Haw River Trail 2016
2016 is a big year for the Haw River Trail. It marks the 10 year anniversary of the agreement that started the Haw River Trail Partnership and its efforts to build this 40-mile land and paddle trail through Alamance County! Amazing progress has been made over the past 10 years thanks to the support and dedication of landowners, the community, many grant funding sources, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and the Haw River Trail Coordinators.
-Join us for First Saturday Hikes, led by park technician Kim Brown on different sections of the Haw River Trail. The First Saturday Hikes all begin at 9am. The schedule for 2016 is as follows:
April 2nd Haw River Trail at Sellers Falls
June 4th Great Bend Park
September 3rd Nature Journal Hike on the Basin Creek Trail at Shallow Ford Natural Area
October 1st Hidden Hill Trail at Shallow Ford Natural Area
November 4th Haw River Trail from Indian Valley to Red Slide
-We just opened Sellers Falls, the newest 4-mile section of Haw River Trail. For more info, check out our recent Sellers Falls post.
-The 14th and final paddle access to the Haw River is almost complete. Union Bridge Paddle Access will be open within the month. It marks the southernmost paddle access point in Alamance County and provides a safe take-out for paddlers headed downstream. The stretch from Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access to Union Bridge is particularly beautiful and a fun paddle.
-The 2nd Annual Haw River Trailathlon will be held March 19th in Saxapahaw (postponed from November 2015). This multi-sport adventure race is family friendly and includes a 2-mile round trip paddle on Saxapahaw Lake, a 7-mile bike ride, and a 5K trail run. For more information and to register please visit the Haw River Trail website.
-The 9th Annual YeeHaw! River Paddle will be held on Saturday, May 14th. This event consists of a Family & Beginners’ Paddle followed by the regular River Paddle. Stay tuned for more information at www.thehaw.org.
-We are working on the site plans for Saxapahaw Island Park. Thanks to various grant-based and community sources of support, work has already begun on the trails for the park and on clearing the areas that will house a waterfront access area, nature play area, and gathering spaces. A community working group is helping with the design and construction of the park; work on the nature play area will begin this year.
-Pleasant Grove Community Center’s fitness room underwent major updates in late 2015, gaining new equipment and fitness posters. There is a new outdoor bocce court as well and the Center’s Open Gym hours will also resume after Youth Basketball season ends in early Spring.
-Pleasant Grove has also expanded its program offerings to include arts and crafts classes, game days, movie days, chair yoga, and more. For a 
Gazing ahead- Pleasant Grove staff are working on organizing some star gazing events for 2016. Last year, we hosted the N.C. Science Festival’s Annual Stargazing Party and it sparked interest in additional star parties. The clear skies and low light pollution of rural Alamance County make it a great place to learn about the stars. Stay tuned for more information about these events!
-The annual Summer Camp Expo will again be held in March. The public expo features information about local summer activity options including full summer, weekly, half day, sports, arts & tutoring, specialty programs, and children’s health programs; as well as vendors, door prizes, games, and crafts. Stay tuned to the 
–Great American Campout! Join friends and family at Pleasant Grove in June for a night of family-friend camping. In celebration of the Great American Campout, the PG fields will be set up to host tents, campfires, and a night of camping fun. We are inviting local Scout troops to attend and help novice campers learn more about how to start a campfire, and other essential camping basics. The event will be friendly to new and experienced campers alike.
-Pleasant Grove will again host the annual Santa’s Workshop in December, during which volunteers and the community work on handmade Christmas gifts for donation to local assisted living facilities. Each year, Santa’s Workshop makes handcrafted Christmas gifts that go out to over 675 local senior residents and goody bags that go to approximately 500 caretakers. There are new crafts each year, snacks, a special “Elf Yourself” photo station, and an opportunity for photos with Santa!
-We are bringing back the Foxfire in Cedarock Park program series, in partnership with 
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-The junior Cane Pole Fishing Hole Derby will be held on April 2nd and October 8th. Anyone can fish, but the contest is for kids ages 5-12. Cane poles only- you bring the poles, we bring the worms. A limited number of poles are available at the park. Prizes will be awarded to winners in two age groups for the biggest and the most fish caught.
-The annual Sneeky Pete Classic Disc Golf Tournament presented by Spike Hyzer will be held September 23rd-24th. Cedarock Park will serve as tournament central. This is a 2-day, C Tier PDGA event. For more information visit 
-This year we will bring back our new Fall Festival on October 15th with family-friendly outdoor games, candy prizes, hayrides, face painting, and tours of the Garrett House. The Festival will be followed by Ghosts in the Park storytelling, the year’s final installment in the Foxfire in Cedarock Park series.
-The annual Run at the Rock will be held December 3rd. This is a popular trail race with 7 and 14 mile course options complete with rocks, mud, rolling hills, and views of the waterfall. The race is followed by popular hot food and is friendly to everyone from first-timers to some of the best trail runners in the state. Stay tuned to the 
-Thanks to a grant from 
-Our staff have been working hard on renovating the fitness center at Whitney to include updated equipment and instructional posters. Work is ongoing and will be completed this Spring. The fitness center is open during open gym hours. Open Gym will resume after Youth Basketball Season.
–Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party will celebrate its 85th year on Thursday, April 7th. Eli Whitney has hosted the Party since 1931. During the event, area quilters bring quilts to display and projects to work on together, followed by a potluck lunch. There is usually a special exhibit and a Sharing Table for quilters to share resources such as quilting books, magazines, and fat quarters. The event is open to the community. Anyone may attend and bring a quilt, project, or covered dish for the potluck, or just come and enjoy! For additional details, please see the 
