Ellicottville Times
Page 4 (716) 699.4062
www.EllicottvilleTimes.com
September 13 - 19, 2013
Did You Know?
Just minutes away from Ellicottville!
ALLEGANY State Park
ASP’s Cain Hollow camp sites are available to rent through Columbus Day weekend, and the Red House sites are available to rent through the end of October. Most of the camp sites on Red House have electric hookups, as do most of o the Cain Hollow sites, sit excluding the D Loop. L Reservations can ca be made at www. reserveamerica.com. re
Sept. 28 is National Public Lands Day
Just minutes from Ellicottville! Follow signs to Admin. Building
Donate Your Time at ASP
By Alicia Dziak
Come Enjoy Allegany State Park and The Park Restaurant! www.facebook.com/AlleganyStateParkShopsRestaurant Located on the 2nd floor of the Red House Admin Building inside Allegany State Park Restaurant Hours: Friday 12:00pm-8:00pm Saturday 8:30am-4:00pm Sunday 8:30am-3:00pm
(716) 354-9282 Boat and bike rentals at the Boathouse on Red House Lake Open Sat-Sun from 10am-5:30pm weather permitting
Gift Shop Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:30am-4:30pm Friday 9:30am-8:00pm Saturday 8:30am-7:00pm Sunday 8:30am-5:30pm
Do you love Allegany State Park? Do you have a few hours to spare on Sept. 28? Then consider volunteering at this fabulous state park on National Public Lands Day! Volunteering is a great way to give back to your favorite park. National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is an organized volunteer day designed to bring people together to achieve the common goal of improving the lands that so many people enjoy. NPLD began in 1994 with three sites and 700 volunteers and by last year had grown to 2,206 sites and 175,000
volunteers. This will be its ninth year at ASP. Some of the highlights from the nationwide 2012 event included volunteers collecting an estimated 23,000 pounds of invasive plants, building and maintaining an estimated 1,500 miles of trails, removing an estimated 500 tons of trash from trails and other places, and planting an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants. “NPLD is our nation’s single day, all-volunteer event designed to give the public a chance to care for our public lands,” said Heidi Tschopp, park naturalist and ASP’s
NPLD coordinator. “For those who love Allegany State Park, this is a great way to spend a few hours giving back. The projects we work on really help to enhance our park and make it an even better experience for all who visit.” At ASP, the focus this year will be the Quaker side of the park, and volunteers will work on various projects. “There will be trail work, landscaping, gardening, litter pickup and more,” said Tschopp. “We are in the process of locking down our projects list.” Last year, about 100 volunteers participated in this
Pain in the Alleganies September 22 at • Allegany State Park Half Iron, Triathlon, Aquabike and Duathlon www.score-this.com
5 Make-Your-Own ASP Souvenirs
ASP cabin porches are a great place to set up a canvas and paint. by Alicia Dziak
Allegany State Park offers two great gift shops — one in the Red House Administration Building and one next to the Quaker Museum. Both stores offer a variety of “everything ASP” from sweatshirts and mugs to stickers and photo frames. For the regular park visitors who have already stocked up on the store goods, making your own one-of-a-
kind souvenirs can be a fun way to remember each ASP trip. Decorate a Birdhouse Small, unfinished birdhouses can be purchased at craft stores for around $1. You can easily make it look like an ASP cabin by using dark green or brown acrylic paint. Using a small piece of wood, you can design a sign that lists your trail name and cabin number, and adhere
event at ASP. Spread the word, organize a group of friends, and help make this year’s total even bigger! Volunteers should enter the park at Quaker, and assignments will be given at the Quaker toll booth between 9–10 am. “We do work rain or shine and volunteers should come dressed to get dirty!” added Tschopp. The first step in making a difference is as easy as making a phone call. To register, call the park at (716) 354-9101, ext. 236. For more information, visit www.publiclandsday.org.
it to the birdhouse using a hot glue gun. Design a Picture Frame Unfinished wooden picture frames can also be purchased for around $1 from most craft stores. Use your imagination to create a unique frame for your favorite camping photo. You can glue various nature objects like pine cones, pebbles or funky sticks to the frame. If you look hard enough, you might be able to find sticks in the shapes of the letters “ASP” and use hot glue to attach them to the frame. You can also use paint or markers to write specific memories on the border. Don’t forget to take a fun photo to put in your frame. If you visit the park often, it’s fun to take a photo each year in the same setting. For instance, my kids pose with “Creepy Bunny” on the Quaker mini golf course every year. Be a Painter Find your inner Picasso and
Decorate a picture frame using paint and small pebbles. Be sure to take a fun photo to display in your frame.
paint a picture of the beauty that surrounds you at ASP. For around $4 each, you can pick up a good-sized canvas and set it up on a cabin porch or picnic table. Bring some brushes, add some paint and — voila! — your masterpiece comes to life. Be sure to sign it and add the date.
Make a T-Shirt Tie-dye kits and fabric markers are easy to find in most national retailers like Wal-Mart. Plain T-shirts are also pretty inexpensive and can be found in white as well as a variety of colors. Follow package instructions to make a unique shirt. One neat method is to use a heavy tape to mark out the letters “ASP” and then use the dye to squirt around the tape. Puffy paint is now available in glow in the dark colors, great for showing off your creation while enjoying the campfire. Make a Nature Journal By stringing brown paper lunch bags together with twine, you can make a simple journal, and the insides of the bags can be used to hold your supplies. Use pencils or your favorite medium to trace various objects you find in the park or sketch them out freehand. Make categories of things
Include details like place and date somewhere on your souvenirs.
you’ve seen: animals, trees, structures, etc., and note where you saw them. With a little preparation and a little imagination, you’ll feel your creative self emerging as you combine nature and art. Not only are the souvenirs fun mementos of your camping trips spent at ASP, but the time spent creating them with friends and family will give you lasting memories.
Help Build the EllicottvilleGreat Valley Trail Ellicottville and Great Valley will have a new off-road, multiuse trail in the next few years, creating an easy way to access local businesses, schools, the library, government offices, parks, area resorts and other destinations.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation! Donations can be made online at: www.cattfoundation.org, or mail your check payable to: Community Foundation/ Ellicottville-Great Valley Trail Fund c/o Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation 120 N. Union St. Olean NY 14760 Every dollar makes a difference and is greatly appreciated.
For more information: Visit and “like” the trail’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/EVLTrail) Call Jennie Acklin at (716) 699-4062 • Call trail chairman Ken Hinman at (716) 474-8214