HARRISBURG — Hatfield resident Sabrina Hilpert traveled to Beltzville State Park to capture a serene winter shot of the iconic red-covered bridge, winning her the People’s Choice Award for the Forests category in the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) annual photo contest.
There were nearly 600 photo entries in 2022.
“The passion people have for their state parks and forests is evident in the volume and quality of images received,” said Marci Mowery, president of PPFF. “Photography is one of many ways that people enjoy these special places.”
On a Saturday morning, Hilpert decided to visit a state park that she hadn’t been to since she was a child. Surprised by the snow, but determined to carry on with the hike, she came across a beautiful winter scene that stunned her.
“The contrast between the old covered bridge and the fresh dusting made for the perfect wintry photo shoot,” she said.
Hilpert is working on completing the Seen Them All Challenge and has currently visited 46 of PA’s 124 state parks.
“Every single park that I have been to thus far offers me something completely different. The hiking trails being my absolute favorite part of any park, I also enjoy the water and history that can be found at the majority of these lovely places,” she said.
Dolores Sadusky, from Hatboro, won runner-up in the Reflections category. Her granddaughter, Anna Lee, helped her submit the photo to PPFF.
She captured a beautiful pink sunrise at Locust Lake State Park.
“I was the first one awake in my family and my words wouldn’t have been able to describe how beautiful the sunrise was. I needed the picture so they could see the beauty for themselves,” she said.
Locust Lake is a special place for Sadusky and her family. They’ve formed so many fond memories during their yearly tradition of a long weekend camping trip.
“I love spending time with my family where we don’t have to worry about electronics, looking nice, or anything outside of the forest,” she said.
You can view the winners and all the 2022 Clean Water and Forested Ecosystem Photo Contest submissions on PPFF’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaParksAndForestsFoundation/photos_albums
The 2023 Photo Contest is officially open. The categories for 2023 are related to PPFF’s 2023 theme of “Reflections” and are a direct outgrowth of 2022’s photo contest!
The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation supports 124 state parks and 2.2 million acres of forest by coordinating volunteers, activities, and donations through its 48 chapters. The foundation’s mission is to inspire stewardship of Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests. To learn more about PPFF, visit https://paparksandforests.org/.
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