famed him. Who is he?

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