CT-AMC Spring Dinner 2019
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Volume 40, Number 1 Spring 2019 A View From The Chair “ Oh would some Power the gift give us CT-AMC Spring Dinner 2019 To see ourselves as others see us.” Saturday, April 13th • Cheshire Grange ~ Robert Burns Reservations $20 • Please RSVP by March 30th This couplet of Scotland’s Robert Burns Dinner and Presentation comes to mind as I recall a recent Chapter hike, and what it taught me. I arrived “Counting Eagles Along the at the specified spot and time, where many Chapter members I have hiked Connecticut River” John Grasso, CT-AMC with gathered. After greetings and the Chapter Chair standard introductions, we were off. I by Barry Gorfain found myself hiking beside someone Join us on a journey on I recognized, but whose name I did not recall. I introduced the Long Tidal River! myself, and after exchanging names, we learned that we had Following bald eagles attended several of the same recent Chapter activities. As down our namesake we spoke, I came to realize that he was somewhat unfamiliar river, the Connecticut, with the AMC. I asked him, “Are you a member of the AMC?” a group of enthusiastic, He replied that he was not. I immediately responded in a fun-loving and dedicated friendly tone, “Well, why not?”, Supposing he would reply that paddlers headed south somehow he had just not gotten around to doing it. After all, from Enfield and wound joining the AMC is as easy as providing a name and address, up in Old Lyme at Long and paying an annual fee. After a pause, my hiking companion Island Sound. Along the replied, “No one has asked me.” His words startled me. He had way, we explored new participated in several of our Chapter activities, but he had waters, learned about local flora and fauna, and contributed to not become a member because he had not felt sure he was the expansion of the CT River Paddlers Trail. Come and listen to . Continued on page 11 historical, folkloric fantastic stories about our river’s natural, social and historic final miles before emptying into the sound. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ................. page Barry Gorfain has been an AMC trip leader for over 20 years, has f LWCF Reauthorized ................... 2 trained in Class 2 white water and river rescue, is an ACA certified canoe and kayak instructor, and has served as AMC CT-AMC f Uncle AMC Wants You! ................ 2 Flatwater/ Coastal Paddling Chairperson since 2011. f March Madness! ...................... 3 Please plan to attend our Spring Dinner to meet old friends and make new ones. Join us for a roast beef dinner at the Cheshire Grange. If Chapter History Project Needs You! ...... 4 f you don’t care for the beef, we have a limited vegetarian option. f Statewide Tree Damage ............... 4 Reservations required by March 30th: www.ct-amc.org/program f Chapter Annual Awards ................ 5 When: Saturday, April 13th f Save the Date for Give-A-Day 2019 ........ 5 Where: Cheshire Grange, 44 Wallingford Road, Cheshire, CT f Teen Wilderness Fund and Support ...... 6 Reservations: BY MARCH 30th: www.ct-amc.org/program Program: Non-alcoholic social hour: 5 to 6 pm LT & WFA Education Courses ............ 6 f Roast Beef dinner: 6 pm f FCG Keeps Exploring The World .......... 7 Evening presentation: 7:30 pm f AMC Awards CT Volunteers ............. 8 Q&A: 9 pm Cost: AMC Members: $20, Non-members: $25 Off the Trail - Saranac Lake 6er ......... 8 f Directions: Cheshire Grange. To get there, turn east from Route f A LED Light Bulb Is ................... 9 10 onto Wallingford Road (by Town Hall). It’s one block south of Routes 10 & 68 intersections. Go one Volunteer Stewardship Awards 2018 ..... 10 f and a half blocks. The Grange is on the left with park- f National Trails Day 2019 ............... 11 ing on both sides of the building. f 138th Fall Hiking Week ................ 11 Information: [email protected] and visit: www.ct-amc.org f FOR THE LATEST CT-AMC CHAPTER NEWS & ACTIVITIES VISIT WWW.CT-AMC.ORG - 1 UNCLE AMC WANTS YOU! GET INVOLVED! - www.ct-amc.org GET TRAINED! - www.ct-amc.org/Education GET OUT, GET GOING - www.ct-amc.org HIKE LEADERS - Like to be a Hike Leader? Contact Peg Peterson at: The Newsletter of the Connecticut Chapter - [email protected] Appalachian Mountain Club FAMILY ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE CHAIR - to plan and lead family hikes, and encourage others to lead hikes/outdoor activities Volume 40, Number 1, Spring 2019 that may appeal to families. Frequency of activity established Editor & Publisher: Darcy Witham - dwgraphicart.com by the Chair and perhaps a Co-chair. Includes a position on the Chapter Executive Committee, which may be shared with other Please send future newsletter submissions and advertising to: committee volunteers. Editor: The AMC In CT, 71 Noble Street, Stamford, CT 06902 or [email protected] MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIR - needed to offer their