Run ProRangers Run!

8th Annual Valley Forge Revolutionary Run

The ProRangers once again participated in the 5-mile Valley Forge Revolutionary Run on Sunday, April 21st, 2013.  It was a chilly start but the sun was shinning and after the first mile the cold temperature did not seem to matter anymore. The course was strenuous with many hills especially the last incline we had to conquer right before the finish line. All of the ProRangers improved their finish time from last year. There were many of us that finished with outstanding results including ProRanger Charles Papacostas who placed 25th overall in the race with a time of  31:16. ProRanger Jay Copper placed 85th with a time of 35:46. The ProRangers that completed the course under 40 minutes were myself, John Eichelberger, Vincent Lemba and just over 40 minutes was Subhi Zaman. ProRangers Jordan Keiffer, Jess Cooper, Tia Solomon and ProRanger Manager Luis Krug finished the race strong and in great timing as well.  I am sure that many of us are excited to compete next year!

Thanks to our fellow ProRangers Mark Clarke and Erin Langeheine for coming out to the event to show their support. We would also like to give a special thanks to Superintendent Kate Hammond and Chief Gregg Tinkum for their welcoming spirit.  

ProRangers at Temple Ambler's EarthFest 2013!

On April 26th, 2013 ProRangers Jordan Keiffer, Renee Benson and Jennifer Pflugfelder, as well as Program Manager Luis Krug, hosted a booth at Temple Ambler's annual celebration, EarthFest. The event was a great success and the ProRanger's second opportunity to showcase the National Park Service for Ambler Campus students and classes from the surrounding school districts. The main focus of our presentation was to highlight National Parks in the local Philadelphia area that some visitors might not have visited, like Valley Forge National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site, the Delaware Water Gap, and Independence National Historical Park. Many of the younger students (ranging from ages 5-18) were not aware of some of the parks located in their own backyard, so it was a great opportunity to spread the word. We enjoyed sharing our experiences as an everyday Ranger in the Park Service. We also shared some information about how Hurricane Sandy affected parks in the Northeast Region, the ProRanger Program, and displayed a board of all of the National Parks in the country for visitors to pin and show where they have been. There were many other great organizations at the event, such as FEMA, The Fish and Wildlife Service, the Philadelphia Zoo, Dow Chemical, and many, many others. We could not have asked for a nicer spring day on the beautiful Ambler Campus, and would like to thank all those who were involved with the planning and logistics of making sure that EarthFest was a success yet again! From the National Park Service and the ProRanger Program, we would like to thank Temple Ambler for hosting this amazing event and giving us the opportunity to showcase our parks. Stay tuned on the blog as ProRangers will be heading out to their new summer 2013 assignments and Temple's Law Enforcement Academy!

ProRanger Paintball!

ProRangers and followers,

On Sunday, April 7 the ProRangers gathered for a paintballing event at Ridley Park Paintball in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. The facility features three different paintball courses that are built on the grounds of the Ridley Park Swim Club. During the winter months, the Swim Club uses their facility as a paintball course in order to raise money for summer operations. The three courses at the facility include a “Speedball” course, a “Castle” course, and an “Urban Warfare” course. The speedball course is set up with multiple inflatable barriers that provide cover to the participants. The Castle course features several wooden pallets set up as cover, and a Castle structure at one end. While on the Castle course, one team defends the Castle while the opposing team attempts to attack and reach the Castle. This scenario is set up with a five minute time limit in order to add difficulty.

The favorite course of the ProRanger’s was the Urban Warfare design. This course was constructed inside of the swimming pool area. The design utilized the slope of the pool to create an elevation change between the two sides. The course was outfitted with multiple cover positions, including tires, and pallets. The ProRangers played several rounds of both the team elimination and capture the flag scenarios on this course.

The paintball activity day was a great experience that will give the ProRangers something to talk about for a long time! Special thanks to Meaghan Bauder, Mark Clarke and Charles Papacostas for organizing the event.

Stay updated with the ProRangers here at the Blog as we approach another exciting summer!