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Founded in 1996, the Friends of Raystown Lake is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the responsible stewardship of the natural and recreational resources of the Raystown Lake Project through the support of members and constituents in sponsoring and developing programs in education, resource protection and enhancement, and recreational improvement.
The Friends of Raystown Lake named the 2010 recipient of the US Army Corps of Engineers Excellence in Partnerships Award |
In late 2010 Raystown Lake staff nominated The Friends of Raystown Lake to receive national recognition through the Excellence in Partnerships Award. Over several months of competition The Friends were measured against other organizations, large and small, from across the country.
Friends contributions and accomplishments over the past two years were highlighted. The Allegrippis Trails System, Lake Cleanup Day, RayCEP and grants for hardwood forestry efforts were a significant portion of the nomination. Raystown staff also recognized those seemingly ordinary efforts that may often go unmentioned, but surely do not go unnoticed.
On February 23, 2011 Friends President Ron Rabena will travel to The Association of Partners for Public Lands Conference to receive this award in-person on behalf of the Friends. Until then, the staff of Raystown would like to take this opportunity to publically say congratulations and thank-you to all our Friends!
Read the
Nomination
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Read award
announcement
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”An award well deserved by the Friends of Raystown as the group gets ready to celebrate its 13th anniversary on 23 January 2011! The FRL succeeds through a dedicated leadership, membership and a spider web of networks that allow the group to leverage resources in their quest to make Raystown a model example of public lands. There are many Friend's groups across the nation, but the Raystown group stands alone in its diversity of projects and activities. I'm proud of this group and their many accomplishments.”
Dwight Beall
Operations Manager
Raystown Lake |
Did you know…
"Friends" is a supporting partner in the Raystown Conservation Education Program. RayCEP is a group of agencies, schools, businesses and other organizations that have teamed together to provide educational programming for the visitors to Raystown Lake. The RayCEP sponsored student interns deliver programs, coordinate among partners and recruit speakers to present on a variety of environmental issues. For more information and a schedule of programs, please visit the RayCEP website.
“Friends” has been the keystone organization to bring 30 newly constructed miles of trail to Raystown visitors. Friends has help organize, fund, build and will maintain the Allegrippis Trails. For more information about this exciting new addition to Raystown that promises to be a regional draw for mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts visit the Trails webpage.
 “Friends” helps fund supplies and provides volunteers in support of Raystown Lake’s artificial Fish Structure program. Every April volunteers spend their weekends building and placing fish cribs, boxes and trees. For more information about Fish Structure or to volunteer contact Tara Whitsel at 814-658-6811
“Friends” is also heavily involved in Natural Resource Management, contributing to and assisting with the Gypsy Moth Program, the American Chestnut Program, upland game bird habitat enhancement, various wildlife plantings and many other natural resource related activities.
We’d like to meet you! Meetings are held the second Thursday of every month at Hoss’s in Huntingdon (on Rt. 22). Visitors and new members welcome!
There are over 500 “Friends” memberships and counting…
To become a member of the Friends and receive your car decal, patch & quarterly newsletter print and fill out the form below and mail to:
The Friends of Raystown Lake
PO Box 87
Hesston, PA 16647
For additional information give us a call at 814-658-0116.
[or click here to print form]
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“Friends" has been the proud coordinator of Lake Cleanup Day since 1988. Over 100 volunteers work together to cleanup remote sections of Raystown Shoreline. An average of 2 trash dumpsters and 1 ton of recyclables is collected every year from the Raystown shoreline. For more information about Lake Cleanup Day or to volunteer contact Melissa Bean at 814-658-6812.