National Park Service Solicits Letters to the Future from Local Students

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News Release Date: November 18, 2015
Contact: Bill Leonard, Deputy Superintendent, [phone]

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Superintendent John J. Donahue is asking students in grades K-12 to write a letter to the future. The letters will be buried in a time capsule for the next 50 years. “We celebrated our 50th anniversary this year and the National Park Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016,” explained Donahue. In commemoration of these two historic milestones, employees at the park are sending a message to the future. “We want that message to include the voices of today’s youth since they will be the ones entrusted with the care of special places like this in the future.”

The time capsule- which is actually a rectangular box- will be buried at Park Headquarters during a ceremony to be held on Earth Day 2016. It will be opened in 2065, the 100th anniversary of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. In addition to letters from students, the capsule will also include a small token or message from each of the 22 townships that comprise the park, messages from park employees, photos, maps and park brochures, newspapers, uniform items, the park’s 50th anniversary commemorative coin, and other items that represent the times. 

Letters should be no longer than one page and can be typed or hand-written. They should include your name, age, and where you live and go to school. “We really want to hear from kids who have visited the park, whether with family, friends or on a school trip. What did you like, or not like? Where did you go and what did you do? What do you think people will be doing in national parks in 50 years and what do you think it will look like here?” Letters should be mailed to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324, ATTN: Time Capsule, or emailed to [e-mail] with Time Capsule in the subject line by December 31, 2015.

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