GREENTOWN, PA — As a member of the Friends of Promised Land State Park (PLSP), I was tasked with taking photos of the first annual Duathlon on Saturday, August 9 at the park. The event consisted of a 5K run/walk and a 1-mile paddle on the lake. 

Organized to help raise funds that support PLSP recreation, education and conservation programs, the event was included as part of the park’s celebration of the work of the CCC—the Civilian Conservation Corps—at the park.

My interest in wildlife photography has brought with it numerous encounters with one of my favorite mammals: Ursus americanus, the black bear. In fact, the night before the race, I visited the park to plan my strategy for the next morning’s photo shoot. 

Luck was on my side as I was able to see and photograph my first bear of the year at the park.

The Duathlon proved a big success, with 56 participants and 25 volunteers to help move things along. Next year’s run/walk and paddle will again be part of the CCC Day events at the park on August 8, 2026. 

The Friends group is about a year old and is always open to anyone willing to lend a hand and pitch in. The group can be contacted on Facebook, so you can keep up with the schedule of events.

Speaking of bears, I headed over to Pickerel Point to learn about the CCC at the museum, to tour the blacksmith shop and interact with those who had booths set up along the access road. 

The most famous bear I know made an appearance and was joined by a couple of his adoring fans for a photo. Little did I know that it was his 81st birthday! 

Introduced to the American public on August 9, 1944, Smokey Bear has served in the longest public service message of the United States, spreading the message that “Only YOU! can prevent forest fires.”

Ever since childhood, I always thought this iconic bear’s name was Smokey the Bear; however, after making a Facebook post about my encounter, Smokey himself reached out to me with another tidbit of information that I had not known about. His real name is Smokey Bear, and “the” was added to the name so it would flow more evenly in a song that further cements his message and longevity.

Hear the song, sung by Eddy Arnold in 1952, and learn a bit about our national forests. It’s on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myz93sXW66Y.