September has been a very busy month with the River Town Outreach Corps. We had Art Blast in Greensboro at the beginning of the month. This was a fun event. I was in charge of manning the log cabin where we had historical items from all of our towns on display. I got to talk to people about the history of the river and the different towns, and I learned a lot from people who came in and would tell me stories about how things used to be in each of the towns. It was very educational. We spent time doing trail work on the Green River Trail, the Warrior Trail, and trails at Friendship Hill National Historic Site. It was a lot of work, but it was fun to be in the field clearing broken branches, overgrown grass, and trimming back trees and bushes that were impeding on the path. We went to Rices Landing and cleaned up around their stage. We took out poison ivy, filed off chipped paint, and painted their stage building. Sam and I were covered in paint by the end, and I still have white specks all over my SCA t-shirt!
We had training in Ohiopyle with the rangers that work there. They trained us on how to avoid potentially dangerous wildlife when we are out in the field and what you should always carry in your pack during different times of year. FestiFall and Mother Earth News were also this month. For FestiFall we led hikes on the trails through the grounds. We talked to people about Albert Gallatin’s history, and in prepping for the event I learned a lot that I didn’t already know about him. The Friendship Hill Association said that this was the most successful FestiFall in 30 years. There were around 3700 people who visited the park for this event during the 2 days it was going on. They sold out of food by 3pm on Sunday! Mother Earth News was a fun and educational event. I went to seminars that taught a lot about gardening and using green energy.
During the last weekend of the month I was able to paddle from Point Marion to Greensboro with my Project Leader, Jeff. This was an important trip as I am currently planning a paddling trip for October that goes this route. That section of the river is beautiful and quiet. There are basically no houses along the way except for in the towns. There are a lot of old landmarks from past damns, mining, and barges. It was a lot of fun, and it was a good day to do it. We stopped at Two Rivers Marina to talk to the owner about using his space on the day of the big “Fall Paddle on the Mon”. When we arrived in Greensboro we attended and helped with their public art unveiling. There were three beautiful and unique pieces given to the community, two were donated and one was funded by the Sprout Fund.
