Spring 2021 | Issue No
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SPRING 2021 | ISSUE NO. 31 THE CANAL QUARTERLYwww.CanalTrust.org CANAL STEWARDS PROVIDE VITAL SERVICE One of the largest contributions the C&O Stewards perform many types of light Canal Trust makes to the C&O Canal National maintenance tasks, including lopping and Historical Park is the volunteer support pruning, painting, picking up trash, removing we marshal and manage. As the Park's vegetation, raking, and restocking maps and official nonprofit partner, we are focused on trash-free park bags. It's the perfect way for providing volunteer efforts to aid National an individual, couple, or small group to get Park Service (NPS) staff in maintenance and fresh air, exercise, and care for the Park, all beautification projects along the towpath. while social distancing. Every garden mulched and invasive plant pulled by a volunteer is one less chore for an Stewards are able to set their own schedules NPS maintenance worker, freeing him or her in cooperation with the Trust's Canal up for higher-level responsibilities. Stewards Coordinator Becka Lee. Volunteers are required to go through an orientation In late 2020, the Trust added a new volunteer program prior to beginning work at their program to our arsenal, the Canal Stewards site. If you choose to become a Steward, program, which we assumed management you will join the hundreds of dedicated of from NPS staff. Canal Stewards "adopt" volunteers who work to keep the Park clean a section of the canal and maintain it for and safe for its nearly 5 million visitors. For a designated time period. Parking lots, more information, visit www.canaltrust. PHOTO BY ELLEN KINZER BY PHOTO boat ramps, day use areas, campgrounds, org/volunteer or email Becka Lee at structures, and parts of the towpath can all [email protected]. A volunteer cleans windows at Lockhouse 44 as be adopted. part of a 2019 Canal clean-up event. C&O CANAL CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY The 50th anniversary of the C&O Canal parkland with ample space to recreate, Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh. Paddling, National Historical Park joining the socially distance, meditate, and escape paddle boarding, and boating get people National Park Service has illuminated how the four walls that had become offices and out on the gorgeous Potomac River. important this Park is to its surrounding schools as well as homes. Carderock offers a thrilling rock wall community. Nearly 5 million visitors to climb, and history abounds as the flocked to the canal during 2020's Despite continuing restrictions due to 200-year-old canal prism and towpath quarantines to enjoy 20,000 acres of COVID-19, visitors can still celebrate the C&O wind their way through four Maryland Canal during this counties that have been integral to anniversary year by America's growth since the seventeenth participating in a century. wealth of outdoor recreational While popular for hiking, cycling, and activities. The paddling, the Canal also lends itself quite canal's 184.5-mile- well to a road trip. The C&O Canal Scenic long towpath Byway traverses 236 miles, running connects to the parallel to the Potomac River through Great Allegheny Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Passage (GAP) and Allegany Counties, and even dipping for a 330 mile into West Virginia for a spell. There PHOTO BY ROY SEWALL ROY BY PHOTO adventure between are restaurants, wineries, breweries, "Anniversary" continues on page 4 The Charles F. Mercer replica packet canal boat is towed by mules down the canal. BOARD OF DIRECTORS A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT CHAIR John S. Guttmann Spring is always a hopeful time – trees TowpathGO! is a peer-to-peer fundraising VICE CHAIR Francis Grant-Suttie budding, flowers blooming, and lush green program we created last year as an answer foliage. COVID-19 took some of the fun to the cancellation of our Park After Dark TREASURER Bert Swain out of that last year, but not this year. New gala. It was a hit so we’re doing it again and SECRETARY Anthony Stacy signs of hope emerge as we enter a more moving it to the early weeks of summer (see Gay Barclay controlled phase of the pandemic where page 5 for details). It’s a way you can set many of us can begin to see a light at the end your own personal challenge while asking Paul Bremer of the tunnel. your friends and family to sponsor you in Stephen E. Chaudet achieving your fundraising goal to support William Randall Cone You will see that light in the stories that the Trust and the Park. Join us – it’ll be fun. follow. We will be engaging hundreds of Mary Ann Fisher volunteers over the coming months to care We are also celebrating the 50th anniversary Marc Grossman for the Park that brought so much peace of the C&O Canal joining the National Park and comfort during darker days. Community Service with new products, itineraries, and Paul Juola partners are