Help clean up the Loyalsock Trail
Hikers who want to help clean up a segment of the Loyalsock Trail today, May 6 and/or May 20 may sign up by calling Ruth Rode, of the Alpine Club of Williamsport.
Participants should bring their own gloves, lunch and beverages, as well as clippers, loppers and bow or folding saws. Some equipment also will be provided.
Hikers first should register by calling Rode at 322-5878. On each day of the hike, they should meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the Sovereign Bank, 251 S. Market St., South Williamsport.
Learn about uses of rain barrels
How can you reduce water runoff on your property and also store many gallons of rainwater? Marcia Campbell, Master Gardner and Lycoming Audubon Society member, will discuss water conservation and the use of easy-to-make rain barrels during the society's next meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The free, public program will be held in the Lowry Room in the new wing of the James V. Brown Library.
Two complete rain barrels will be given away as door prizes.
For more information, visit www.lycoming.org/audubon.
Geisinger offers lecture about Lyme disease
SELINSGROVE - Dr. Michael Ryan, pediatric infectious disease specialist and chairman of the Janet Weis Children's Hospital at Geisinger Medical Center, will present information about immunizations, Lyme disease and infectious diseases at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Degenstein Campus Center, Susquehanna University.
The event is free and open to the public. To register, call 1-800-275-6401 and ask for "CareLink" or visit www.geisinger.org/events.
Volunteers needed to clean Black Hole Creek
MONTGOMERY - The Great Black Hole Creek Cleanup will be held Saturday. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at Hulsizer's Chevrolet. Rain date is May 5.
The cleanup will take place all through Montgomery, from Hulsizer's and past Riverside Campground. Trash bags and gloves will be provided.
For more information, call 547-6289.
ATV safety class planned
An all-terrain vehicle safety class will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Wheels Of Williamsport Inc., 99 Grey Fox Drive, Montoursville. Student must provide their own ATV and parents must accompany their children.
Class size is limited and registration is required prior to the day of the class.
The class will be taught by state certified safety instructors Bill and Nancy Stugart.
The state requires youths ages 8 through 15 take a safety training course prescribed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and have a safety training certificate issued by DCNR before operating an ATV off their parents' or legal guardians' property.
To register, call Bill or Nancy at 435-0923.
Helpers needed for community cleanup
Phase two of the Loyalsock Creek Community Greenway Cleanup will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Anyone interested in helping should register in advance by contacting Clinton County CleanScapes Project Director Elisabeth Lynch McCoy at clintoncountycleanscapes@yahoo.com or 726-3511.
Volunteer opportunities include:
Operating personally owned heavy machinery to disassemble debris-laden log jams;
Drive personally owned pickup trucks as debris transport vehicles;
Baking cookies to served at the end of the cleanup during the luncheon;
Assembling, delivering or serving lunch; and
Providing photography services of participants in action.
The cleanup will be held rain or shine.
Registrations will be accepted until noon April 25. Those who register will be given a meeting site location, a pair of work gloves, an orange safety vest, garbage bags and lunch and refreshments.
Gun raffle scheduled
BEECH CREEK - The Beech Creek American Legion Post 623 will hold its spring gun raffled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Beech Creek Legion Park.
For more information, email Patrick F. Gensib, vice commander, at rainbowautouph@verizon.net.
Conservancy readies for annual dinner meeting
May 2 is the last day to purchase reservations for the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy's annual dinner and meeting, which will be held May 9 at the Holiday Inn, 100 Pine St.
Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased by calling the conservancy at 323-6222.
A silent auction will be held during the event.
Register now for West Branch sojourn
May 4 is the last day to register for the West Branch Susquehanna Sojourn, an 85-river mile-long expedition from Curwensville to Renovo that will be held May 19-24.
Break out the paddles, get campfire tales organized and organizers for an exciting trip through some of the most remote and lovely sections of the Upper West Branch of the Susquehanna River during a six-day educational canoe and kayak trip. Participants may paddle the entire trip or a few days.
Touted by National Geographic as a "Best Adventure Destination for 2012" and recently designated a National Recreation Trail by the National Park Service, the West Branch is a great place for exploration.
Full registration is $325 for adults and $165 for kids 12 and under. Partial registration is $65/day for adults and $33/day for kids 12 and under.
For more information, or to register, go to the www.susquehannagreenway.org/west-branch-sojourn-register-here webpage.
Watershed associations to meet
HUGHESVILLE - The Black Hole Creek Watershed Association and the Muncy Creek Watershed Association will hold a joint meeting at 7 p.m. May 10 at Hughesville Library, 146 Fifth St.
