Born and raised in York, Pa., I was exposed to the outdoors early on,
spending many years in Girl Scouting. Although I have never been a hunter, my father and brothers have been hunting for as long as I can remember. Venison, pheasant, rabbit and yes, even squirrel pot pie,
helped to feed our large family (I am the eldest of 8 children). With that
many children, our vacations had to be affordable, so we stayed at more
state parks that I can mention. I have fond memories of adventures at
Caledonia, Cowans Gap, Shawnee and Prince Gallitzin.

It was, at Ricketts Glen State Park, however, that is the site of my most vivid family vacation memory. One summer day, the five oldest siblings set out for a hike down the Falls Trail. Not knowing how long the hike was, and being distracted by all the beautiful waterfalls, we lost track of time. By the time we got to Waters Meet, we had a choice to go back up or continue down the trail. The posted signs advised that if dusk was approaching, you did not want to be caught in the woods at night, so four of us decided to continue on. My youngest brother, on the other hand, decided to head back. If you are familiar with Ricketts Glen, you will understand that this was the longest, steepest walk of my young life. We had to stop to rest many times along the way and finally decided to hitch a ride with a Boy Scout troop thinking that would be a safe bet. Naturally, my recalcitrant brother arrived at the campsite much earlier than the rest of us and when we finally got back, my parents were just about to contact the rangers. The final straw…we were punished for hitching a ride. Being outdoors certainly can create some memorable experiences!

And luckily my job affords me the opportunity to spend time outdoors every now and then. I have been with WRCP for 4 years now. I serve in a clerical capacity, maintain a database of grant recipients, and review and process grant and contract invoices for payment. I fill orders for WRCP merchandise (be sure to see the merchandise pages in Wild!Notes), and serve as the
administrative coordinator for our Wild Resource Festivals. I enjoy the variety of duties involved with my job, the chance to get outdoors occasionally and working with my great co-workers.

When I’m not busy in the office you will most likely find me reading a mystery or suspense novel or watching a program on the SyFy channel. My husband Bill, our children Rebecca and Justin, and two cats (Ava and Lily)
complete the family. When we take a trip outdoors it’s usually to the Pine Creek area, where we can relax with friends at their cabin along the creek. I
feel a sense of relaxation just thinking about it. During our yearly trips to the Pine Creek area I have been fortunate to see Bald eagles, bobcats, bears and
even river otters - thanks to the reintroduction efforts of WRCP.

Through my time with WRCP, I have come to realize that WRCP’s importance lies in the fact that we are the first line of defense for native non-game critters and plants in Pennsylvania. The donations to our program from
generous supporters, from the state income tax check off, and from sales of
the otter license plate and WRCP merchandise make it possible for us to
continue to support research and create educational materials. Given the
current economic situation, these donations are now more important
than ever!