Should you call the PPFF office you will now hear a new voice at the other end of the line. Please join us in welcoming Joey McCauslin to the Office & Online Retail Facilitator position replacing Jenna who left us after five years for new opportunities. We barely missed a beat as he plunged right in and started processing all those Passport and calendar orders even as we transition to a new online store. 

Watch for that launch - at least a little temporary test launch - very soon so we can get the kinks out. 

The PPFF Virtual Book Club will make its return for 2025, assuming a bimonthly schedule this year. 

We'll kick off the club on February 26 with Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle, the story of the author's quest to improve her family's diet by eating only foods that her family was able to grow themselves or obtain locally (save for grains and olive oil). 

Find the ZOOM link and information on the other five books for the year at https://ppff.events/book-club-2025

Speaking of Pine Grove Furnace, local artist Margy Schmidt, who designed the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace ornaments sold in the Park office, has turned her artist's eye to the mundane -  in this case, a fountain wrapped in plastic bags. Every winter the maintenance crew turns off various hydrants around the park to keep pipes from freezing and in doing so places bags over the turned off water fountains. 

Somehow, this said "bald eagle" to Margy. Fantastic!

I mentioned cross country skiing at the Forbes State Forest last week. A little addendum to that note is that the webcam by the PA Cross Country Skiers Association is now active up at Laurel Ridge State Park. They're expecting a nice weekend!