Volunteers, an Earth Day Celebration, and a Little Snow

VolunteerTeeSummersposeswiththefirsttreeshe’severplanted.TheannualEarthDayCelebrationandVolunteerTreePlantingProgramatCherryValleyNationalWildlifeRefugeinStroudsburg,Pennsylvania,usuallyconjuresupimagesofSpring,withbirdssingingandwarmtemperatureshavingfinallyarrivedafteracoldwinterseason.ButforPennsylvaniaresidents,theyknowthattheweatherinAprilcanquicklychangefromoneextremetothenextandthatisexactlywhat37hardyvolunteersexperiencedatthe2025versionofthefourth-annualeventonSaturdayApril12th.Withonlyrainpredictedintheforecast,participantsweregreetedtoasurprisewinterwonderlandwhentheyarosethatmorning.Refugestaffarrivedattherefugebeforetheprogramtocheckthatthegroundhadnotfrozenandwasstillsuitableforplanting,unsureofhowmanyvolunteerswouldattendwiththecoldtemperature,steadilyfallingsnow,andtheslipperyconditionsonthesurroundingroads.Butasapleasantsurprise,slowlybutsurelyandoneafteranother,volunteersbegantoarriveintherefugeparkinglot.Fir