Penns Valley Conservation Association www.pennsvalley.net Summer 2017 Local Exploration Crickfest 2017 By Jim Flanagan In the past few months there has been a growth HereOur grandest are ways event you can is ready help make to go! Crickfest But don’t a sucfret,- of literature on the topic: “getting outside is cess:there are still opportunities for you to pitch in! good for you”. Much of the discussions follow along the lines of Rachel Carson’s Sense of Won- Music Sponsors - Crickfest wouldn’t be Crick- der and Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, fest without all of the awesome music coming which highlight the importance of experiencing from the mainstage. We are looking at a fantastic - lineup for 2017, including Eric Ian Farmer, The ic documentaries are great, but engaging with Hot Mamas, Spider Kelly and the Susquehanna yournature own first environment hand. PBS providesand National a fuller Geograph sensory Jamcrackers. Would you or your business like to experience that calms your nerves, lessens the burden on your shoulders, and helps heal the sponsor our musicians? Please contact info@ ills that you have. This sentiment makes a lot of pennsvalley.netDonations to help out! Sweet Creek Cafe, The Ducky Races and the si- lent/bag auction. - PVCA If youis seeking or your donations business havefor the an aboutsense tothe many folks of who us who are enjoy not inclined “Getting to Out” grab and a item you would like to donate, please contact one “Getting Lost” in our natural world. But what many of us who just don’t get outside as much asbackpack we like andbecause hit the“it’s trails?too hot inPlus, the theresummer,” are yahoo.comof the folks below! “my work schedule does not allow the time,” or DuckySweet CreekRaces -Cafe Susan - Rebecca Haney -Lloyd 814-349-5683 - bertarocks@ - ier than you think and this article will provide some“I am justlocal too options. tired.” Getting outside can be eas SilentVolunteers Auction - Kat Alden - [email protected] the day of the celebration. We need help launch- Fall is right around the corner. Fall is a great ing the zucchini - PVCA boat is lookingraces, running for volunteers the rocket for - bottle launch station, sorting compostables and tures drop, birds start to migrate, trees begin setting up/tearing down. If any of these items totime change to “Get colors, Out” and since the thefall gardenaverage is tempera ready to - harvest. All of these events stimulate the senses. tion, please contact Martha Hoffman at hoffman. Let’s start with your backyard. Bird feeders, sounds like a good fit for you or your organiza your backyard garden, and the basic natural sur- [email protected] proceeds from Crickfest go to funding the en- rounding provide great opportunities to take a - break. Even if you can only commit 15 minutes there are plenty of experiences you can have in vironmental education program that PVCA pro that short time. Take a walk through your yard videsEvent toinformation local Penns on Valley pages students! 10-11. Continued on page 18 View from the Chair By Jim Pierce How big are we? Ask a toddler this question and they will invariably The Little Red Henhouse? or The Village That Raises the Children? thoughtspread their just maybearms wide things and would squeal slow Sooooo down BIG!a bit butAsk absolutely the Chair didn’t,of the www.pennsvalley.net PO Box 165 lessPVCA than Board a month this, in before the dog Crickfest, days of after August, successful after a fewbut intenseweeks where Centered we Aaronsburg, PA 16820 [email protected] be.Outdoors gatherings, Ice Cream fundraising at FarmFest and the best Board of Directors home garden ever(!) and he would reply; We are as big as WE want to Chair: like “swinging above our league” and “playing with the big dogs” know- ingWe thatknow our PVCA appearance is good, and reputationcan be bigger. in the We community toss around are metaphors solid and Vice Chair: Jim Pierce, Haines Twp. getting better, knowing also however how thin we are spread some- times (we also toss around cliches like “throttle and rudder” and “one Treasurer: Greg Williams, Gregg Twp. Secretary: thing at a time”). Like a kid in a candy store or a gardener in mid-May Ray Girouard, Penn Twp. the PVCA Board can look in any direction and see projects worthy of our attention: Our financials are as well organized as ever (as recently as MarthaKat Alden, Hoffman, Gregg Millheim Twp. years,six months the newly ago I couldn’tconjoined even Committee spell acrual Del-Membo accounting), is ready revealing to launch that Businessthe goal of Memberships a balanced budget as part is ofwithin their reach well plannedfor the first Annual time Drive, in several any Tommy Frank, Millheim - Borough/Rochester,Borough NY tionminute Director now ourwho valley have becomewill hear networking “WSOV is mavens,ON THE