reaching out to talk about events, aided by our community partners. Paul B. Krogh programs, and we are able to welcome them, Despite lingering restrictions, there are a Tara Sanders Lowe although still at a six-foot distance – I’m good plethora of ways for you to celebrate! with that! And Canal Quarters continues Robert Mertz to set all-time-high occupancy records as I hope you share my obvious enthusiasm Bill Newman visitors discover these sweet lockhouses (too much?). I’m so ready for a sense of John Schnebly while social distancing. normalcy. The Park has been there for me this year. I hope it has been for you, too, and Dan Spedden More encouragement – over the last few will continue to be your go-to place for fun, Cory Van Horn months, we have been monitoring news reflection, exercise, maybe all of the above. about the implementation of projects within Jonathan Warner the National Park Service funded by the I hope to see you on the towpath! Robin Zanotti, ACFRE Great American Outdoors Act. See the article on page 7 about the award to the C&O Canal STAFF National Historical Park to repair a failing abutment at Dam 5. Such great news! PRESIDENT Robin Zanotti, Trust President Robin Zanotti, ACFRE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Lauren Riviello DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS Heather Barnes DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Heidi Glatfelter Schlag OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Jane Neff MJ CLINGAN BY PHOTO PROGRAM & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Have you sought recreation and refuge along the C&O Canal throughout Rod Newton the past year? DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Please show your gratitude today by investing in the preservation of the Ellen Kinzer Park with a gift to the C&O Canal Trust. Your support is vital to ensuring COMMUNICATIONS/ that future generations experience a beautiful, safe, and welcoming C&O DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Canal National Historical Park, just as we do today. Tymber Compher Give today online at www.CanalTrust.org/GIVE or donate by check by PROGRAM STAFF returning the enclosed envelope. Ashley Duncan, Rebecca Lee The C&O Canal Trust is the official non-profit partner of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Its mission is to work in partnership 2 | with the National Park Service to protect, restore, and promote this national treasure. CANAL COMMUNITY DAYS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL AND MAY In a sign that things are beginning to safety measures that were used during our return to normal after a year of change events last summer and fall. Participants will and disruption, C&O Canal Trust volunteer gather in groups of 15 or fewer in separate forces will return to the C&O Canal National areas of the Park, and masks will be required Historical Park for spring clean-up days when a social distance of at least six feet this April and May. Canal Community Days cannot be maintained. events (previously called Canal Pride Days) will see volunteers tackling a wide array of "The support our volunteer community maintenance projects in the Park. provides each year in helping to ready the C&O Canal National Historical Park for the Participants will be mulching, painting busy season is critical," said Trust President historic structures, repairing towpath Robin Zanotti. "We saw an increase in potholes, cleaning up trash, pulling invasive visitation during the pandemic, and the PHOTO BY C&O CANAL TRUST BY PHOTO plants, maintaining campgrounds, and more. extra traffic has taken its toll on the natural Projects are based resources along the canal. We are thrilled to Two volunteers picked up trash along the towpath in Great Falls, welcome our volunteers back for our annual during a summer 2020 event. Antietam Creek spring clean-ups, even with precautions still Campground, in place to protect their health." Weverton, LOGO WINNER CHOSEN Williamsport, and We are grateful to our Canal Community Congratulations to Jeff Roth, whose original Nolands Ferry. Days sponsors, whose support make this design was selected as this year's Canal work possible: REI, Deloitte, First Energy, Community Days logo to be featured on The public events M&T Bank, Friends of the Historic Great Falls volunteer t-shirts. We had 14 entries in this will adhere to the Tavern, Minkoff Development Corporation, year's contest — thanks to all who entered! same COVID-19 Clark Construction, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, and Younger Toyota. RARE PLANTS SURVEY UNDERWAY ON BILLY GOATS The rare, threatened, and endangered plant Goat Trail system, species that grow around the Billy Goat scheduled to begin in Trail network in the Potomac Gorge area of 2021. The information the C&O Canal National Historical Park are from the survey will the focus of a new survey being partially go on to influence the funded by the C&O Canal Trust.