| Spring, 2020 |
April 25
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The Friends of Hemlock Gorge’s 30th Annual Spring Cleanup took place despite covid-19 in warm weather under cloudless skies on Saturday, April 25, 2020. This was a clean up unlike any other because of the coronavirus pandemic. Volunteers, only a few, came singly, wearing masks as well as cloves, and kept far from one another.The reservation was surprisingly clean, perhaps as a result of people picking up trash regularly and perhaps due to fewer visitors. We don't know exactly how many persons participated because of extreme social distancing but there were quite a few of us at different times of the day. Lee and Jean Fisher, Emily Gelbert and her son Max, Evan Weststrate and his son, Robin Dexter, Bob Ellertsen and John Mordes were among the participants. Evan and his son cleaned the riverbank from his canoe. Jean raked leaves off the west end of Echo Bridge while Lee repainted the two trail markers. Emily also raked the area around the Stone Building and Bob worked on the Route 9 exit. There were many day visitors hiking through the Gorge. There were more than half a dozen bags of trash left for the DCR at the Stone Barn and Hamilton Place by the end of the day. We missed the comeraderie of the canceled luncheon but want to thank everyone who turned out to make this a success. The Friends of Hemlock Gorge extend heartfelt thanks to all who did participate on a gorgeous spring day. You can click on many of pictures for a large version. |
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 Evan Weststrate and his son cleaned the riverbank from his canoe. |
The park was remarkable fee of trash, perhaps due to fewer visitors.
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Evan and his son beneath Echo Bridge. Note the partially removed graffiti. |
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Lee Fisher repainted the trail markers. | |
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Sadly there were the skeletons of many hemlocks killed by the adelgid |
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Bob Ellertsen came by after returning from his winter in New Orleans | |
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Emily Gelbert and her son Max. Some of the many bags of trash that were collected are visible. | |
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Emily and Max' raking efforts at the Stone Building were rewarded with a little rainbow | |
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Another of Emily's photos | |
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Emily at work by the Stone Building | |
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A family enjoing the Ken Newcomb Memorial
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It was easy to see the damage to the Stone Building roof. We expect a new roof this summer. |
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Another of the day's volunteer | |
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Some of the trash collected early in the day | |
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Finis
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Fall, 2020 |
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The Friends of Hemlock Gorge’s 40th Annual Fall
Cleanup took place on Saturday, October 24, 2020 in very nice weather.
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October 25
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 Friends' VP Evan Weststrate |
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 Friends' President Dr. John. |
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 Friends' co-founder Vaunita Schnell and VP Evan |
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 The after-cleanup luncheon was both safe and great fun |
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 Evan repairing the eyebrow window screen in The Stone Building |
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 Evan up in the Stone Building rafters |
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 Wood awaiting installation to repair the second floor of the Stone Building |
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 The post-cleanup luncheon17 |
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Finis |
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Photographs by Dr. John except where noted.
Page last updated Sunday, April 11, 2021
