Dave Knavish Memorial Benches

So, if you are reading this, I'm assuming Dave touched your life in some small, or like me, a large way.  I'm not a fan of this platform at all, but it's the easiest way to get the job done given how far apart we all are. That said, here is the info:

I was really torn on how to best remember Dave, and my dad (Thanks Bob'O!) mentioned that most state parks have a program where you can buy a bench and dedicate it to someone, so that's where it started.  Ohiopyle State Park, and the river itself, meant a lot to us when we were young adventurers. We have paddled The Middle Yough with Dave countless times, camped out at Scarlett Knob, and hiked and biked the surrounding trails. In his later years, Dave would bike the section from Bruner Run Takeout, and eventually end up in Mckeesport and Cumberland MD on some of his longer trips.

I worked with the park assistant manager (at the time) and chose a spot that not everyone was going to be able to get to, it wasn't in the busy part of town, or on a major street or anything (just not very Davish to me).  In the meeting, the manager remarked he has seen Bald Eagles often on that stretch and that "only the people seeking solitude, and other nutjobs would ever stumble across it. That stretch of trail is quiet and remarkable. There's just nothing but nature there." I figured that sounded like an amazing spot. So the plan is to put a bench there, with the following plaque on it:


This bench is for you, our friend Dave "DK" Knavish, avid paddler, outdoorsman, and animal lover. A wonderfully optimistic friend, and flawed human being who would want you to take the time to just sit and enjoy the moment you are in right here and now. Touch the trees, smell the leaves, listen to the river, and find joy in all of the small things around you. Allow yourself to be at peace here, as we know Dave is now.

"No two journeys are ever quite the same,
but the river knows your name..." ~DK~

From everyone at EMS #98, REI #101, & your friends from around the world, we love you brother. BWAAA!


This isn't set in brass just yet, so I am open to suggestions from, you his friends and family, as well, if you think there is something I should add to it.

Now, that being said, I would be remiss in noting that he, and a bunch of his REI friends from the latter part of his life, had a very special attachment to Dark Hollow Woods Park in the city of Oakmont, along with the "Dog Walkers" of that area.  So I said, f#*k it, let's do two benches for Dave.

The city of Oakmont, for their own reasons, do not allow any kind of names on anything. No streets, no buildings, no signs, nothing. No benches either. So this bench won't have anything on it, till someone comes along and tastefully put some cool stickers on it or graffiti's it (not that I'm condoning that sort of chaotic lawbreaking) as it's against the city's rules.

Anyway, I found a guy on the Parks and Rec Council named Ryan, and to my surprise, he knew Dave and walked dogs with him on occasion. He's been instrumental in getting this approved and has already chosen where it will go (Dave had a favorite tree there I guess?) so it will be placed there. He decided to use the exact same bench that Ohiopyle SP uses, only it will cost a bit more because we have to pay to have it shipped to Oakmont. Ohiopyle already has a bunch on site.

So here's the breakdown of the costs to pull this off:
Ohiopyle SP Bench : $492.50 to Friends of Ohiopyle SP for the bench and installation of the plaque. Plaque has to be attached to the bench and they will router it out, so you can sit comfortably on it.

Plaque in brass 14x16 (this may change if OHSP says it's too big, but I think once they see how cool it is, they'll be ok with it.) $595.00. It will have the quote and I'm hoping to have the pic of Dave in a canoe with Russ along the top. I will post pics of the quote as soon as I get them.

Bench in Oakmont will be $450.80 for bench, $332.00 for shipping, and $30 for concrete. Ryan will handle the installation. Total $812.80

For an additional $200 they will let us plant a memorial tree for Dave in Penn Forest where he is interred. They will also let us pick the tree type to plant.

This leaves us with a grand total of $2100.30.

If we raise $2222.22 that should more than cover any additional expenses that GoFundme may have or whatever else pops up in the future (rising shipping costs etc).

So there you have it. I'm asking for help, only because he touched so many lives that I want anyone who wants to have a hand in this to be able to do so. I want this to be our project, since he was our friend. That said, if we go above and beyond, we will donate the extra to one of his favorite charities in his name, or perhaps get a few more trees planted in Penn Forest. 

I want to be 100% transparent with all of this, and I want anyone who has any questions or concerns to email me through this site (it won't let me post my email or phone number directly on here like I planned, but if you contact me I'll give that to you). Thanks for taking the time to read this. I want to make this special with each and every one of you that decides to help out. I have yet to meet anyone that Dave vouched for that I did not like immediately. He had wonderful taste in friends. Many thanks, and I hope to meet many of you, and perhaps share a story or two under the shade of the trees we plant, or sitting on the benches that we dedicate to his memory.