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Panthertown Clean Up
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Panthertown could use a little friendly effort to restore it to its pristine glory. Everyone’s invited to pitch in for Clean-up Days, August 1 and 19.
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, August 1, and Saturday, August 19. Panthertown welcomes you both days, and any day you have to spare. In fact, every month Friends of Panthertown host trail workdays on the first Tuesday and third Saturday. The crew needs your glow (aka sweat), your genius, and your smashing good looks. And should you have an entourage of paparazzi, do bring them. Notoriety never hurts.
Get ready for Clean-up Days. Pull on your boots. Slide your noggin’ into your neck-flap hat. Slather some zinc on your nose so your sunglasses can get all smeary and slippery (kidding). Stash snacks and a water-bottle in the pockets of your long, protective pants. Important safety tips: bring epi pen if needed and learn what poison ivy looks like. Grab a camera (don’t count on those unreliable paparazzi) so you can document the day. To keep your camera and phone dry, bring some rain gear. Grab other stuff as needed.
Congrats. You’re now ready for a bodacious, bucket-list, Panthertown kind of day.
After all that prep, here’s the important part, the hours: 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. If your fingers don’t feel right unless they are hunting and pecking all over a keyboard, visit panthertown.org and sign up for the mailing list. Panthertown updates, events, trail workdays and much more will be right there at those eager fingertips.
Executive Director Jason Kimenker says, “Almost every month we host trail workdays on the first Tuesday and third Saturday. Visit panthertown.org/ volunteer/ for more info about what to expect when volunteering; panthertown. org/events/ will show you other upcoming programs and events.”
What’s in it for you? Start with burning off the snack calories plus a few more, while meeting-up with old friends, making some new ones, getting dazzled by Mother Nature, and helping tip the environmental-balance toward pristine in a world of eco-sinners (those wascally wabbits who litter or abuse the land). Spend a few hours un-doing and re-doing the trails while being an amazing example to your kids and peers. Mother Nature could use some good press these days.
There’re scores of ways in which you can make changes in the world through Panthertown possibilities. Get on board and learn how: friends@panthertown. org; (828) 269-HIKE (4453).
After reconsideration, leave those pesky paparazzi up the river. Let’s stick only with the Valley, dedicated nature lovers, and a very welcomed you.
by Donna Rhodes
