Hello Everyone!
I am pleased to share with you our winter highlights. Whether traveling by car, bus, train or plane, the long trip to Craftsbury, such a comfortable and familiar Vermont venue, always seems so worthwhile. Fun, friendship, great skiing and snow shoeing are only some of the reasons that make this trip one you don’t want to miss. Don’t forget those tasty cookies served on Friday afternoon, great meals we enjoyed together and our very successful auction and raffle, raising over $700.00. Thanks to everyone who donated items, including a weekend stay at the home of two of our participants from Virginia, those who made financial contributions and those who helped before and during the auction especially our auctioneer Steve.
After attending last year’s Craftsbury event Laurie Gullian, Director of the Outdoor Education undergraduate Program at the University of New Hampshire returned as a guide with eight students from her program. Under Laurie’s leadership these enthusiastic students were trained as ski and snow shoe guides.
On our March trip we were once again warmly welcomed by our hosts, the Hoffmans, at the Wayside Inn where we enjoyed a weekend of skiing and snow shoeing at Bear Notch, a venue we had not visited for several years. Bear Notch is one of the few family owned ski & snow resorts left in the area. The owners went out of their way to accommodate our group. Bear Notch staff worked very hard to groom the trails making skiing and snow shoeing enjoyable for all even though the snow conditions were less than perfect.
Thanks to board members who helped with work needing to be done prior to our trips, to the guide trainers who trained new guides and to all participants and guides for making our winter season such a great success! No, we did not forget about our spring picnic advertised in the Winter Newsletter! Because May is such a busy month for everyone we decided to reschedule our picnic to take place on October 6, 2012 at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus MA, along with our regularly scheduled October day hike. Bring your lunch, walking shoes or hiking boots and meet at the reservation at 9:30 a.m. Enjoy a challenging hike or a short walk and mingle with NERSFL friends over a picnic lunch following the hikes.
During this winter season we provided financial assistance to several individuals, making it possible for them to participate in our NERSFL events. Remember that donations are welcome on behalf of the Nario & Helen Brenes Scholarship Fund and the Jordan Family Memorial Fund. We hope you will consider making a contribution to one or both of these funds so we can continue to offer financial support to participants and guides who otherwise would not be able to attend.
My message would not be complete without thanking all of the current board members: Nancy Brown, Kari Dunlop, Dave Fisk, Polly Jacobson and Barry Wood for their time, work and support during this transition and a special thanks to our outgoing board members, Joanne Jordan, Carolee Miller and Cindy Wentz for their years of hard work and dedication to this organization. I am happy to report that they all plan to continue to be involved in various capacities with NERSFL. I would like to welcome our new board members Margaret Gaffney, Kim Gale, Donna Paterson and Shelly Wine. Thank you to guides and participants for all that you contribute to NERSFL.
I encourage you to consider joining one of our committees. Maybe you are unable to participate in our activities at this time but there is always work to be done to increase our membership, promote NERSFL and assist with phone calls, mailings and the newsletter!
I encourage you to stay in touch by e-mailing or calling with questions or ideas. Most importantly, please join me in keeping with our NERSFL tradition and let’s continue to have fun with all of our NERSFL friends while enjoying physical activities together this summer and fall. I look forward to hearing from you and hope to see many of you on our summer trip or at our hike in October!
Marie Hennessy