Amy Williams, active new leader, Volunteer of the Month
Since joining AMC in 2017, Amy Williams, our volunteer of the month, has hit the ground running, participating in many activities and graduating from the Outdoor Leadership Training in 2018.
She has been leading activities ranging from urban walks to challenging hikes and has demonstrated great insight into hike safety. She returned to the Outdoor Leadership Training this year as an alumnus and instructor, so that she could help others achieve their leadership status.
She also played an important role during the leader training weekend as the registrar for the Leader dinner. We look forward to her continued involvement in the leader training program and as a popular hike leader.
Our Volunteer of the Month program was initiated to recognize volunteers nominated by their peers. Chapter members can nominate volunteers by e-mail to recognition@amcdv.org.The nomination should contain the nominee’s name, reason for the recognition, and name of the nominator. Each nominee name is entered into a random drawing for the Volunteer of the Month recognition. The monthly winners are entered into an annual drawing at the Annual Dinner for a grand prize of a weekend stay at an AMC facility. Nominees must be an AMC member, not a elected member of the current Executive Committee, and may serve in any volunteer capacity that benefits the Chapter mission in the Delaware Valley area. See the past Volunteers of the Month.
Meet our 2019 AT Ridgerunner
Our 2019 ridgerunner is Steven Mathew Read, who has been in training and orientation for almost two weeks and began the season this Memorial Day weekend and will be on the trail through Labor Day.
Matt is from Texas and thru-hiked the trail in 2003. He brings experience, maturity and enthusiasm to the job, and we look forward to working with Matt throughout the season.
His wife Cara has accompanied him here from Texas but she will not be on the trail officially. She is able to work remotely as a writer.
Matt would be very pleased to join you on one of your work trips to help care for the trail together, and to get to know you and your clubs section more intimately. He can be reached by e-mail or by texting or calling 484-896-9492
The Ridge Runner program on the Appalachian Trail enters its 27th year. The Ridge Runner is an AMC employee who works on the AT five days a week including weekends and holidays between Memorial and Labor Days. His or her job is to meet and greet trail users, educate on Leave No Trace, and help preserve the trail experience for future generations.
Our chapter and the larger AMC have been directly involved in supporting this program in Pennsylvania for all of those years. The program has been coordinated by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the National Park Service, with a continuing grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The section of trail covered stretches 42 miles from Delaware Water Gap to Lehigh Furnace Gap and includes Wind Gap, Little Gap and Lehigh Gap in northeastern Pennsylvania (including the 16 miles of the trail maintained by the DV Chapter). There are two other ridge runner programs on the AT in Pennsylvania, one in the Cumberland Valley, and the other in southern Pennsylvania near Michaux State Forest.
If you'd like to keep updated on the Ridge Runner program and Kevin's experiences on the trail, check out the program on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NEPARidgerunner/ Latest Ridgerunner Report 6-15
Take Action:
Demand Full and Dedicated Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Now is our chance to finally secure permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The United States Senate is reviewing S.1081, a bi-partisan bill to permanently provide $900 million annually to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Write to your Senators today asking for their support of S.1081 by joining as a co-sponsor.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a visionary and bipartisan federal funding program for protecting our nation’s most special places. From Sterling Forest in the New York Highlands, to White Cap Mountain in Maine, to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has funded the protection of some of our most iconic landscapes and trails in the Northeast. Earlier this year, we celebrated the permanent re-authorization of the Land Water Conservation Fund, but without dedicated funding Congress’ work is not complete.
Write to your Senators in support of funding for LWCF.
Sunday hunting once again proposed for Pennsylvania
A familiar issue has once again been moving through the Pennsylvania legislature – lifting the ban on Sunday hunting. PA Senator Dan Laughlin introduced Senate Bill 147 earlier this year. In addition to allowing the Game Commission to remove the ban on Sunday hunting, the bill would also make trespassing by hunters a primary offense and increase penalties. S.B. 147 was approved by the PA Senate Game and Fisheries Committee on February 5th and will next be considered by the entire Senate.
Previous proposals have failed to pass the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, making S.B. 147 seemingly more viable than prior efforts. However, should the bill pass the Senate, it will move to the House; historically, members of the PA House have been less supportive of expanding hunting in the state than the Senate.
S.B. 147, if passed, would allow the Game Commission to remove the ban on Sunday hunting first established in 1873. As many avid hikers, birders, mountain bikers, and other recreational users know, Sunday is currently the only day during hunting season to enjoy the outdoors without the presence of hunters. Re-instituting Sunday hunting could negatively affect the experience of recreationists who currently enjoy state game lands, state parks and forests, and some county and local parks.
Allowing Sunday hunting may also affect important stewardship like maintenance of the Appalachian Trail corridor. In some cases, AT trail crews choose to arrange their work for Sundays precisely to avoid active hunting.
Past proposals to end the ban on Sunday hunting have not been successful, in some part due to a large opposition from groups such as Keystone Trails Association and the PA Farm Bureau. Keystone Trails Association and PA Farm Bureau also oppose Senate Bill 147.
To make your voice heard on this issue, please contact your PA State Senators and Representatives regarding Senate Bill 147.
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