AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - Volume 2, Issue 6

Volume 2, Issue 6 - April, 2015
brought to you by Joe Harold, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

The season has started and things are already looking pretty good.  The weather is improving and the visitors are starting to find the park and the Museum as the sun comes out and the flowers start to bloom.  We had a very successful clean up day and the orientation sessions seemed to go good too.  Our first few weeks have had a decent number of visitors and everything is running smoothly so far.  I have a lot of pictures to share today.

Our new directional signs are in place.

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Museum Spring Cleaning

The cleanup went very well and pretty quickly as 20 volunteers descended on the Museum and cleaned up all the lady bugs, spider webs and anything else that needed cleaning.  The outside is looking as good as the inside and the event got us ready to open for business the following weekend.  We actually had quite a few people come in to check out the museum while we were in there so the visitor count started before our official opening day.  Click on the pictures to embiggen.

New sign install

Cleaning up the outside

Removing the encroaching grass on the gravel

Most of the snow melted

Andria stocking books

Blake sweeps up the lady bugs

Bob in charge of acrylic

Jay, Barb, Carolyn and Brenda

The burning of the winter's leavings has become a tradition

Group Picture. Thanks to all!

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Orientation and Training Sessions

Here are some pictures from one of our orientation sessions on opening day.  It was a little cool out, but we had 37 visitors on our first official day of being open for the season.

All pictures in this section, credit, Carol Bungay.

Soon...

Passing the information

Attentive Docents

No one is asleep.  That's a plus.

More of me talking...

Boy Scout Troop visit.

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New General Store Proprietor

The General Store has a new proprietor.  Meet Michelle.  She manages a lot of places in the area and she hopes to beef up the offerings for hikers to help and provide for their needs.  And of course, there will still be ice cream for the challenge.  Stop by after serving a shift and say hi.  The store is only open weekends for now, but will go to every day after Memorial Day.  

Michelle

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New Art Hanging in the Museum

I have placed two new pieces of art on the Chimney in the Museum.  The artist is Brian "Evac" Wing.  Evac was a member of the 2014 Warrior Hike.  After blowing out his knee and being "evacuated" he earned his trail name.  Shortly after that, he started drawing with no formal training and these are a couple of his pieces.  Evac will also be our Visiting Artist at the AT Hall of Fame Festival on June 6th.  Oh yeah, Brian is also a fellow Coast Guardsman and we went to boot camp a couple months apart.  

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Road Scholar Hike

Our first Road Scholar Hike of the season will be April 27th.  I already have two people signed up, but if you are interested, we can always use one or two more.  Sign up here.  
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Hall of Fame Banquet and Festival

The AT Hall of Fame Banquet and Festival will be here soon on June 5th and 6th.  We hope to have some nice flyers out within a week or so.  If you want to help distribute them in the area, just let me know and I will get you some to place in strategic places.  Our Festival continues to grow, so if you also want to help out with that event, you know where to find me.  It will also be pretty important to have all shifts fully filled on that weekend as those tend to be our first really busy days of the season.  

You can get your tickets to the Banquet by clicking here.
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Things Coming Down the Trail

April 25th, 2015 - Earth Day Celebration at Waynesboro, PA
April 27th, 2015 - 9:20 am - First Road Scholar Hike
May 2nd, 2015 - Flip Flop Kick Off (FFKO) in Harpers Ferry, WV
May 3rd to May 8th, 2015 - Joe Thru Hikes the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (70 miles) - easy peasy.
May 15th - 17th, 2015 - Trail Days - Damascus, VA
May 25th, 2015 - 9:20 am - Road Scholar Hike
June 5th, 2015 - AT Hall of Fame Banquet - Boiling Springs, PA
June 6th, 2015 - AT HOF Festival and Hiker Reunion at the Museum/Park
June 8th, 2015 - 9:20 am - Road Scholar Hike
June 22nd, 2015 - 9:20 am - Road Scholar Hike
July 17th to 24th, 2015 - ATC Biennial - Winchester, VA

Take care,
EarthTone