Surrounded by nature, bird song in the air, dragonfiles dancing above the waters of the lake, the Commissioner’s Cabin at Chestnut Ridge Park was the perfect setting for our annual picnic in Chestnut Ridge Park. Though the weather forecast warned of violent storms for late in the afternoon, we happily enjoyed perfect summery weather of heat, sunshine, and blue skies. Those who chose to arrive early to participate in an activity had their choice of bike ride, nature hike or kayaking on “Secret Lake”. Mike Promowicz and Carolyn Kerr brought 6 kayaks and even more PDFs and these were available for ANYONE to use. This was indeed a big hit and a perfect opportunity for those who were curious about paddling to check it out.
The highlight of the day was, of course, the picnic. The pot luck had a great variety of delicious foods and the barbequed hot dogs and burgers were the perfect topping for a summer time picnic. Jean Dickson and her musical group entertained us with their folksy style of music which was very suited for the setting.
Following the food was our annual meeting, electing Bonnie Pierce as Programs Chair and Lynn Kenney as Conservation Chair. Proudly the Conservationist of the Year Award was presented to Mike Mitchnikowski for the Master Plan he put together for Allegany State Park. Words in this limited venue cannot capture the fun of the day. You will have to check it out yourself next year.