The Iroquoian Official newsletter of the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club SUMMER 2021 “Preserving a ribbon of the wilderness, for everyone, forever” BOARD OF THE IROQUOIAN DIRECTORS The Iroquoian newsletter is published President quarterly by the IBTC, one of nine Paul Toffoletti member clubs of the registered non- profit Bruce Trail Conservancy. Vice President & Volunteer Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club Director We welcome article and photograph Cecilia Gibbons PO Box 71507 submissions for publication from our Burlington, ON Treasurer members. All submissions will be L7T 4J8 Joseph Gould reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. BTC Representative & Secretary/Archivist VISIT THE CLUB’S WEBSITE Cynthia Archer Contact the editor: FOR HIKES, INFORMATION [email protected] Land Acquisition AND EVENTS: Doug Stansbury www.iroquoia.on.ca Trail Maintenance Peter Rumble Fundraising Allan Meyer SUBMISSION DEADLINES Land Stewardship Be social, Gary Beaudoin follow Fall issue: July 20 Winter issue: October 20 our trail! Landowner Relations Doug Yungblut Spring issue: January 20 Summer issue: April 20 Membership Director Jordan Scott Facebook.com/ Communications & Social Media IroquoiaBruceTrailClub Holly Sluiter ADVERTISE WITH US! Publicity and Education Advertising rates, per issue, are as Trish Murphy follows: Twitter.com/ Hike Director 1/4 page - 3.5 x 5: $60.00 Leah Spence IroquoiaBruceTr 1/2 page - 7.5 x 5: $90.00 Director at Large Full page - 8 x 10: $150.00 Cheri Chevalier Email the editor to place an ad or Director at Large request more information. Instagram.com/ Ashwini Delvakumaran IroquoiaBruceTrail- Director at Large Club Maha Mansoor Support Volunteer: Newsletter Editor is distributed by email. Vanessa Lupton The Iroquoian For a paper copy, contact the editor. The Iroquoian iroquoia.on.ca 2 2020-21 Iroquoia Annual General Report Once again, due to COVID-19 we had a a virtual AGM on May 8th. We still wish to share with you how your member- ship has made a difference this past year, the things we were still able to accomplish, and the award recipients. ouY can find the following information in the AGM Package on our website: www.iroquoia.on.ca • Report on last year’s Iroquoia online Annual General Meeting • Volunteer Award Recipients • Reports from your IBTC Board of Directors • 2020 - 2021 Financials • Nominations for the 2021-2022 IBTC Board of Directors We are always willing to answer any questions you may have. Email us at [email protected] iroquoia.on.ca The Iroquoian 3 Celebrating the 2021 Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club awards Volunteer of the Year: Given to a BTC member whose volunteer activities contributed to further the interests of the Iroquoia Club BTC. 2021 Recipient: Samar Smith should be noted that her son Jeffery was awarded our Club Youth Award Samar joined us six years ago and a number of years ago. Thank you for was instantly willing to take on everything Samar. anything we threw at her. Like many of us who didn’t know much about Words from Gloria Pennycook: social media and web design, she When Samar joined the Iroquoia took on the challenge with the help Board as the Communications of her children Jeffery and Monica. Director, she admitted that she knew little about social media Samar is now our Membership but was willing to learn. And she Director, which is not an easy did!! Samar enlisted the help of position, but her manners were a her children and together, they perfect fit for this role. She is the implemented many improvements “voice” of our club when getting in to our communications. Above and touch with new or lapsed members, beyond that, Samar volunteered for and could always be found standing almost everything! She was always at our membership table at various the one who put up her hand to help events eagerly waiting to speak with out. Samar is very passionate about people. Samar is also a hike leader the Bruce Trail and has made great the Steeltown stomp, volunteering to and Trail Monitor, and has been contributions to our Board. assist at check points, BTC promotion known to take the initiative to go tables, etc. I will miss Samar as out on the trail with a table and set Thanks so much for your service on she so often shared thoughtful up a “pop up” information booth for the Board and beyond. See you on alternative views to problems, people passing by. It’s hard to believe the trails!! issues and solutions that helped us she could do more, but she is also our grow intellectually and make wiser representative / organizer, along with Words from Cynthia Archer: decisions for the club’s community. Peter Rumble, on the very successful Samar actively contributed to the Steeltown Stomp fundraiser. Iroquoia Club community on many I am glad she will stay involved so fronts – filling a variety of Board we may continue to benefit from her