|
Thanks to You, the GAP is Ready for 2021
|
|
Dear <<First Name>>,
This short note is going out to you and the hundreds of your peers who have given generously to support the Great Allegheny Passage financially. And this isn't an ask, just a word of thanks and and an update.
First, thank you for pitching in! Your thoughtful donations have helped keep the GAP open and clear of debris, clearly marked with wayfinding signage, and outfitted with bike fix-it stations. Local residents, nearly all of them volunteers, are the ones who maintain the GAP week in and week out. Donors like you know that the GAP is worth protecting for the long-haul. We really appreciate you giving back, even if it's been a few seasons since you've visited.
Second, the coronavirus pandemic has both boosted trail visits and placed small businesses at risk. Over 1.4 million people visited the GAP in 2020, a 50 percent increase year over year, and above the six-year trend line. We're thrilled that new friends discovered this amazing corridor when outdoor recreation was one of the few popular activities. Yet caution -- however reasonable or restrictive -- meant many hardworking restaurant owners and innkeepers faced empty tables and empty rooms in 2020. Please, when you're out on the GAP in 2021, spend a little more and tip generously to help small town businesses bounce back.
Third, we've changed our name from Allegheny Trail Alliance to Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy, to better align our name with the Great Allegheny Passage (rather than the "Allegheny Trail"), and to better convey to travelers our purpose, which is to promote the GAP, to coordinate, strengthen, and support the efforts of allied partners, and to ensure a high-quality experience for you -- and all those who enjoy the trail and its towns. Look for a new website this spring with this new name and plenty of tools for you to use on your next trip. Please update your records; our mailing address remains the same.
The GAP was built through and is sustained by private donations, and your gifts make a critical difference. Thank you! Enjoy the spring weather, and I'll see you out there!
Sincerely,
Bryan M. Perry
Executive Director
|
|
|
|
|
