AFS PEP News - July Aug 07 - AFSCME Council 13
AFS PEP News - July Aug 07 - AFSCME Council 13
AFS PEP News - July Aug 07 - AFSCME Council 13
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State Park ‘Staycations’<br />
Pennsylvanians choosing “Staycations” are pleasantly surprised to find the<br />
beauty and history right here in PA. With 2.1 million acres of state forests,<br />
you’ll find everything from our own Grand Canyon to 100 ft. waterfalls. And<br />
“staycationers” support our brothers and sisters working hard to save these parks.<br />
Caledonia State Park covers 1,150 acres in Adams and Franklin counties.<br />
The park offers more than 450 picnic tables, 10 miles of hiking trails, a large<br />
ADS accessible swimming pool, one of the oldest and most scenic golf<br />
courses in PA, live theater performances, 170 tent and trailer sites in 2<br />
campgrounds all with electrical hook-ups, home rentals big enough to sleep<br />
10 people and plenty of fishing. Full to capacity all season long, many<br />
visitors come from Maryland where state parks require an admittance fee.<br />
But, Dwight Thomas, L2245, 1st Level Supervisor at Caledonia, is very<br />
concerned about Caledonia’s future. “We’re doing the best we can,” he said.<br />
With recent budget cuts, Caledonia has lost several custodians and laborers<br />
leaving semi-skilled laborers to take up additional duties such as cleaning<br />
restrooms and picking up trash.<br />
Workers are also responsible for servicing Mont Alto State Park 7 miles<br />
away. “We’ve had to let a lot of Mont Alto State Park go,” said Mike<br />
Schroyer, L2<strong>13</strong>4, Maintenance Repairman. “We just don’t have enough staff<br />
to maintain both parks entirely.”<br />
Employees are busy year-round painting, making park signs, repairing equipment,<br />
bridges and decks and constantly cleaning up after storm, ice and flood damage.<br />
Thomas is worried about more budget cuts. “It just doesn’t make any<br />
sense,” he said. “If they closed the park for a couple of years, any money<br />
saved would be spent in repairs once it was re-opened.”<br />
Cook Forest State Park will be featured in the Jul/<strong>Aug</strong> <strong>PEP</strong>.<br />
DCNR Members Awarded<br />
8<br />
<strong>AFS</strong>CME members were among the award recipients at the 2009<br />
DCNR Employee Recognition Award program held in May.<br />
Kathy Surman, DC88, L2589, Bucks Co. Clericals, Customer<br />
Service Award.<br />
Lisa Dorman Peffy, DC89, L2456, State Professional Dist. 8, Delaware<br />
Canal State Park Flood Repairs Action Team, Team Excellence Award.<br />
Curtis Ahner and James Branch, DC88, L2244, State Supervisory Dist. 5 & 6,<br />
Neshaminy State Park Eagles’ Forest Implementation Team – Team Excellence<br />
Award.<br />
Bill Delling, DC87, L2370, Wayne Co., Tobyhanna Lost Hunter Search<br />
Team – Team Excellence Award. Brother Delling also received the Governor’s<br />
Award for Excellence.<br />
Darryl Wurst, DC85, L2367, State Supervisory Dist. 1, Allegheny Team;<br />
Ray Miller, DC83, L2246, State Supervisory Dist. 9, Delaware Team; and Dan<br />
LeCrone, DC83, L2246, State Supervisory Dist. 9, Susquehanna Team – Type<br />
III Incident Management Teams Awards.<br />
DCNR Acting Secretary, John Quigley, said all awardees are an inspiration to all<br />
of us for their accomplishments, excellence and teamwork. "I want to thank all of<br />
you for what you do every<br />
day," he said. Quigley noted<br />
the 20% budget cut to DCNR<br />
proposed in the Republican<br />
budget (SB 850). “They’re<br />
ready to throw us overboard<br />
when times get tough,” said<br />
Quigley. “This is our natural<br />
birthright. It’s our duty and our<br />
right to hand our national<br />
(L to R) Dep. Sec. of Administration, Rita A. Calvan;<br />
Dan LeCrone, Darryl Wurst and Ray Miller; and<br />
Acting Sec. John Quigley. These members were<br />
recognized for outstanding efforts in large and<br />
complex wildfire incidents.<br />
6 Public Employee Press May/June 2009<br />
heritage over to the next<br />
generation.”<br />
For photos of all the<br />
recipients, please visit<br />
www.afscme<strong>13</strong>.org<br />
At 9’ 6”, Caledonia State Park boasts the deepest pool in the state.<br />
Rich in history, the Thaddeus Stevens<br />
blacksmith shop is a museum of labor in<br />
the early 1900’s.<br />
Dwight Thomas (L) L2245 and Mike<br />
Schroyer, L2<strong>13</strong>4, take great pride in<br />
making Caledonia State Park happen.<br />
Did You Know<br />
– over 36 million people visit PA State Parks every year!<br />
– the longest ski drop in the state (1,050 ft.) is at Blue Knob State Park.<br />
– 20,000 bats can be seen every night exiting the church in Canoe Creek State Park!<br />
– Mont Alto was our first State Park – Caledonia came in 2nd.<br />
Save Our School!<br />
<strong>AFS</strong>CME members, legislators, veterans, students, parents and alumni<br />
gathered at the Capitol Rotunda June 8 for a "Save Our School" rally<br />
for Scotland School for Veterans' Children. "This program doesn't<br />
represent fat, fraud or abuse -- this is a program that works," said DC89<br />
Director Mike Fox. Several legislators spoke of the values of the school and<br />
the high percentage of students that go on to college or the military. Alumni<br />
Isiah Anderson pointed out that it doesn’t make sense to close good schools<br />
and open more prisons – all in the same budget. Students and parents spoke<br />
through tears as they defended their school. “I am your future,” said 10th<br />
grader Whitney Washington. “Let your voice be heard.”<br />
DC89 Director Mike Fox points out the benefits of saving Scotland School for<br />
Veterans’ Children.