February 3, 2014

Dear Members Past, Present and Future,

Please accept my sincere thanks, on the part of all our “Friends”, for your donation [monetary, volunteerism or in-kind] and membership in the past. We have been diligently working this year to lay out a trail system, starting on the Index side of Heybrook Ridge. We have done several “walkabouts” on Heybrook Ridge County Park lands with Washington Trail Association (WTA) officials and Snohomish County Park representatives. Friends of Heybrook Ridge (FOHR) is proud to have built a relationship with WTA; we expect to be on their calendar for trail building this spring. FOHR will contribute significantly to cover the costs of WTA’s planning and trail building leadership. Once we get the trails built people will see what there is to learn from Heybrook Ridge, including natural history, with the Ridge’s story of how a forest will re-seed itself and recover if left alone for a hundred years—a “living laboratory”. There is also cultural history, with archeological discoveries to be made concerning the first people of the Snohomish Valley and relics from two logging mills to be found and studied. Looking at the long view, FOHR recently purchased 9.9 acres on the south side of the Ridge, and has donated it to Heybrook Ridge County Park. It has a gorgeous view across and up the valley of the South Fork of the Skykomish River, in the center of which is Canyon Falls. After the first trails on the north side are in place, we plan to connect to this viewpoint as well as eastward along the Ridge to the USFS Lookout Tower. From there, the Wild Sky’s the limit! Those of us who know the joy of a good hike, or simply sitting on a mossy log, realize that access to Heybrook Ridge will provide a needed time out in our increasingly busy lives. Heybrook Ridge County Park will offer that and more, without requiring the commitment of driving long distances. Please consider completing the enclosed form to renew or become a new member of Friends of Heybrook Ridge. Your support for the continuing development of Snohomish County’s newest, easternmost park is greatly appreciated. There will be an Annual Meeting of FOHR on February 24, 2014 from 7PM-9PM at the Riverhouse in Index. We will review our progress and together look at how to achieve our goals. At the meeting there will also be an election for the 8 (out of 12) positions on the Board of Directors whose terms end this month. The following current BOD members have chosen to run for another 2 year term: David Meier, Bill Cross, Yvonne Lawson, Bob Hubbard, Sue Cross, Kem Hunter and Joseph Walker. Sandy Gordon has opted not to run again, so her position is open. We would love to see several candidates for the BOD for all 8 positions. If you are interested in running, please contact me at stsusor”at”msn.com.

Sincerely, Susan Chatlos-Susor, FOHR Membership Chair and Board Member