Point Made!

Point Made! Celebration – June 15, 2013

February 14, 2013

I would like to invite you back to Pittsburgh for a very special event. After 35 years of work by hundreds of volunteers, support from dozens of communities, and millions of dollars in private, state and federal investment, the 335-mile hiking/biking trail between Pittsburgh and Washington, DC will be completed this summer. We would be honored if you could join us in Pittsburgh on Saturday, June 15 as we celebrate this great achievement.

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) stretches 150 miles, linking Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD, where it connects to the 185-mile C&O Canal National Historical Park to Georgetown. This recreational trail, full of history from George Washington to the Industrial Revolution to the rise of Steel and the making of the modern world, also showcases the wonderful scenic beauty of western Pennsylvania and Maryland and their charming small towns. There are over 750,000 visits to the trail every year – by local residents, international travelers, scout groups, adventurers young and old from across the nation; even the Sea to Shining Sea ride for wounded veterans uses the GAP.

To celebrate this decades-in-the-making trail completion, we are planning a week-long public celebration culminating in the events on the 15^th of June. Our celebration in the park will be followed by a 4:00 pm home Pirates game just across the river, where the Pirates will be playing the Dodgers.

The trail is nearly level, accessible to all, regardless of age or level of physical conditioning, is free and requires no special equipment other than shoes for walking or any bicycle in operating condition. We are partnering with the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. to include veterans and their families as part of this event.

This is a nationally acclaimed trail system and was the first inductee into the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. It has been featured by travel writers in major national newspapers and magazines, and National Geographic named it one of the Top Ten Places in the World to visit in the fall. We would be very pleased to welcome you as a highlight of our celebration.

Sincerely yours,

Linda McKenna Boxx

President, Allegheny Trail Alliance

(This letter was sent to several dignitaries, including First lady Michelle Obama)