Aug. 11th A.T. Community Committee meeting minutes

Attendees:

• Fred Lauster, Borough Council, Parks & Recreation
• Mary Parry, Trail Angel and Duncannon resident
• Mike O’Connor, Mountain Club of Maryland
• Paul Smith, Duncannon resident
• Jason Finnerty, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (Perry County Planning)
• Malissa Hoover, Susquenita School District
• Matt Smith, Perry County resident
• Gwen Lehman, PA Audubon
• Kim McKee, Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Action items before next meeting:

• Make final decision on event date (Mary to coordinate – see updates below) – start notifying potential partner organizations
• Application – Mary will take lead on Question #5 and Malissa on #3, email text to Fred
• Malissa will get letter of support from Susquenita School District
• Kim M. will send Mary list of other organizations/potential partners already contacted, get back to Mike on panel design content, & send Matt information on costs from previous designation events
• Paul will look into music for the event (local bands, musicians)
• Outreach to additional partners – see last section of agenda – let Kim or Mary know if you can contact any of those listed

A.T. Community Program Application – September 1 deadline

• Fred updated us on letters of support
• Malissa will send Fred language for question #3 regarding service project and seek letter of support from Susquenita School District “Describe the event and list the lead volunteer liaison with contact information.  Please list any activities Trail to Every Classroom alumni may be implementing.”
• Mary will send Fred language for #5 “Describe why your town should be selected as an Appalachian Trail Community.  What can this program do for your community?  What can your town do for the Appalachian Trail?”

Trails to Every Classroom Update -

• Trails to Every Classroom – Service learning program involving teaching methods that encourage students to solve local community problems while offering a hands-on learning experience, more info: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/what-we-do/youth-education
• 4 Teachers from Susquenita School District and the Assistant Principal of the middle school are involved
• They’re currently working with K-8 in Susquenita School District
• Susquenita also does adventure-based counseling at the High School

Susquehanna Greenway Driving Tour Kiosk

• [Mike] SEDA-COG got in touch on 8/12 regarding panel design/content
• Kim M. will talk with Kim W. regarding thoughts on content or design and get back to Mike mid-week

Potentially reviving 501c3 “Friends” group

• See how things develop with event planning before considering taking on this type of organizational structure

Event

• Mary Parry will be the volunteer lead for the designation event
• [Mary] Vision for the event is to have tables like National Night Out with groups present related to anything trail, nature, outdoors, etc. (Trail Clubs, ATC, Audubon, Susquehanna Greenway, Susquehanna River Trails Association, etc.)
• THEME - Idea for theme – “Saving our Community from Nature Deficit Disorder”
• Inspiration from Robert Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods”
• Quote from 1980s National Geographic article on Duncannon to read at designation event
• LOCATION - Options discussed (more than one venue?):
• Cooper Park
• Noye Park
• Duncannon Square
• National Night Out location
• Penn Township Park
• ACTIVITIES ideas
• Can coordinate trail maintenance events that day with local trail clubs (Mountain Club of Maryland, Susquehanna ATC, Keystone Trails, York Trail Club)
• [Matt] Kids present and involved will be important – add excitement and energy to community event
• [Malissa] Trails to Every Classroom teachers can run “Quest” that day – type of treasure hunt for students
• [Mary] A.T. in 2 minutes or less obstacle course – organized by Billville hiker
• Perry County Conservation District – Coordinate with Envirothon?
• Susquehanna River Trail Association plan river trip
• Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club lead hikes & river float
• Story tellers from A.T. Museum festival (Mary has already confirmed), Appalachian Jug Band
• Mary contacted Fire Company, her contact is going to check if the Fire Company will be willing to cook food for the guests given we provide the food and the charcoal, etc.
• [Mary] Riverfront campground willing to do a free guide for 9 children ages 12 and up.  It would be from Clemson Island to Duncannon - approximately 2 hour trip.  Would like to use this trip to give opportunity for children who do not otherwise have the opportunity to get on the river.  Sign up through Susquenita perhaps.
• Paul will be looking into music – local musicians and bands from Perry County, send any ideas in his direction
• [Gwen] PA Audubon can take the lead on birding hikes along the stream or ridge; set up an area for binocular use demonstration; set up display on native plants and backyard habitat; promote backyard bird count and feeder watch as a way to enter more data on birds within the Kittatinny Corridor.
• FUNDRAISING 
• [Matt] depends on scale, what the costs will be – go after big donations from one large donor or smaller donations from various businesses. 
• Kim will get Matt numbers from previous A.T. designation events this week
• Potential costs include signs, printing, keynote speakers, t-shirts, food (if not donated), etc. 
• FOOD ideas
• Pig Roast
• Picnic - Hot dogs and hamburgers
• Local restaurants as street vendors?  Roadhawg BBQ, pizza, etc.
• DATE – Updates from Mary on date possibilities
• May 12 - strong - day before Mother's Day
• May 19 - conflict - Trail Days Damascus, VA 
• May 25 - conflict - Memorial Day weekend
• June 2 - possible - National Trails Days, Boiling Springs Founders Day
• June 9 - conflict - National Get Outdoors Day, Appalachian Trail Museum Festival
• SPEAKERS - Ideas
• Rep. Keller and Commissioner Benner
• Mary will contact Richard Louv (potential keynote speaker?)
• Larry Luxenbourg, A.T. Museum (has already agreed to speak)

Additional Partners to reach out to for Event & Committee

• [Jason] Carlisle Health and Wellness – wanted their involvement in putting together Parks & Rec opportunities in Perry County, this event & Apple Tree Alley may fall in line with that
• Holy Spirit, new affiliation with the business campus, could also be interested
• [Matt] Penn Township and Duncannon EMS as well
• [Jason] Lisa Dorman or Sarah Kramer from the newspaper could also be invited to these planning meetings, potential story about community projects/events
• [Mary] York Hiking Club
• [Malissa] Steve Oliphante - Owner of outfitters on City Island & involved with Chesapeake Bay, Shermans Creek Conservation, PA Game Commission, Businesses - Sheetz & Rohrer Bus