DCNR Secretary to Visit Renovo April 21; Agency Accepting Teen Outdoor Corps Applicants
By LaKeshia Knarr
RENOVO – On April 21, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn will visit Renovo to speak about the initiatives and agency programs that support rural communities in the Pennsylvania Wilds – and one program will be directly benefitting Western Clinton County this summer.
Secretary Dunn will be the guest at the Clinton County Economic Partnership’s upcoming “Lunch & Learn” event, taking place at the Sportsman’s Restaurant, 12700 Renovo Road, Renovo, on Friday, April 21 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
One program offered by the DCNR, in coordination with other agencies, is the Pennsylvania Outdoors Corps – and this year, a group of 10 youth between the ages of 15 and 18 will be able to participate at each site selected, including Renovo. The participants help clean up public lands and learn about the natural environment this summer while earning full-time wages as part of the Pennsylvania Outdoors Corps.
The statewide program was initiated last year by the DCNR and the PA Department of Labor & Industry, and offers high school students an opportunity to complete conservation projects to protect, enhance and restore Pennsylvania’s public lands. It is managed by the two state agencies in cooperation with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) – America’s oldest and largest youth conservation organization. The program is based in state parks and forests in rural and urban areas across the state, especially those near disadvantaged communities and school districts.
This year’s six-week, hands-on training program will take place July through August. Participants will work 37.5 hours per week and earn $10.15 per hour, in addition to receiving daily transportation to the worksite, breakfast and lunch. Projects include trail maintenance, habitat restoration, vegetation management, park maintenance, light construction and more. In addition, participants learn about the natural environment while gaining job skills.
In addition to Renovo, other sites selected this year include Erie, Meadville, Pittsburgh, Uniontown, Altoona, McConnellsburg, Saint Marys, Williamsport, Harrisburg, York, Wilkes-Barre, Reading and Philadelphia. Each selected site has a crew of 10 members and two leaders.
To attend the CCEP’s Lunch & Learn event on April 21, register by Monday, April 17, by calling 570-748-5782 or emailing tourism@clintoncountyinfo.com. The cost is $10 for CCEP members and $15 for non-members and the luncheon menu includes soup, salad, sandwiches, dessert and drinks.
Learn more about the PA Outdoor Corps and how to apply by visiting www.thesca.org/serve/program/pennsylvania-outdoor-corps. (Upon completion of the SCA application, email paoutdoorcorps@thesca.org to inform them of your application submission.)
