Sunday, February 26, 2012

Duncannon A.T. Ambassador in the News and Feb. Meeting Minutes

Source: PennLive.com
Duncannon A.T. Community Ambassador, Paul Smith, was featured in the Perry County Times and Duncannon Record over the weekend.  Check out the article here: Duncannon man is trail ambassador.  Paul has been a dedicated volunteer with the Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community Committee since July 2011 and in the fall was appointed as A.T. Ambassador and chair of Music & Arts for the upcoming designation event.

“I am excited to have this opportunity to be active in the community,” said Smith. “There are already so many positive ideas and projects coming to the surface since Duncannon was chosen as an Appalachian Trail Community.”

DATC Advisory Committee, February Meeting Minutes

ATTENDEES:
  • Mary “trailangelmary” Parry, Event Coordinator, Parks & Rec Board
  • Paul Smith, Arts & Music Chair, A.T. Ambassador
  • Kim McKee, Publicity Chair and ATC Advisor
  • Annie Lieby, Photographer
  • Charlie Johnson, Susquehanna Rovers
  • Deb Takach, Storyteller, Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club (SATC)
  • Luke Johnson, Susquenita High School Student
  • Malissa Hoover, Susquenita Elem. School Teacher, TTEC
  • Maryann Landis, Penn Township resident
  • Matt Smith, Perry County Chamber of Commerce
  • Mike O’Connor, Mountain Club of Maryland
  • Pat Woods, Susquenita Middle School Principal, TTEC
  • Paul Marth, Susquenita Middle School Teacher, TTEC
  • Rick Knepp, Susquenita Middle School Teacher, TTEC
  • Rob Shaw, SATC/Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club
  • Jerry Bell, Borough Council, Parks & Rec Board
  • Fred Lauster, Borough Council, Parks & Rec Board

PRE-MEETING NOTES
o    DATC MURAL MEETING – Mary and Kim met with Perry County Council of the Arts Director, Roger Smith, to discuss possible mural funding sources.  Carol Boyd has agreed to head up the mural project.  Mary and Kim will follow up on the PCCA ideas.
o   FINANCES - $1,000 donation has been received from an anonymous foundation

MEETING MINUTES
  • DATC BY-LAWS – Mary distributed copies of the draft DATC bylaws and committee members reviewed.  Paul Marth recommended that a change to the bylaws require two meetings instead of one – one for a reading, one for a vote. It was agreed that a vote on the By-laws/Officers should take place at a separate meeting than the review of the document with notice by email at least two weeks prior to vote. 
o    Other Comments:
·    More Officers/Directors – Fred suggests 9 directors, 4 of which can be officers.  
·    Fred Lauster recommended the Mission be as broad as we can make it.  Several members stated mission should be vague and short.  Therefore reduce the number of sentences in the mission to a maximum of two and remove activities and put them into a strategic plan to be developed later (after the event).
Suggested Language:
1.  Our objective is to encourage all to go to the outdoors to enjoy nature and to recognize the connection between the health and abundance of our area’s natural assets and the vitality of our communities. To educate the community concerning our rich history of our area and the AT and to encourage conservation planning.
2.  Suggested language from Paul Marth: To bring the historical, cultural and environmental richness of the AT and surrounding areas to the lives and livelihood of the residents of the area.
    • Matt Smith recommended a higher number for a quorum – one person over half the number of regularly attending members. Another suggestion is to define a quorum as three officers and six members.
    • Recommendation – Three names on bank account with two signatures required on checks.
    • Mike O’Connor suggested “keeping minutes” to be added to the duty of the Secretary to clarify “keeping records”
    • Suggestion that financial report be given at every meeting. Quorum vote at meeting to approve spending. Any expenses outside board approved budget should be approved at a meeting.

  • Pre-Event Brochure - Members submitted their suggested edits for the brochure.  Mary will review. 

  • Commitment Forms - Rob Shaw turned in SATC's form.  Details of the SATC hike(s) are still T.B.D.

o   Post card art contest – The TTEC/Art teachers will narrow the pool of submissions before bringing to the Committee in April.  DATC Advisory Committee will vote on 4 winners, one from each grade.   Perry County Chamber of Commerce has agreed to fund the printing.

o    Review of meeting with Fire Company – Mary stated that a preliminary conversation and potential venue walk has taken place with Duncannon Fire Company and Fire Police. They are very receptive to working with us on this event. Their BBQ sales have been down and this event should help those sales.

o    Premier Sponsor – Matt Smith should have an answer by February 15th.

o    Street Banners – Budweiser has agreed to sponsor street banners.

o    MCM Miles Fund Grant – Mary has submitted an application for a Miles Fund Grant to help with printing costs. Mike O’Connor will check if we will get response in February or March.

o    TTEC Quest – Paul Marth reported that the teacher working on the Quest will not likely have it ready to start in conjunction with our event. 

o    Pre-event fliers – Fliers were passed around to Committee members for posting on Bulletin Boards in public places around greater Duncannon/Harrisburg. The format is a tear off slip with the event web page address and Mary’s contact info.

If any items are missing from these minutes please inform Mary Parry at trailangelmary@gmail.com.

NEXT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING – consideration to change to Tuesday next month.  Members will be notified by email.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Duncannon's Buddy Boy Winery is stop on Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail

Source: Pennlive.com
The historic transportation hub of Duncannon just became an added stop on a PA Trail that celebrates working the land and producing local wine!  Thus far this year, two new wineries have been added to the Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail - Armstrong Valley Winery across the river in Halifax and Buddy Boy Winery in Duncannon.  Buddy Boy Winery just opened this past November 2011 and is located just off Rt 11/15 at 111 Barnett Drive.

