What is over 7500 feet long, lighted by over 500 candles, and more fun than 25 barrels full of monkeys? A Twilight Trail Walk, of course. Ok, so maybe the monkey barrels can't be substantiated with fact, but nearly five hundred people of all ages and scores of their canine companions enjoyed an evening stroll on the luminaria-lit Arrowhead Trail in Peters Township on July 30. The weather cooperated despite predictions of evening thundershowers by the weatherman. Even the full moon showed itself toward the end of the walk while event volunteers tore down and restored the trail back to darkness. The warm 78 degree weather was quite a departure from January's first Twilight Trail Walk, held in 27 degree weather on a lighted portion of the trail only one third as long as this one.
Participants enjoyed the musical talents of Orbital Motion, drinks from Scones and Cones, Eat 'n Park cookies, toasted marshmallows, hot dogs, and doggie treats (species appropriate). Walking the trail after full darkness fell provided an unusual perspective of moving lights that seemed to float in the darkness until those wearing the glowing necklaces, dog collars, and blinkie pins were within a few yards. One ambitious youngster even attempted some hula-hoop moves with three necklaces strung together while making her way down the trail. The spectacle of walking the nearly three-mile round trip of lighted trail with hundreds of other trail supporters was described by one unidentified pre-teen walker as "this is awesome!"
Twilight Trail Walk II Event Director Sue Headley reports that over $2000 was raised to support the building and maintenance of the Montour Trail in Peters Twp. She continued, " I want to thank all the participants and our sponsors who helped make this event possible: Hormel Foods, Gina Lison, Nickels Bakery, Parkhurst Dining Services, Pittsburgh Children's Foundation, Sarris Candy, Scones and Cones, Subway on Valleybrook Rd., Wendy's, and Dr. Timothy Weyrich. Also, our raffle prize donors: Battery Nexus, Carnegie Science Center, Crossroads Florist, The Dairy Bar, Giant Eagle, Lorenzo Pizza, Miller's Hardware, The Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, Sarris Candy, Therapy by Hand, and Carolyn Weyrich.
Most trail events have far too many volunteers to thank individually, but this event is small enough to extend a personal thank you. With advanced apologies to anyone inadvertently left out, special thanks to the many volunteers who gave of their time to plan the event, make luminarias, set up & run the event, and clean up afterwards. They were: Cara Delesteinne, Jane Engle, Sue Headley, Jamie Headley, John Hooton, Mark Imgrund, Tina Imgrund, Peter Kohnke, John Kozak, Dennie Laughlin, Erin Long, Mark Mendolsohn, Kelli Merritt, John Murphy, Craig Robbins, Jim Robbins, Karen Robbins, Jack Shoup, Sarah Shoup, Jenny Smith, and the Boy Scouts of Troop 1320.
The event was such a great success that holding another one is almost a foregone conclusion; so stay tuned for an announcement of when TTW III will be held.
Mark Imgrund