Mark Stephens, a professional geologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection, and Megan Lehman, an environmental planner with Lycoming County, will deliver a presentation about the North Central Source Water Protection Alliance and its efforts to protect public water systems.
The alliance protects the region's drinking water sources from all potential sources of contamination by proactively evaluating susceptibility to contamination, working to minimize or eliminate specific potential threats, creating long-range strategies to protect sources, encouraging local planning and inter-municipal coordination efforts, and educating the public about source water protection.
The meeting is open to the public.
Exchange your garden plants for new ones
JERSEY SHORE - Is your garden out of hand? Want to find some new plants and save money at the same time?
The Jersey Shore Public Library has just the ticket. It is holding a plant exchange from 10 a.m. to noon May 12. Bring three potted plants, shrubs or bulbs to exchange for three new ones.
To register, visit the library at 110 Oliver St. or call the library at 398-9891.
Environmental film series offered
BLOSSBURG - The Countryside Film Series will be held at the Victoria Theater, 222 Main St., at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month through at least June.
The theme of each film will explore some aspect of the notion of "countryside" and will deliver a message of hope and respect for the country and the country folks who live there. Before the feature film, a segment from one of the oral histories gathered by the Pine Creek Watershed Council will be shown to highlight the history and culture of this region.
The suggested ticket price is $5.
Upcoming movies include:
May 16 - "Blue Planet" and "The Powers of 10"
June 20 - "Hope for Polluted Water"
Fishing derby planned
MONTGOMERY - The Black Hole Creek Fishin' Derby will be held May 19, unless the weather is inclement. The rain date is June 2.
For more information, call Becky at 547-6289.
Benefit motorcycle ride scheduled
The Friends of Paws Park and the Knight Crew Motorcycle Club have teamed up to hold their first benefit motorcycle ride, named Dog Gone MC Ride, on May 19. All proceeds will be split between the off-leash dog park and the new South Williamsport K9 Unit.
Registration will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Lions Pavilion at the South Williamsport Community Park. The cost is $15 per rider; $10 per rider if registered in advance; and $10 per rider for groups of 10 or more riders. Poker run is $5 per rider.
A barbecue chicken dinner is included in registration fee, and the event includes a blessing of the bikes and a Chinese auction.
To download a registration form, visit www.swpawspark.com or www.southwilliamsport.net.
Anglers club to hold fishing derby
TROUT RUN - The Lycoming Creek Anglers Club will stock trout on May 26. Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. at the Trout Run Fire Co.
The club also will hold a children's fishing derby June 2 at the Sheshequin Campgrounds, north of here on Route 14 at the Marsh Hill Bridge. It will be held rain or shine.
Girls and boys up to age 13 may compete and each will receive a derby prize.
Registration times are:
3-4 years, 8:30 a.m., fishing 9 a.m.-10 a.m.;
5-6 years, 10 a.m., fishing 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.;
7-9 years, 11:30 a.m., fishing noon-1 p.m.;
10-13 years, 1 p.m., fishing, 1:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
Group plans motorcycle ride
CASTANEA - The Durty Dabbers Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride will be held June 2-3 at the Castanea Fire Hall Picnic grounds, across the field from the William T. Piper Memorial Airport.
The ride involves about 100 miles of off-road, street-legal motorcycle riding.
For more information, call 748-9456 or 726-3343 or visit www.durtydabbers.com.
Women in the Outdoors event planned
DANVILLE - The White Deer Jakes, Col-mont Gobblers and Sun Area chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold a Tri-Chapter Women in the Outdoors event on June 9 at Montour Preserve/North Montour Sportsmen's Club. A fee will apply.
Advance registration is required by going to www.womenintheoutdoors.org, clicking on "PA WITO Event Manager Calendar" and then searching the calendar.
Through expert instruction and hands-on education, the NWTF's Women in the Outdoors program helps women develop outdoor skills in a safe environment.
For more information, contact Leslie Smith at 484-634-0069 or lsmith@nwtf.net or visit www.womenintheoutdoors.org.
ATV ride to raise funds for cancer cure
RENOVO - The second annual ATV Cruise for a Cure will be held June 9. The 50-mile guided tour will begin in Renovo's Heritage Park, traverse the Bloody Skillet ATV Trail Park and return to Renovo.
It will start with a pancake breakfast at 6 a.m. at the Renovo Fire Hall.
