A Catalyst For Community Improvement

Driving the resources, conservation and development of projects for Northwestern Pennsylvania since 1964

Serving 8 counties of northwestern Pa: Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren.

Women's Outdoor Workshops Are Back!!

*The deadline to register for this

event is Oct. 5th!

Join us Saturday, Oct. 17th, 2026 for the second WOW event under Penn Soil RC&D's leadership! We have 17 workshops for women and girls 12 years old and up to select from when they register for this event!

Our host location for this Women's Outdoor Workshop is the Tionesta Church of God, 1582 PA-36, Tionesta, Pa, 16353, 8 am until about 5 pm.

Coffee and donuts will be provided during registration/sign in starting at 8 am, as

well as lunch, included with your registration,

provided by the Women’s Auxiliary

of The Tionesta Church of God! If you have food restrictions, it is recommended to bring food you know you can have.

Download, complete and return the Word Doc or PDF registration document below with your registration fee to be registered for our Oct. 17th WOW event. Visit our Shop page for a quick and easy online option to pay your registration fee, plus any additional materials fees if you sign up for one of the 5 classes that have an extra materials fee. Add all applicable fees to your cart before you checkout. The waiver at the bottom of the registration form does require an actual signature, we can't accept just typing your name on the form. If you don't have a means to print, sign and scan the last page into your computer to email to us, please consider emailing your form with class selections and contact info, then print it off and mail a copy to our office with your signature.

If you are unable to print the registration form, you can pick one up at the following locations:

Warren Co.:

Penn Soil Office - 4000 Conewango Ave, Warren

Warren Visitor's Center, 22045 US -6, Warren

Forest Co.:

Forest Co. Conservation District

or call or email and we can mail them to you!

If you have questions, would like to volunteer for the event, would like a sponsor or donate something to the basket raffle, contact us by email at pennsoilrcd@wcconservation.net or call the office at 814-726-1141 and ask for Sue Nielsen.

Registration form:

Crawford Gives 2026

We're excited to share that Penn Soil RC&D Council has been permitted to participate in Crawford Gives, a community-wide giving event taking place August 19 through 21, 2026.

Supporters like you are making a difference every day in our communities. Here are some of the things we are planning in the coming year with the funds from Crawford Gives 2026:

• Continue supporting the community projects who have asked for our assistance, continue to support the groups we act as a fiscal agent for.

*Continue organizing and planning community events such as water/outdoor safety events, environmental education and farmer education days, assisting communities with expanding their local fresh food access, arts and cultural events & river cleanups.

*Continue organizing the Women’s Outdoor Workshops and more!

*Continue to pay two part-time staff, cover insurance and rent.

This year, our goal is to raise at least $5,000, which will help us pay our staff, organize community events and support local partners. Whether it's $25, $100 or $250, every gift helps us continue this important work.

Penn Soil RC&D relies on donations and grants to continue to provide support, with just two part-time employees, to the community groups across 8 counties who approach us for assistance and to organize and lead community projects and events that are relevant and beneficial to residents.

There are several easy ways to participate: • Give online during Crawford Gives at www.crawfordgives.org between 12:01 am August 19 through Midnight August 21.

• Mail your check using the Check Contribution Form on the website. Checks must be made payable to: Crawford Heritage Community Foundation

*Checks may be mailed before the event and will be counted during Crawford Gives.

• Drop off or mail your completed check form.

*Mail: Crawford Heritage Community Foundation, PO Box 933, Meadville, PA 16335

*Drop off: Crawford Heritage Community Foundation, 415 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335

• Pay by phone - Crawford Heritage Community Foundation at 814-336-5206 between 8am - 5pm from August 19 - 21.

Your investment, no matter the size, helps strengthen our organization and the communities we all care about. Thank you for your continued support. We hope you'll consider making a donation to Penn Soil RC&D during Crawford Gives and help make this our best year yet.

And here's a few photos from the June WOW event courtesy of Kirby Neubert:

Kayak Twister!

Rock Painting in Nature

Water Safety & Kayking

Fur Taking

Archery

Fly Fishing

Blacksmithing

Penn Soil water events this year!

Volunteer for the Conewango Creek Cleanup
Saturday, Sept. 12th
8 am - 2 pm

It's that time of year again! The Conewango Creek River Cleanup will take place Sat., Sept. 12! This year we will focus on Conewango Creek from the Front St. Boat launch to Point Park in Warren, PA.

If you would like to volunteer, you can be on the water using a loaner canoe courtesy, once again, of the Chief Cornplanter Council Boy Scouts of America, who has been a partner on this cleanup for many years! A Huge Thank You to the Boy Scouts who come through year after year! You can also bring your own kayak or canoe, and we'll get it shuttled to the starting point of the cleanup. If you prefer to stay on land, we do need land-based volunteers to be part of the traveling road show and unload the boats as they come into the pickup spots along the Conewango Creek and put garbage into the trailer.

We will meet starting at 8 am at Point Park for volunteers to sign waivers, pick supplies for the day (gloves, garbage bags, buckets), we'll give the safety talk and coordinate shuttling of people, gear and boats to the starting point at the Front St. Boat Launch off of Conewango Ave., Warren. There will be several pickup spots along the way. The first will be the G.G. Greene property, then Pellegrino's and then the ending point of Point Park. The event is rain or shine, but we have put in a request for sunshine that day! Wear closed toed shoes, bring a refillable water bottle and lunch/snacks to

keep your energy levels up!

Those wishing to volunteer or if you have questions, you can email us at pennsoilrcd@wcconservation.net or call the office at 814-726-1441. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Scouting troops may be accompanied by troop leaders but one adult must be in a canoe

with a child under 18 years of age.

We would also like to send a big Thank You to Snell Landscaping for donating

the dumpster this year!

Funding for this year's event, in partnership with the Conewango Creek Watershed Association, has been provided by the PA Environmental Council, PA Organization of Watersheds & Rivers, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Foundation for PA Watersheds! Thank you to these organizations for helping to make all of our

water events possible for 2026!!

Volunteer for the Clarion River Cleanup
Saturday, Sept., 26
8 am - 2 pm

Penn Soil RC&D will be assisting the Clarion County Conservation District, the Friends of Cook Forest and DCNR- Cook Forest with getting the Clarion River Cleanup going again!

In partnership with the Pale Whale Livery, who will provide canoes and shuttling, we will cover about a 4-mile stretch of the Clarion River, rain or shine. You may also bring your own kayak or canoe.

Registration information is coming soon! Check back for more details here or on our Penn Soil RC&D Facebook page!

Thank you again to our grant funders and partners...

Clarion Co. Conservation District

Water Safety Days have taken place in Warren & Clarion Counties for 2026!

On Sat., June 13th, we were at the Clarion River Water Fest at Toby Boat Launch

covering water & kayaking safety. Many other organizations participated as well, offering motorboat safety, discussing native species and preventing the spread of invasives, macroinvertebrates water investigation and much more!

Penn Soil RC&D organized a water safety day at the Warren Carpool in partnership with the Warren YMCA and the Warren Carpool on Monday, August 3rd.

Penn Soil taught water safety, the Conewango Creek Watershed Association discussed native & invasive species and water pollution, the Cherry Grove Rescue Dog Team brought two of their search dogs and talked about hiking safety and DCNR was there with Smokey Bear to talk about wildfire safety. Over 110 children and adults attended!

These events were also made possible thanks to the funders and partners above!!

The Kinzua Heritage
Festival is back!

Step back into time for the weekend! This is a family oriented festival. Local and out of area artisans dressed in period costumes, line our wooded glen that want to share their knowledge and crafts with you.