Hitting the Target

This summer, putting out a backback pump at the Discovery Center for children to try has proved very popular. PAFFMA president Jack Graham made a target to aim for. We put some Smoky Bear stickers on it. Below, Jack demonstrates the right way to do it.

From Our Collections

The PAFFMA has a very extensive collection that can't all be displayed in the Discovery Center. At the last board meeting the members did check out the items in storage at the Bureau of Forestry District 1 office.

Pictured above is a Forest Reserve Officer Badge. According to PAFFMA President Jack Graham:

The accompanying paperwork indicates it MAY have been the actual badge assigned to and perhaps actually worn by Gifford Pinchot. The penciled letter we found folded up with the badge had accompanied it when it was sent from (I believe) the then (1960ish) Stroudsburg District Forester Jerry Robinson to Eugene McNamara. “Mac” had been the Stroudsburg District Forester before Jerry. The letter appears to be signed “GRR” which is how Jerry signed everything. Very coincidentally, I worked for Jerry Robinson for many years after he switched to State Parks. He is now passed on, but I sent a copy of the letter to his wife to see if she can confirm the handwriting and thus the authorship of the letter. 

We will follow up when we know more about the badge.

New Flowers

Today we planted some new annual flowers in the historic planters in front of the Discovery Center. With luck they will last the whole season!

Last night we had some very strong rains which caused flooding along the Conococheague Creek. Here is how it looked in Caledonia State Park.

May Board Meeting

The May PAFFMA Board meeting was held at the PA Bureau of Forestry Division 1 office in the Michaux State Forest in Fayetteville. After the business meeting the board members took a look at the museum artifacts stored in containers at the office. Among the items are the voluminous files from Steve Cumming's house that are now in temporary storage at the Division 1 office. We have a lot of work to do to provide permanent storage!

 

Also,  the Board would like to thank member Beverly Spicer for her generous contribution to providing sales items aimed more at women and children for the Discovery Center!

Visit from the Cumberland Valley Woodland Owners Association

Yesterday, about ten members of the Cumberland Valley Woodland Owners Association visited the Center after touring the new, highly efficient, EPA rated,  wood furnace in the Caledonia Park maintenance building. This furnace also provides heat for the Discovery Center.

Thanks to PFA members Roy Seifert, Bill Parr, Jim Foose, Norm Lacasse and Peter Linehan for volunteering!

Discovery Center Volunteer Signup for 2014

The Discovery Center at Caledonia State Park is open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We rely entirely on volunteers. Please considering volunteering. Click here to see the calendar. (It will open on today's date. Use the arrows on top to advance to the right month. You can also choose a week or day view.)


Pick your times to volunteer by clicking on the month. This will take you to a Doodle poll. Just type in your name for the date you would like.

• May
• June
• July
• August
• September (Labor Day) 

A few people signed up at the last board meeting without using the poll. I have put all the dates in a calendar.  Click here to see it.

Not too seriously...

We do know how to have fun at the PAFFMA annual meetings.

 John Bitzer is ready with his "groaners"

To which the audience reacts.

 

Which was followed by the Lumberjack serenade.

     

And here is the original...