Thursday, September 12, 2013 N/Warren Town and County News Page Fifteen
Third in Series - Appalachian Trail (blog by Norwalk Residents)
Rick and Kasey are now in West Virginia headed
north. They have hiked/walked 707.4 miles of the Ap-
palachian Trail. Injury update: Kasey's heel has healed
and still slightly tender, but she is getting along fine.
Rick's leg no longer needs an ace bandage and both are
generally sore and aching all over.
June 7 at the Keiffer Oak, the largest oak tree on the
trail. The tree is over 18' around and 300 years old. The
hills are alive with animals and plants. Today Kasey al-
most stepped on a rattlesnake and came across a black
rat snake crossing the trail. Also, turtles, beetles, spi-
ders, huge snails, deer and many beautiful plants.
Rick's Hammock with dead tree.
Rick made the mistake of tying his hammock to a
dead tree. After several hours when he was sound
asleep, it fell down on top of him.
Kasey commented, "There are hikers and there are
campers and I have decided I am a camper. Each time
we come to a nice clearing with fiat ground, a nice
stream, I want to camp right there, it doesn't matter if
we have hiked two or 20 miles, I want to camp. Dad is a
hiker, he doesn't want to sit still at all, he would like to
be the first one out of camp each morning and the last
one in."
June 24, Rick bought some playing cards from the
conservancy, which have edible plant information and
as hikers are always hungry, now they can safely select
plants, berries and weeds around them to consume.
Keiffer oak tree, the largest tree on the trail.
1,000 mile maker reached.
Hikers are strict about being a "thru hiker" and feel
you must walk the entire length of the trail. When they
leave the trail to go to town they always return to the
same spot they left the trail and continue their journey.
Take no short cuts.
Rocks and scenic valley along trail.
Cicadas are insects that shed their skin and leave it
attached to trees.
June 28, Rick and Kasey arrive in West Virginia, the
fifth state on the north trek of the trail. They appreciate
all the mail and encouragement from homb. They both
said the mail from home is very encouraging; they get
to see the big picture again. They get lost in the daily
routine of hiking, finding water, food and shelter and
get discouraged at time.
McAfee Knob has an elevation of 3,197 feet.
The secret of concentration is the secret of self-dis-
covery. You reach inside yourself to discover your per-
sonal resources, and what it takes to match them to
the challenge.
-Arnold Palmer
Kasey at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Photos
submitted.
Iowa Donor Network
The football teams at Iowa's State Universities enter
into new competition.
The University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State Univer-
sity and the University of Iowa have entered into a new
competition to save lives starting this weekend. Along
with Iowa Donor Network (IDN), the football programs,
fans and students will compete to register more organ,
eye and tissue donors in Iowa.
"I0wa is ranked 4th in the country for donor regis-
trations', explains Iowa Donor Network CEO Suzanne
Conrad. "However, we know over 90% of the country
believe donation is the right thing to do. With the help
of our state's universities, we know we can increase
donor registrations and save more lives in Iowa and
across the United States."
More than 18 people die every day in the United
States waiting for an organ transplant. Another 1.5 mil-
lion will receive a tissue transplant over the next 12
months, including 50,000 cornearecipients who will
receive the gift of sight.
"Anyone in Iowa can register as a donor and at the °
same time, vote for their favorite university to win this
challenge," says Conrad, "just visit www.IowaDonor
Network.org and click on your team's logo to register.
In addition, fans can visit their favorite team's collegiate
website and¢lick on a banner to register there. For fans
who are already registered donors, they can vote for
their favorite team on our website without registering
again."
Conrad says the competition will run all season long
and the university who receives the most votes and sup-
port will be presented with a traveling trophy after the
football season.
Based in North Liberty, Donor Network is the fully
accredited and federally designated organ procurement
organization (OPO) serving Iowa.
Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, IDN coordinates with health care profession-
als, funeral directors and others involved in the dona-
tion process. IDN also works with donor families be-
fore, during and after donation, to educate, support and
help families'work through their grief. For more infor-
marion, log on to www.IowaDonorNetwork.org, or call
800-831-4131.
KEEP IOWA BEAUTIFUL
Concluded from p. 14
• Education, Health, Social and Emergency Services
• Local Economy
• Government / Public Services
• Recreation, Faith, Culture and Heritage
• General Observations
• information from Community Residents
For each of us living in the same place for long peri-
ods of time we soon become blind to things around us.-
Each day on the trip downtown, to the store or to church
we may pass very unattractive elements of our commu-
nity and soon they disappear from our view as we avoid
and disregard them. With rime those items that nega-
tively impact our community disappear from our vi-
sion.
For newcomers or those that visit the area - the nega-
tive or unattractive elements that disappeared from site
of the local residents tend to stand out. They form a
negative and lasting impression of the community or
neighborhood. That is why the concept of a team from
matching communities should consider trading places
in order to receive a fresh outside view of the places
where we live and work.
Communities interested in the concept should check
out the First Impressions program and utilize the audit
forms or checklists that will guide each community
evaluation.
The Keep Iowa Beautiful "Hometown Pride" pro-
gram works with clusters of communities that have a
common interest by enhancing both their cultural and
economic vitality. The community coach working with
the communities utilizes the First4mpressions program
as one of the tools in our Hometown Pride toolbox of
programs for communities Contact Keep Iowa Beauti-
ful if you would like to explore the potential of the
• Hometown Pride program in your area.
For more specific information on the First Impres-
sions program use the following web page: http://
cced.ces.uwex.edu/2012/08/04/first-impressions-pro-
gram-2/
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