Presidential Ponderings
By Shelley Rose
October 2011
I
am writing this at the end of August and have to tell you that I am really
looking forward to Fall and cooler weather. By the time the October Bulletin
comes out, I hope that the stifling heat of summer will have moved on – and
I can get back out on the trail!
I look forward to seeing many of you at the GATC Business Meeting on October 1 in Dahlonega. This is a great chance to reconnect with old GATC friends and to make new ones. The Activities Committee has planned a great program including a Hike Leaders Training after lunch. We will recognize our 50-year club members who were awarded the Golden Service Award at the ATC conference. Join us to help acknowledge their long-term commitment to GATC. In addition, the membership will be asked to vote on several proposed changes to the bylaws dealing with the club’s board structure. The GATC board recommends voting in favor of these changes. Finally, the membership will vote on the nomination slate for the 2012 board of directors. I hope to see you there.
October is the month that we (finally) begin work on the Blood Mountain Shelter roof renovation. There has been a great deal of behind-the-scenes work already put in by project manager Gary Monk and his committee. Now we will see it in action. While the actual work on the shelter will be done by a paid contractor, the Club will be needed to do treadway restoration from the pack mules that will be carrying materials to the shelter. Watch for more info on how you can help and plan to come out for the third-Saturday November trail maintenance when we will undertake this work.
Another on-going project has been a GATC – USFS working group convened to address how to handle the problem we have had with bears in the Blood Mountain Wilderness. Recommendations have been submitted to the Forest Service and we will keep you informed about how this will affect hikers.
See you on the trail,
Shelley Rose, GATC President