Chair

Chair’s Report
July, 2012
Chair John Barron
We’re now about one year away from Spring Outing 2013, the Laurentian Chapter’s upcoming all-Club event. We’ve been able to tee up first-class entertainment for Saturday evening: Adirondack musicians and performers Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan, and Peggy Lynn, and an equally first-class performing venue for them, Snell Hall at SUNY Potsdam. We’re continuing to make plans for the accommodations for out-of-town visitors at SUNY Potsdam and for meals and social events for visitors and local people alike. It goes without saying that our own chapter members and indeed the general populace of St. Lawrence County and adjacent areas will be very welcome. We will be counting on our chapter’s outing leaders to plan the outdoor trips, and this will take place over the next six months or so.
The chapter said farewell to a friend recently when Betty Weeks passed away. Her family asked that contributions in her memory be made to the Laurentian Chapter, for which we’re very grateful. Considerable amounts have already been received and contributions continue to arrive. We hope to use the money to do something special that Betty would appreciate, possibly in Stone Valley. We were reminded of another deceased but fondly remembered chapter member during the fall pot luck party when Betty Peckham donated some outdoor items that had belonged to Don to be given to those who would appreciate them in return for a donation to the chapter. These items found new homes and funds were raised to help advance the chapter’s activities as well as celebrating Don’s memory. Thanks, Betty.
A number of chapter members have represented the chapter at two awareness-raising events, the Health and Wellness fairs at Clarkson and at SUNY Potsdam. Visitors to our tables showed interest, and with luck we may see some new faces on the trails.
Saturday July 28 to Saturday August 4 is Raquette River Awareness Week, and the chapter plans again to take part in this annual celebration of the river. As we go to press one or two of the events we’d like to run have details that cannot yet be set. So we encourage you to check the chapter’s electronic information sources (web site, E-Letter, Facebook page and Twitter account) and the public media including newspapers for details of possible chapter events during that week.