Volunteering runs in the family, as it positions, providing leadership for sage perspectives on issues. Land Stewardship Awards Volunteers are a vital component of the Bruce Trail Land This year we wish to recognize the following people for Stewardship Program. Land Stewards are the primary their dedication to caring for the land: volunteers in this program and act as the caretakers and the eyes of the land. Sheryl Johnston and Doug Johnston – Cline Bench These dedicated volunteers visit their assigned properties property in Grimsby for seven years. at least twice a year, completing annual reports on the conditions of the property, providing input into Kathleen Lawday – Burlington Easement property stewardship plans, and helping to organize and carry out (Cityview Park) for five years. stewardship activities such as tree planting in abandoned fields, garbage removal, and installing signs and fences. iroquoia.on.ca The Iroquoian 4 Iroquoia Club Trail Maintenance Award: Given to an active BTC trail worker in recognition of their contribution over time to improve the trail experience in terms of quality and safety. 2021 Recipient: Harry Vanderveen Harry has been a BTC member and helping out countless for seven years and has other Trail Captains who might been volunteering with Trail have had a much more difficult Maintenance for more than time in maintaining their half of that time. sections. The past year has been very Harry is also the Trail Captain challenging for Iroquoia Trail at the BTC MapleCross Nature maintenance, but in this time Reserve at River and Ruin in of restrictions and reduced Lowville, and was instrumental activities on the trail, Harry in helping get the new Squire stood out. Cleaver and Dan Welsh Side Trails established on the For the last few years, he has property. taken over the unenviable task of grass cutting in the top half Harry’s energy and enthusiasm of Iroquoia. This past year was for the Bruce Trail is highly no exception; Harry was out contagious and as a result, every week throughout the he is very well known to local grass cutting season making hikers in the areas that he sure the grass was cut back maintains. Junior Appreciation Award: Given to members under the age of 18 who volunteer their time and have demonstrated a willingness to help. 2021 Recipient: Ashwini Selvakumaran potential opportunities for increasing youth engagement in the Bruce Trail. Ashwini joined the Iroquoia Club Board in June 2020 as part of the As a result, Ashwini is now involved Girls on Board organization, which in the Youth Engagement Team pairs young women with notn-profit being lead by the BTC. boards to provide them with training and experience. Ashwini has provided a helping hand wherever it has been needed, Ashwini immediately became including the organization of our involved by supporting the club’s first virtual AGM. social media efforts by conducting an analysis to make improvements, and She is also the winner of the creating Spotlight Mondays amongst Hamilton YWCA Youth Trailblazer other things. Award for Halton Region. She also reached out to all Board Congratulations Ashwini! members and the CEO to determine iroquoia.on.ca The Iroquoian 5 In memory... Thelma Powell In September 2020, long time Bruce Trail member, Thelma Powell passed away.Thelma and her husband David were long time members of the Bruce Trail Conservancy and were very involved with establishing the trail in the Iroquoia section with Ray Lowes. On September 15, 2020 Thelma Joyce Powell passed away peacefully at home in her 94th year. Wife for 60 years of the late David Kenneth Powell. Very proud mother of Mark (Mary), Nancy Smith (Philip) and Christine (late Dave Bottles). Grandmother of Jennifer Ryan (Andrew), Evan (Holly) and Nathan Powell, Amy Smith and Nicole Bottles. Great grandmother of Maxwell, Jack and Samuel. Daughter of Reg and Charlotte Boorman, predeceased by sister Phyllis McEvoy and brother Bob (Maureen). Survived by brother Jack (late Shirley). For decades mom and dad were often birding together. Besides countless Ontario locations, they climbed mountains, waded through swamps and wandered in jungles including Central America, the Caribbean, Appalachia and Arizona. Closer to home they helped build and maintain the Bruce Trail where they hiked and met people who became lifelong friends. If desired, donations to Bruce Trail Conservancy or Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation would be appreciated. A private family funeral has been held. A tribute to Terry Rose A number of us lost a friend and hiking colleague when Terry Rose died in February. For many, many years Terry and Mary enjoyed the Bruce Trail with family, friends and fellow hikers. Terry and Mary have been members of BTC since the 1980s. More recently many of us met Terry when he led hikes for Good Companions, stepping in as the coordinator of the group when Brian Gilmore retired.