time at least two or three times annually to membership events East of the River, Read online: www.ct-amc.org such as an information session about any aspect of outdoor Please send all address and e-mail corrections to: activities or an easy hike to introduce the outdoors to potential AMC, 10 City Square, Boston, MA 02129 or [email protected] members. Includes position on the Chapter Executive Committee, which may be shared with other committee volunteers. FOR MORE INFORMATION - about outings, meetings, education, training, events and this year’s entertainment, review listings in Congress Reauthorizes AMC Outdoors magazine and on the web at: www.ct-amc.org Land Acquisitions Funding THE NW CAMP COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU! ~ Bob Guenther, Chair, AMC’s Clubwide The Northwest Camp Committee seeks committee members that Conservation Committee can attend meetings four times a year at the CFPA Headquarters As outdoor enthusiasts, we all are keenly aware that in Middletown, CT, oversee work parties held at the camp many of the places where we hike, paddle, and pedal are open in Salisbury, CT on the first weekend in May and November to us because far-sighted members of previous generations have and partake in our protected them. That is why advocacy for conservation is one annual Snowshoe Frolic, of our club’s core missions. These advocacy efforts chalked up a Perseid Meteor Shower long-sought win recently with federal legislation reauthorizing a Extravaganza and A.T. keystone program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). day activities. This program has funded the acquisition of numerous parcels of The function of this land for public recreation just in Connecticut alone. Hammonasset Committee is to ensure Beach State Park is but one example of the many open spaces that the Camp retains its have benefited from LWCF. historical and current In late February, the U.S. House of Representatives, following the footprint, remains Senate’s lead, passed by a bipartisan vote of 363 to 62, a broad a place for family legislative package that establishes the LWCF permanently. After wilderness camping passage by the Senate earlier in February, the Natural Resources experiences, maintain Management Act (S. 47) will now be sent to the President’s desk camp structures (cabin, where his signature is expected. Last fall, LWCF lapsed, thereby privies and tent platform) curtailing further acquisitions, and its continued existence was in and the land, and doubt. LWCF is funded through royalties mostly from offshore oil administer the policies and gas drilling. consistent with the terms of our deed. Congressional action was the culmination of work at the club level in Washington as well as by AMC grassroots. Numerous Chapter The next meeting of members sent emails to our state’s congressional delegation urging the AMC Northwest reauthorization, and many activities leaders routinely made Camp Committee is on participants on our events aware that critical recreational resources Tuesday, April 23rd at the exist only because of LWCF. CFPA Headquarters in Middletown, CT. Free pizza Through our Chapter Conservation Committee, the club also at 6:30 pm and the meeting advocates on behalf of our members to the Connecticut General starts at 7 pm. Interested Assembly. f members are requested to contact Rod Parlee, Chair for more details at 860-306-7250 or [email protected] All CT-AMC Members! To enjoy all that Northwest Camp has to offer, call or email We want to hear about it. registrar Craig Kennedy: [email protected] and Share your experiences! Send us your stories and 866-576-6994 ext 6 - leave a message only (toll-free). pictures. Get published! Sent to: [email protected]. Reserve your place now at Connecticut’s only volunteer managed self-service facility - Northwest Camp, Salisbury, CT! f 2 - FOR THE LATEST CT-AMC CHAPTER NEWS & ACTIVITIES VISIT WWW.CT-AMC.ORG March Madness ~ by Elaine Pfeffer, CT-AMC Member very year, as winter and perhaps appropriately, none of our moves towards the entries was drawn for the grand prize. E spring solstice, I look There remains with me one memory forward to my annual trek of an extremely mild winter with little to AMC’s Highland Center snowfall in New England. As we headed Lodge in Crawford Notch, north, we eagerly searched for the first New Hampshire. Over sign of snow. Stopping at the Brattleboro the years, I have joined a Vermont Visitor Center, we were not number of AMC trips for overly concerned about the bare fields these late winter, early that greeted us. By White River Junction, spring adventures. Usually, we spotted some lingering patches of plans begin with a casual white bordering the highway. However, invitation among AMC our hopes for finding any new or lasting friends after a posting on snow coverage dashed when we exited the Chapter’s Activities List the highway and headed and inevitably ends with the east on Route 302 in logistics of carpooling and New Hampshire.