2023 Annual Summit Leadership Award Winners, David Hartree and R.J. Lau!

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Please give a huge and well-deserved congratulations to David Hartree and R.J. Lau, NY/NoJ chapter members who received awards at the AMC’s annual summit in Norwood Massachusetts in January 2023.

R.J. Lau

RJ Lau worked with Amanda Knight of the NH chapter as lead organizers for the Rumney Together Climbing Festival in the White Mountains, bringing together over 100 people for a weekend. The inclusive event featured clinics and affinity spaces, providing an opportunity for historically marginalized and underrepresented climbers could meet and enjoy time with other climbers. With support from partner organizations and outdoor retailers, the event included a land acknowledgement, observance of Juneteenth, celebration of Gay Pride month, bonfires, raffles, and presentations. 

David Hartree

David has dedicated generous amounts of his time to AMC for more than 15 years, including as Conservation Committee chair, an Executive Committee member, and one of the Chapter’s top five hike leaders for the past decade. In addition to his committee roles, David coordinates activities with neighboring chapters, organizes Earth Day events and champions the chapter’s participation in iNaturalist. In short, David exemplifies what it means to be an AMC volunteer.

 

AMC NY-NoJ Holiday Party 2022

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AMC NY-NoJ celebrated the holidays in at the Perfect Pint in NYC with lots of beer, cheer, and excitement for the coming year. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!

Read the Chapter’s 2022 Annual Report

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Find out all about what the New York-North Jersey Chapter was up to in 2022. To scroll through the 2022 Annual Report, use the arrow buttons at the bottom left of the screen.

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You can find previous years’ Annual Reports here.

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 Chapter Awards

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Please congratulate the dedicated volunteers who were honored at this year’s Annual Meeting with our Chapter Awards for 2022! 

INSPIRATION AWARD: Steve Galla

Hiking Chair Steve Galla

For a member who embodies the spirit of our chapter and inspires others by leading, mentoring, or encouraging leadership or activity for AMC this year.

“Steve took on the role of Hiking Committee Chair at a challenging time with the number of leaders and hikes still not rebounding after the pandemic. He has made it his mission to get members and our community outdoors. Steve is an active hiking leader and mentor. He encourages others to become leaders, removes barriers, and is always available and accessible to assist volunteers and members.”

AMBASSADOR AWARD: Dionne C. Monsanto

For a member who encourages others to participate with AMC or promotes AMC and our Chapter by recruiting, advocating, and speaking for or representing AMC at events (including in office, outside venue or related to an activity), etc. this year.

“Dionne started participating with the Chapter’s DEI committee a couple of years ago, as a featured wellness speaker at a BIPOC women’s meeting.  She quickly became a regular participant and contributor to the DEI committee. Dionne is a yoga and dance instructor as well as a gifted public speaker, has taken AMC leader training, canoe/kayak and hike leader/co-leader training, and led yoga/dance events at the Stephen & Betsy Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center (CHOC) and at Fire Island. Her poise, grace, big smile and talents make Dionne a worthy ambassador for the Chapter.”

UNSUNG HERO AWARD: John Allman

The Unsung Hero Award is given to the member who supports the Chapter behind the scenes, in less visible or celebrated ways. This may include handling membership or communication initiatives, trails work or public service, other committee work, or record keeping, etc.

“Perhaps no one has dedicated more care and attention to the Chapter than John Allman. Week after week, he’s poured his passion and formidable financial acumen into the Chapter and AMC community at large, serving as the Chapter Treasurer and a representative in the Club-wide finance advisory group. He’s known for creating financial reports exceeding all expectations and advising the Executive Committee on planning, procedures, expenditures, and excess reserves. He’s also a member of the Greater New York Committee, ensuring that the interests of Chapter members are represented. 

Beyond that, John is a champion for DEI initiatives and a staunch supporter of the AMC mission, advancing ideas and opportunities for the Chapter to uphold our commitment to the community. His work has had a multiplier effect, because it directly enables every other volunteer and participant in the Chapter to be successful. His encouragement, creativity and partnership with other leaders is truly appreciated.”

And find out who won Appie of the Year for 2022.

 

 

Congratulations to Charles Michener, the 2022 Appie of the Year!

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The Appie of the Year award was presented by Nominating Committee Chair Henry Schreiber at the New York-North Jersey Chapter’s Annual Meeting on November 30.

The Appie award is for an individual who gives selflessly of him/herself for the good of the Appalachian Mountain Club; one who works tirelessly, often behind the scenes, organizing, leading in fact and by example; someone who has served in this manner for several years, thus over time continuing this commitment; an active volunteer, rather than someone who served well in the past, or for a limited time. The Appie exemplifies what is best about the volunteer ethic that makes our Club, and particularly our Chapter, so special.

Nominated for decades of service to AMC

“Charles has served nearly 20 years, repairing our boats and hearts in our fleet of growing paddlers of the NY-NoJ chapter.

His pride in the club and his warmth and generosity brings in kayakers, quiet water folk, whitewater experts, and canoeists of every shape and size. He served with the Inter-Chapter Paddling committee to propose, promote, and select worthy conservation projects. He served as the Canoe and Kayak Committee Chair, encouraging DEI awareness and more than one successful program to showcase and integrate persons of color and of all ages. He is watchfully guiding the transition from the Youth Program to continue paddling opportunities for the less privileged, stoking the training and confidence of leaders in that former arm of AMC. 

Charles’s passion is spotting and training leaders, and promoting instruction for safety and access to the astounding sport of paddling in all its flavors.He has led multi-day trips as leader and support boater to promote the wonderful Adirondack Park, as well as streams and rivers far and wide.

His policies and decisions have guided our award-winning publication, Paddle Splashes, which has helped buoy interest in working with AMC’s Mark Zakutansky and AWA to expand Mongaup Pond releases in Sullivan County, New York, and appreciation of that area, and Esopus Creek inter-club committees, to continue attention on the safety and continuity of releases, which help the economy of the Catskills region.

Charles has promoted partnerships with many regional clubs to augment our mutual strengths, and assist each other in our gaps. He also successfully completed a partnership to train Bergen Community College NJ Outing Club folk. 

Lately, his guiding increased Young Members participation with SUPs, along with Volunteer Relations Manager Justin Bailey. Most of all, in his years leading as Quartermaster, Equipment Chair, CKC Committee Chair, Instructional Chair and so much more, he leads by example and grows the community by generous outreach.

We would not be the incredibly far-reaching, long-lived, thriving special club that it is without Charles Michener.”