A trio of our through-hiker guests made a 15 mile trek to get to the picnic! At 2pm Judy Schumer let a community wildflower walk along the Benedict Pond Loop Trail Judy urged participants to push past 'plant blindness' and learn to focus on the idenity and beauty of individial plants. She helped the group discover greater purple fringed bog-orchid and spotted wintergreen, also known as Pipsissewa. At 5 pm A potluck dinner was provided by community members and open to hungry Through-hikers Despite the heat, music was provided by valiant members of the Berkshire Ukulele Band Adam Morris, MA DCR Beartown Park Supervisor, Deb Phillips and Christine Ward, AT Trail Day Co-Chairs greeted all guests and participants. Community members filled the air with applause as each through-hiker arrived. Jim Pelletier, Past Chair of the MA A.T. Management Committee and Adam Brown, ATC Regional Manager; with Cosmo Catalano, Chair of the MA A.T Committee in background heroically grilling a very hot day! Cosmo and Jim also led a volunteer work group before the picnic. There was plent of food and through-hikers chowed down alongside volunteer A.T. Trail Maintainers and day hikers. A.T. Through hikers parked their packs to relax and refuel.
