AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - Volume 2, Issue 3

Volume 2, Issue 3 - January, 2015
brought to you by Joe Harold, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

Michele keeps telling me that the museum looks lonely every time she drives by it and I try to visit her (the museum) whenever I can.  It's OK to refer to the museum in the feminine, right?  So, on my last visit, the temperature was eight degrees outside and a balmy 45 inside.  Everything was in order in the sleepy building and after I had brought in my load of books and finished my check of the building, I headed over to Green Mountain Road for a little snow hike up to the James Fry shelter.  There is nothing like having the snowy woods to yourself as you work to warm yourself on the climbs.  I was surprised by a hiker coming up to the shelter as I came back down.  He was headed to North Carolina and looked like he was doing fine.  It was good to see a long distance hiker out, even in the cold of winter.

The Lonely Museum view from the NE

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Programs Solicitation

We are starting to think about what Sunday Public Programs we will be presenting this year and yes, we are still looking for someone to act as a Chairman for the Programs Committee.  The duties and responsibilities would be to work with the other committee members (once we have some of those), help with booking of presentations (Larry, Gwen and myself have people we solicit to fill the slates, but any new ideas are always welcome and encouraged), help with the advertising of the schedule (last year I just sent an email to a gazillion email addresses of local news outlets and outdoor writers) and ensure the presentation has the support it needs each Sunday (setup, signage, crowd control and cleanup).  

So far I have talked to a couple of perspective presenters and both have said yes.  One other, approached me and asked for a slot.  The people I'm hoping will be program presenters next year are:  

Chris "Frost" Gallaway and Larissa "Sunshine" Gore-Gallaway.  Frost hiked in 2013 and made a wonderful movie The Long Start to the Journey that was first shown at the last ALDHA Gathering.  Sunshine hiked in both 2004 and 2005.  We will coordinated the date as the season approaches.

Sunshine and Frost
http://thelongstarttothejourney.com/

Brian "Evac" Wing - A 2014 Warrior Hiker participant and fellow Coast Guardsman.  Evac has since taken up drawing and his creations are inspiring to say the least.  One of his drawings is presented on the back of this year's Companion.  The date for this program is also TBD.

Evac's drawing that appears on the back of The Companion
Titled: Open the Door and Explore
https://www.etsy.com/shop/WingersWalkaboutArt

David Ryan - The Gentle Art of Wandering.  Two seasons ago, David did this presentation and I've heard it inspired Larry Luxenberg to wander the staircases of San Francisco.  David's premise of wandering and exploring while walking is a great way to look at life.  We have schedule David for July 19th.  

http://www.gentleartofwandering.com/

Some other possibilities will be the annual Hiker picnic, Maybe Wilson and Jolin will want to come back for a nice family concert and I'm sure Andre will have something interesting to share on the local history.  Also, Lorrie will want to present her "Virginia is Forever" program that had to be cancelled last year.  

If you, have an idea or want to present something, let me know and we will get you on the schedule.  The programs go from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but we can always expand outside those dates if need be.
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Call for Hall of Fame Nominations

NEWS RELEASE

January 2, 2015

Nominations for 2015 Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Accepted through February 28

GARDNERS, PA. – Nominees for the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Class of 2015 will be accepted through Saturday, February 28, 2015, to recognize those who have made a significant contribution toward establishing and maintaining the approximately 2,186 mile footpath that passes through 14 states from Maine to Georgia.

"The fifth class to the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame will be inducted in 2015, and nominations are open for Hall of Fame nominees," said Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society – the organization that oversees the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame.  "Nominees should be people who have made a significant positive contribution to the Appalachian Trail and who have unselfishly devoted their time, energy and resources toward making the Appalachian Trail a national treasure."

The 20 Hall of Fame inductees named in the first four years include Myron Avery, Gene Espy, Ed Garvey, Benton MacKaye, Arthur Perkins, Earl Shaffer, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood, David A Richie, J. Frank Schairer, Jean Stephenson, William Adams Welch, Ruth Blackburn, David Field, David Sherman, David Startzell, Everett (Eddie) Stone, A. Rufus Morgan, Charles R. Rinaldi, Clarence S. Stein and Pamela Underhill. These pioneers played critical roles in building, maintaining and publicizing the Appalachian Trail, Luxenberg said.  

