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“
It’s a German shepherd and he’s
dark bronze against the grass and trees,”
describes Gwen Loose, executive direc-
tor for York County Rail Trail Authority,
which developed the rail-trail in the
1990
s.
The statue of Pal was created to
honor York County native Arthur
Glatfelter Jr., a savvy entrepreneur who
started an insurance company and made
many contributions to the community.
“[
Glatfelter] was very philanthropic,”
says Gross. “He touched so many things.
We wanted to do something to recognize
that.”
The story of Glatfelter and his dog
started in 1942. During World War II,
the then teenage Glatfelter decided to
enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. With
no one to care for his dog, he anxiously
brought the beloved pet with him to
the military base. To his surprise, Pal
was welcomed and, with training, put
into service as a scout in a Marine war
dog platoon. Eventually, the two were
sent on different missions in the South
Pacific and separated. But in 1946 they
were reunited and honorably discharged.
Glatfelter and Pal spent many more
happy years together.
Glatfelter, who passed away earlier
this year, made an annual contribution
in the six figures to local charities. The
groups supported by his generosity over
the years were numerous and diverse.
Sixty years after
their military service,
the bronze sculpture
of Glatfelter’s dog Pal
was unveiled during
a Veterans Day pro-
gram at the York Expo
Center. The statue
was the work of local
artist Lorann Jacobs,
who knew Glatfelter
well. Glatfelter was
emotional upon seeing
the likeness of his old
friend.
“
There was a lot
of excitement that
day,” says Gross.
“[
Glatfelter] was very
touched without a
doubt.”
For more informa-
tion on the Heritage Rail Trail County
Park, visit York County Parks and
Recreation at
yorkcountypa.gov/parks-
recreation/the-parks/heritage-rail-
trail-park.html
.
KENTUCKY
Kids on the Katy
Not many youngsters can say they’ve
pedaled 100 miles in a week. So, for a
group of Louisville, Ky., inner-city teens,
the completion of a spring break bicy-
cling trip on Missouri’s renowned Katy
Trail becomes a point of pride.
“
There’s always a few that don’t think
they can do it,” says William Rasinen,
the recreation and youth develop-
ment manager at the Cabbage Patch
Settlement House. “We show them that
they can.”
This empowerment thinking is the
core of the programming at the House,
a nonprofit group offering recreational
and educational after-school opportuni-
ties for at-risk youth, most of whom are
living below the poverty line.
A few years ago, when the group
began to consider providing spring and
summer bike camps, Rasinen, an out-
doorsman who has hiked the Appalachian
Trail, leaped at the chance to lead them.
“
We liked the Katy Trail because it’s
off the road with only a few road cross-
ings,” he says.
With a group of 10 energetic young-
sters on each trip, aged 13 to 17, it’s per-
haps no surprise that his prime directive
is: safety first. All participants are gradu-
ates of a three-day bike safety course.
Physical fitness and healthy eating are
components of the program, too. Before
the campers are loaded into a van and
whisked off to the trail, they make a stop
at the grocery store where they each have
$50 to spend for the trip and are encour-
aged to make nutritional choices.
“
The average kid who comes here is
sedentary,” says Rasinen. “Forty-seven
percent of the average kid’s time is
leisure time, so we teach them how to
use that leisure time more actively. For
example, we have one kid here who is
14.
He was out of shape, but participat-
ed in our programs all summer and won
a free bike. He went on the spring break
trip last year and now does cyclo-cross
with a local team!”
For more information on the
Cabbage Patch Settlement House, visit
cabbagepatch.org
.
Happy campers
at a lunch stop on
the Katy Trail.
Pal sculpture on the trail.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE YORK DAILY RECORD/YORK SUNDAY NEWS
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CABBAGE PATCH SETTLEMENT HOUSE, INC.