Schedule of Events for 2023 Chapter Picnic at Harriman!
Join us for our Annual NY-NoJ AMC Chapter Picnic Weekend! This year the Annual Picnic returns to the Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center! Come for just the Saturday Picnic, stay over Saturday night, or join us for a whole weekend (Friday-Sunday). It’s up to you!
We’ve lined up an entire weekend of fun outdoor activities, with the picnic highlight on Saturday at 4:30 pm. Full schedule is below, and click here for more info and tickets!
Appalachian Mountain Club
New York- North Jersey Chapter Picnic Weekend
June 9 – 11, 2023
Schedule of the Event
| Meeting Time | Outing and Location | Leader(s) |
|
|
||
| 3:00 p.m. onward | Registration | CHOC staff ** greeters |
| 6:00 p.m. | Dinner @ Dining Hall | |
| 8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Sunset Paddle | Eileen, Loretta, Mary Ann |
| 9:00 p.m. | Campfire, Fire pit by shelters | Scott Frank |
| 10:00 pm | Quiet Hours Begin | |
|
|
||
| Registration | CHOC staff ** greeters |
|
| 7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Morning Yoga, The Swim Dock | Martina Puchta |
| 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast @ Dining Hall | |
| 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Swags (Bandanas, Patches, Hats) to be sent out greeter to guide on how to sign up activities |
Greeters |
| 9:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m. | A leisurely Bird-watching walk of a few miles Please bring binoculars |
Miriam Rakowski |
| 9:15 a.m. | Fishing seminar | Jim Om |
| 9:15 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
Trail Maintenance Hike – hike a 1-mile stretch of the Suffern Bear Mountain Trail from CHOC to Big Hill Shelter |
Eileen Yin |
| 9:15 a.m. | Vigorous Hike – Northern Harriman – 10 miles (Lake Kanawaukie in a loop). Meet at Visitor Center, CHOC |
Tim Watters |
| 9:30 a.m. | Laurel on Diamond Mountain – 6 miles Meet at the Lake Sebago Parking Lot Very hilly terrain at a moderate pace |
Judy Kossover |
| 10:30 a.m. | Moderate Hike – participants are invited to join in using iNaturalist and/or Seek apps for plant identification on this hike Meet outside the Visitor Center |
David Hartree |
| 10:30 a.m. | Paddling Demo
By the Dock |
Richard Dabal |
| 10:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Fairly Easy Hike – 3 miles Meet outside the Visitor Center |
Don Kress |
| 11:15 am to 12:15 p.m. | Tour of Camp Baker, limited to 10 people Meet outside the Visitor Center |
Esther De Vito Andrew Ricci |
| 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Scavenger Hunt by the Beach with Prizes (limited to 16 ppl) |
Cheryl and Len |
| 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Birding by Kayak (experienced kayakers only) Please bring binoculars |
Miriam Rakowski Loretta Brady |
| 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Hike by the Lake Meet at the Boat Launch |
Tamara Wrenn |
| 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | First Aid Demo @ Pavilion Simple first aid given out |
Richard Dabal |
| 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. | Tour of Camp Baker, limited to 10 people Meet outside the Visitor Center |
Daria Mickowski |
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Leave No Trace Workshop @ Pavilion | Anna Harrington and Frank Wortner |
| 4:00 p.m. | A blind Chocolate tasting @ dining hall or Pavilion with prizes |
Cheryl and Len |
| 4:30 p.m. | Chapter Picnic and BBQ | |
| Chair speech & prizes | Dawn Riley | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Chocolate Fondue @ dining hall | Cheryl and Len |
| 8 p.m. | Chocolate-related movie x 2 @ Rec Hall | Cheryl and Len |
| 8 – 8:30 p.m. | Sunset Paddle Meet at the boat launch |
Eileen, Loretta, Mary Ann |
| 9:00 p.m. | Campfire, Fire pit by shelters | NEED A LEADER (WOOD & S’MORES SUPPLIES FROM CAMP STORE) |
| 10:00 pm | Quiet Hours Begin | |
|
|
||
| 7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Morning Yoga, The Swim Dock | Martina Puchta |
| 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast @ Dining Hall | |
| 9:15 a.m. – | A leisurely Bird-watching walk of a few miles Please bring binoculars Meet outside the Visitor Center |
Miriam Rakowski |
| 10:00 a.m. | Easy Hike – 3 miles Meet outside the Visitor Center |
Don Kress |
** Greeters
Friday, June 9
Registration desk:
3-4 pm Miriam Rakowski
4-5 pm Loretta Brady
5-6 pm Mary Ann Hoag
Saturday, June 10
Registration desk:
9-10 am Mary Ann Hoag
10-11 am Rebecca Goldburg/Ed Spirko
11-12 pm Rebecca Goldburg/Ed Spirko
12-1 pm Martina Puchta
2023 Annual Summit Leadership Award Winners, David Hartree and R.J. Lau!
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.
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 Chapter Awards
Please congratulate the dedicated volunteers who were honored at this year’s Annual Meeting with our Chapter Awards for 2022!
INSPIRATION AWARD: 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!
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.”