Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Induction to be Held at Banquet on June 8

April 17, 2012 - PRLog -- The Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame’s second class of honorees will be inducted on Friday, June 8, at the Second Annual Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet at the historic Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.  The charter class inducted in 2011 included six pioneers who brought the trail from an idea to completion and the first two to hike its 2,000 plus miles from Maine to Georgia in a single year.  The charter class included Myron Avery, Gene Espy, Ed Garvey, Benton MacKaye, Arthur Perkins and Earl Shaffer.  Five additional trail pioneers will be inducted as the 2012 class.

"Inductees into our hall of fame include those who believed in the importance of the trail from its inception and then set out to prove that hiking from Maine to Georgia was not only possible, but enjoyable," said Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society. "Hiking the trail’s 2,184 miles is itself a badge of honor.  Being inducted into the hall of fame is the ultimate recognition for an Appalachian Trail pioneer, maintainer or hiker."

Hall of Fame nominees include pioneers who conceived of and developed the trail; those who organized or directed major trail organizations like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs; longtime trail maintainers; leaders who promoted and protected the Appalachian Trail; hikers who have made significant accomplishments, and other persons who have enriched the culture or community of the Appalachian Trail by their association with it.

Mark Wenger, new executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, will be the featured speaker at the June 8 event.  The conservancy works with federal, state and local agencies and Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs in the cooperative management of the trail. An avid hiker, Wenger has worked for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and as a volunteer outdoors leader with the Boy Scouts and other groups.  Over an eight year period, he section hiked the entire Appalachian Trail.

Jim Foster, chair of the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame selection committee, said a 6 p.m. reception will precede the dinner at 7 p.m. The cost of the reception and dinner is $30 for museum members and $40 for others.  Former Cumberland County Commissioner and avid outdoorsman Rick Rovegno will emcee, and reception music will be provided by the New South Mountain Ramblers.

Complete information on the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet is available at this website:  http://atmbanquet2012.eventbrite.com/  Tickets may be purchased either at this website, or directly from the Appalachian Trail Museum by sending a check to:  
                                                         Appalachian Trail Museum
                                                        1120 Pine Grove Road
                                                         Gardners, PA  17324
Questions about the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet may be sent to atmbanquet@gmail.com.

The Allenberry Resort has reserved a block of rooms for banquet attendees.  For more information on Allenberry and to reserve a room, call 1-800-430-5468 or (717) 258-3211, or go to http://www.allenberry.com/  

Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame inductees are honored in the Appalachian Trail Museum, which has had approximately 20,000 visitors from throughout the United States and 18 other countries since it opened in Pine Grove Furnace State Park in June 2010.  Located at the midway point of the Appalachian Trail, the museum is across from the Pine Grove General Store on Pennsylvania Route 233. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. in the spring and fall.

About the Appalachian Trail Museum Society                                                                                                        
The Appalachian Trail Museum Society, a 501-C-3 not-for-profit organization formed in 2002, organizes programs, exhibits, volunteers and fundraising nationwide for the Appalachian Trail Museum.  The museum opened on June 5, 2010, as a tribute to the thousands of men, women and families who have hiked and maintained the 2,184 mile long hiking trail that passes through 14 states from Maine to Georgia. Located in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardners, Pennsylvania, the museum is conveniently near Carlisle, Gettysburg and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.  Additional information is available at www.atmuseum.org.