For more info on an upcoming Wine Trail happenings check out this article from The Patriot News over the weekend:  Susquehanna Heartland Trail readying for March event.  To stay tuned to Buddy Boy Winery & Vineyard updates, check out their facebook pageSounds like an awesome place to stop after a nice hike up Cove Mountain!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Entertainers for Trail Celebration Listed / Duncannon Record

By Sarah Kramer, Staff Writer

Randy "Windtalker" Motz
February 9 -- The Duncannon Appalachian Trail Committee has compiled a list of performers who will entertain for a June 2 celebration commemorating Duncannon's becoming a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  

The celebration will begin with several hikes, as well as kayaking and canoeing and an afternoon of food, vendors and live music.

Event coordinator Mary Parry said Mark Lukens and Antonio Andrade, Brian "Nimble" McPherson and Morgan "Folksinger" Evans will be performing.
Randy "Windtalker" Motz, a 2006 Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, will present his unique style of contemporary Native American flute music, which he calls "Native Soundscapes."  Motz has played at festivals, coffee houses, wineries, schools, churches, private parties and other venues.

Newport local David Snyder will bring his band, The Disturbinators, to the celebration to play passionate blues music.  The group calls their music "not for the faint of heart or potatoes of the couch  variety," noting the band's loud, rhythmic sound is sure to get anyone moving.

For more information about the vent or performers, readers may contact Parry at 834-4706 or trailangelmary@gmail.com.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Historical Crossroads and friend of the Appalachian Trail

American Municipal Power recently put the spotlight on Borough of Duncannon on the Members section of its web site and the Borough's A.T. Community designation is highlighted!  The Borough of Duncannon is unique for a community its size in that it provides electric, water, sewer and refuse service to borough residents.  From the web site: 

Earning recognition for Appalachian Trail contributions 

On June 2, 2012, Duncannon, one of only a handful of small towns through which the Appalachian Trail directly passes, is hosting a festival celebrating its designation as an official Appalachian Trail Community™ by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The Appalachian Trail Community™ program, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, “is designed to recognize communities that promote and protect the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).”  
Duncannon lies at the midpoint of the Appalachian Trail, which runs 2,180 miles from Georgia to Maine. In Duncannon, the trail passes along Market Street, the borough’s main street, which, coincidentally, is the street on which the legendary Doyle Hotel sits. The hotel has long been a popular stopping place for hikers who appreciate its good food and hospitality. 

Duncannon is also a noteworthy historic stop on the 95-mile Middle Susquehanna Greenway tour, which introduces travelers to the historic and geographic connections between the river and Chesapeake Bay, into which it empties. In addition, the borough is one of the hub communities on the Pittsburg to Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway. That greenway is a 320-mile network of linked land and water trails that provide travelers with opportunities to hike, bike, study nature and learn more about history. 

Looking ahead, the borough is working to revitalize downtown Duncannon. It hopes to bring in more small business that could be supported by daily commuters passing through town, as well as the growing number of tourists and hikers visiting Duncannon for the area’s history and natural beauty.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Norfolk-Southern Enola Yard volunteers sign on to help improve River Arches

Norfolk-Southern Enola Diesel Shop Senior Foreman, Archie Glace, has coordinated with DATC and signed on his employee volunteer team to come to Duncannon on Saturday, May 12th, and make improvements for access to the river through the archways at Ann St. and Margretta St.

The project will likely entail scraping sediment that has built up over the years, digging a drainage trench for stormwater run-off and clearing brush to the drainage swales at the base of the tracks.  This will serve to improve pedestrian and boating access to river from the downtown areas for residents and folks coming into town for a paddle.  Blue Mountain Outfitters in Marysville also often uses these arches to put-in river trips.


PA-225 Parking Lot
Last year the NSCorp Enola team coordinated with Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club and did awesome work making improvements to the parking lot and trail-head at PA-225 on Peters Mountain.  As you can see from the recent photo at left, it gets heavy use!  We thank them for their efforts to support the A.T. and the A.T. Community initiative in Duncannon.


NS Corp will also have a table at the June 2nd event in addition to various other informational and retail vendors posted on the Event page.  "Before" photos of the Ann St. arch posted below.  "After" photos to come in May!





Friday, February 3, 2012

Event Commitments still pouring in - Stay tuned for Music Schedule

Photos by Steve Fehr, see more photos on Duncannon Views blog
With the designation event less than four months away, event organizer Trailangel Mary reports that participation commitments keep on coming!  New commitments include: 
  • Thru-hikers Michael "G-Hippie" Muzzillo and James "Turtle" Robertson joining the thru-hiker panel.  Turtle sat in on an A.T. Community meeting during his Southbound hike in September!  
  • Information vendors: Mountain Club of Maryland, Ray Sterner - 3D Maps, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Volksmarch Susquehanna Rovers, PNC Bank, Susquehanna River Trail Association, Perry County Council of the Arts
  • Retail vendors: Libby Goodheart (My Wife's Barn), Randy "Windtalker" Motz, Georgia "Mom" Harris (Qualtech Resource Group, Inc.), Ginny Rech (T.H.G. Studio)
Others have committed to donate items for raffle and door prizes.  Also exciting is the participation of Steve "Sedentary Steve" Fehr as an event photographer.  Have you ever seen his Duncannon photo blog, Duncannon Views?  Check it out at this link.  Also have a look at his Tales of the Trail hiker interviews.  

For the full June 2nd line-up check out the EVENT page.