Registration will be available noon-8 p.m. June 8 and at 7 a.m. June 9, but is available online now at www.renovo.eventbrite.com.
Vendors, organizations and businesses will be on hand to support those dealing with cancer.
For more information, call 923-1000, ext. 2191, or email snestor@bucktailmed.org.
Athletes prepare for adventure triathlon
LOCK HAVEN - The sixth annual Great Island Adventure Triathlon will be held June 23 at the Woodward Boat Launch, across the Jay Street Bridge.
Participants will paddle, pedal and run through a 23-mile course in the heart of the PA Wilds.
For more information, call 748-6727 or visit www.lockhavenymca.com.
Bass tourney registrations sought
BERWICK - The Columbia County Bassmasters is accepting registrations for the third annual Bassmasters Fishing Tournament, which will be held Jane 23-24 at the Berwick Test Track Park boat launch.
The boundaries on the Susquehanna River extend from the Danville/Riverside bridge to the Nanticoke bridge.
Teams of two anglers may register, but there is a limit of 100 boats. A fee of $140 per boat includes breakfast and a T-shirt. Registration forms are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Once the 100-boat limit is reached, all other applications will be returned.
Cash prizes totaling $12,500 will be awarded. The first-place team will receive $5,000. Each day, lunker prizes will be awarded for adults and junior anglers.
Applications and rules may be downloaded from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau's website -www.iTourColumbiaMontour.com/Bassmasters - or the Columbia County Bassmasters website - www.ColumbiaCountyBassmasters.com.
Applications also are available at Bo's Bait Barn, 1312 Raspberry Ave., Nescopeck; Smith's Outdoor Connection, 1901 Orange St., Berwick; Laubach's Sporting Goods, 547 E. Eighth St., Berwick; Halls Marine, 890 Lycoming Mall Drive, Muncy; and visitors bureau offices, 121 Papermill Road, Bloomsburg, and 316 Mill St., Danville.
For more information, call Mike "Chuck" Monico, tournament director, at 752-3223.
Annual canoe, kayak races planned
HOWARD - The seventh annual Bricktown Challenge will be held July 14 at the Bald Eagle State Park beach, 149 Main Park Road.
The event offers canoe and kayak races for the serious paddler, youth and junior paddler races, and recreational races.
For more information, call 660-0382 or visit www.beechcreekwatershed.org.
Wildlife for Everyone 5-mile run scheduled
ALLENWOOD - The Wildlife for Everyone 5 Miler off-road run/walk will be held at 9 a.m. July 14 on State Game Lands 252.
The course encompasses dirt roads and grassy land. The roads will be closed to vehicles. Prizes and refreshments will be provided.
T-shirts will be given to all participants who register by June 25 and pay a $20 fee. Registration on race day is $25. Shirts will be limited on race day.
All proceeds will benefit the Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation,
For more information, email Steven Schmit at wfe5M@windstream.net or natasharider@windstream.net.
Get ready to 'Prowl the Sproul'
HYNER - The eighth annual "Prowl the Sproul" race will be held July 21 at the Western Clinton Sportsmen's Association.
At 10 a.m., participants will take a 10K run through the mountains of Sproul State Forest, including three miles of uphill to the top of McCloskey Mountain and then a blistering 3.7 miles down to the finish.
Registration will be held 8:30-9:45 a.m. A $25 fee applies.
For more information, call 814-321-8281 or see www.hikerun.com/56912.html.
Outdoor events sought
Do you have a meeting or outdoor event you'd like to publicize in the Sun-Gazette?
Announcements must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the date of the event, preferably earlier.
Information and news releases may be:
Mailed to Outdoor editor, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport PA 17701
Emailed to outdoors@sungazette.com
Dropped off at the Sun-Gazette office, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport
Submitted through the Outdoor section of the Virtual Newsroom on the paper's website, www.sungazette.com.
All submissions must contain the name, telephone number and, if available, email address of a contact person.
Photographs by area residents of trophy fish or game animals or other interesting outdoor occurrences also will be considered. Digital photos may be sent by email.
Hard-copy glossy prints, negatives or slides may be dropped off or mailed. Polaroid prints typically cannot be reprinted in the newspaper.
Only photos sent with a stamped, self-addressed envelope will be returned.
Announcements published in the "Outdoor Briefs" section will print in chronological order as space permits.
The Outdoors section is published weekly on Sundays, but it goes to print early on Wednesday mornings.
Therefore, all information for publication on any given Sunday must be submitted by noon on the Monday prior.
For more help, call 326-1551, ext. 3116.