knowingAIR!”, membership where the projectis at an andall time funding high, opportunities and we have are. an Operations Director and Educa - - Kurt Grotz,ough Haines Twp. Lexie Orr, Centre Hall Bor Eli Ward, Millheim Borough All great news, but it is begging the question; Are we feeling the ceil- Tess Weigand, Hartley Twp. waysing? As relied Chair on of a this core fine group organization of “usual Isuspects” am seeing to Staff, carry Board the lion’s Members, share Director of Operations: ofCommittee the load. MembersAs the load and increases Volunteers so doesclose the to saturation.need for more PVCA lions… has alor Becky Bragg suspects, leading to this call to action. Environmental Education The hub of the wheel, the chakra of our karma, the jelly of our donut so Coordinator: to speak, is Community, the community that raises the children. The Jim Flanagan solution is community involvement, a phenomenon that has enjoyed a Newsletter Editors: welcome uptick since the inauguration of the “Drain the Swamp” admin- Becky Bragg, Martha Hoff- istration. We need to spread the love, and the load. As you peruse this newsletter, and prepare for CrickFest, think about this beautiful valley, and community, and how you can give back to it. man, Jim Pierce, Greta Webmaster: Start with Crickfest. Come and help, come and enjoy, come and see how Haney,Charlie Elaine Boyer Gustus - vilion where I plan to spend most of the day scooping ice cream and Database: collectingyou can become ideas. a usual suspect. Come and talk to me in the PVCA Pa Bill Torretti Together we are smarter, stronger and far more sustainable than any of 2 us are on our own, and together we can be Sooooo BIG! A Word from the Director By Becky Bragg - watershed group. The summer is a busy time with communitysummer celebration events, garden and what chores, it signifies creek sits, for andour opportunitiesOne of the coolest that things present about themselves being an expandto your house projects. It will be refreshing to take a deep ing non-profit in this area is all of the wonderful unique fundraising opportunities throughout the breath and reflect on all the good that has come to year.group. PVCA has had the good fortune of several I would like to take this opportunity to mention PVCA throughout the year. - the outstanding dedication and commitment Elk It started back in January when Appalachian Out- Creek Café + Aleworks has shown to PVCA and the somedoors local offered businesses to feature (Elk PVCA Creek for Café their + Aleworks, February Pint Night. Basically, the North Face, several awe watershed. They have been there from Pint Night to Riversongs to Centre Gives to FREQ Force for - share the watershed with them and thank them Good to Crickfest. We are abundantly blessed to edWebster’s to serve Bookstore up delicious Café food and and Big brewsSpring all Spirits), in the nameand of ofcourse philanthropy. Appalachian This Ski was & Outdoorsa great success want for their continued support of our organization! and helped our organization close some budget gaps. PVCA’s Mission and Vision were standard fundraisers for us, we had excel- lentThen turnouts came Riversongs and amazing and Centresupport Gives. from These local businesses and community members. Centre CreekPVCA servesWatershed. as a steward We seek for to the preserve natural and cultural communities in the Upper Penns by protecting and conserving its waters, farm- Gives was especially fun with the introduction lands,honor forests,the agricultural and rural rootsheritage. of Penns Valley couldof a physical you want? event at Elk Creek! A free beer for donating to your favorite non-profit…what more - growth is balanced with support for healthy ly this summer and told us about a new program naturalPVCA envisions systems an that engaged foster community,the local economy. where THEJason FREQ Crane is from running. 98.7 reachedThis philanthropic out to PVCA effort, ear healthy forests, prosperous farms, and local and they wanted to feature US as their non-prof- jobs.Our Valley has dark night skies, clear streams, titled FREQ Force for Good, was kicking off in July it of interest! They thought of us...first! What an honor! The awesome publicity and air time is - sure to pay off for PVCA. Upcoming Events tunity which was the selling of ice cream at Farm- You may have seen us at our latest unique oppor Crickfest - Sunday, September 3rd sweet treats all in the name of raising money for The Big Sit! environmentalFest. PVCA hosted education. the ice Thankscream boothto our anddedicat sold- - - Birding Activity - October 7th or Annual Meeting rience with money to put towards our programs 8th - Muddy Paws Wetland Education Center - December anded volunteers, bellies full PVCA of delicious walked Tricklingaway from Springs the expe Ice Christmas Bird Count - November Cream.