Nomination criteria and the nominating and selection processes for the 2015 Hall of Fame are:

Criteria - Those eligible for inclusion include anyone who has made an exceptional and positive contribution to the Appalachian Trail or Appalachian Trail community. This could be by leadership, inspiration, service, achievement or innovation. This includes, without limitation, pioneers who conceived of and developed the trail; those who organized or directed major trail organizations like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Appalachian Trail clubs; maintaining clubs; longtime trail maintainers; leaders who promoted and protected the A.T.; hikers who have made significant accomplishments, and other persons who have enriched the culture or community of the Appalachian Trail by their association with it. Eligible persons can be living or deceased. The emphasis will be on persons who have made their contribution to the A.T. over a long period, whether or not they are still active. Six individuals were elected in the first year. The sizes of the succeeding classes will be gradually reduced to create the maximum degree of honor and exclusivity. The first few classes will be comprised primarily of important historical figures (living or deceased) rather than contemporary figures. Eligibility and selection will be determined without regard to race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Nominations – Nominations will be solicited from throughout the hiking and trails community.  The easiest way to submit a nomination is by using the online site HERE Nominations also may be submitted using the paper nomination form.  Copies of the form can be obtained HERE or by requesting one from the museum. A nominator need not be a member of any hiking organization to submit a nomination. A nominator may only make one nomination per election cycle. Nominators will be asked to justify their nomination in a brief statement not exceeding 200 words that describes the nominee and why he or she fits the criteria.

Hall of Fame Committee; Election – An Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Committee has been selected by the Appalachian Trail Museum Society Board of Directors to supervise the election process and to submit the finalists to the board.  That committee is chaired by Jim Foster, a museum volunteer and 2007 thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail.  Other members of the committee are Noel DeCavalcante, Tom Johnson, Brian King, Gwen Loose, Larry Luxenberg, Bill O’Brien and David Sherman (a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee). The Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Committee will deliver the slate of finalists to the museum board by March 15, 2015, for subsequent review and elections.  The Appalachian Trail Museum Society Board elected six people to the 2011 Charter Class, five to the 2012 Class, five to the 2013 Class, and four to the 2014 Class. Up to four inductees may be elected to the 2015 Class

Announcement and recognition of inductees – Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in early May and the induction ceremony will be on Friday, June 5, 2015, at the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet at the Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.   The inductees will be enshrined on an Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Wall of Honor at the Appalachian Trail Museum.  Located in Pine Grove Furnace State Park and at the midway point of the Appalachian Trail, the museum is across from the Pine Grove General Store on Pennsylvania Route 233.

CONTACT

Jim Foster

Appalachian Trail Museum Society

717-649-5505

atmbanquet@gmail.com

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Children's Area Planning Committee

With the near completion of the basement renovation, we are now looking to form another committee to plan the children's exhibits and activities that will be installed there. 

We are planning a strategy meeting on January 30th on the Shippensburg Campus (Student Union Building) around 11:00 am.  If you are interested in being a part of the next stage of the museum's development, where we provide a wonderful space that children can develop and nurture the love of hiking and the AT, let me know.  

One of the things we are working on is a mini-walk of the AT.  There will be 2-sided colorful banners that would list the state(s) and the interesting thing found in that state during a hike.  These interesting things are something that need to be developed.  

The new space is going to be very cool.  Any ideas are welcome and encouraged.  

I will be sending out more information on the strategy meeting (we will discuss all museum strategy, not only basement ideas), to those interested, shortly.  

A blank slate, waiting for some inspiration

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Museum Docent Honored

The following was taken from The Evening Sun Local News web page:

The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, in partnership with Gettysburg College, will present the 35th annual King celebration from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in Gettysburg College’s Christ Chapel.

The annual Living the Dream Award will be presented during the celebration to Gettysburg residents Judy and Bill Leslie. Both are retired teachers, from the Gettysburg Area School District and Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12. They currently work with two Burmese refugee families, helping the family members learn English, manage finances and obtain U.S. citizenship. Bill volunteers with the Gettysburg Festival, the Gettysburg Community Concert Association and the Appalachian Trail Museum at Pine Grove Furnace, and Judy has worked locally to encourage voter registration in minority communities. Both Bill and Judy are also members of the Habitat for Humanity Board.

It is great to see how active our volunteers are in the community.  Congrats to Bill and Judy on this esteemed award.
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Things Coming Down the Trail

January 23rd - 25th, 2015 - Northern Ruck - Bear's Den, VA

January 30th, 2015 - South Mountain Partnership Breakfast, Shippensburg University
February 14th, 2015 - Riverhouse Valentine's Day Fundraiser and Dance
February (TBD), 2015 - BillVille comes to help at the Museum
March 19th, 2015 - KTA Membership Celebration and Film Fest in Camp Hill, PA

March 28th, 2015 - Museum opens for its Sixth season.

Here are a few pictures to leave you with of the winter wonderland of the AT.

Lonely, sleepy Grist Mill

Tagg Run bridge on the AT

Tagg Run

Table at James Fry Shelter