Summer Newsletter 2006

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Note: Since our Web page and the Chief Noonday Yahoo! Group messages have assumed much of the communication role of the Chief Noonday Newsletter, issues of the traditional Newsletter are now being sent quarterly rather than monthly.  Look for mailings in February, May, August and November.  For upcoming events, recent events and other pertinent information please continue to check the Web page and watch your e-mailbox for Yahoo! Group messages.  Your input about this change will be greatly appreciated.

CHAPTER MEETINGS
    Meetings are at 7:00 PM at the Barry Township Hall on Orchard Street in Delton the second Wednesday of each month, and are open to the public.
    Meetings through the remainder of the year are: September 13, October 11, November 8, and December 13.
    At the September 13 meeting, NCTA cartographer Matt Rowbotham will deliver maps from the new GIS system for use in some of our kiosks.
    At the November 8 meeting, Larry Pio will offer a presentation about his backpacking adventure in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.  This is going to be a dynamic program, you won’t want to miss it!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
    • The “After Summerfest” Hike.  During Hastings Summerfest we promote our trail and organization and offer a hike in the weeks following for interested folks to join us. This years hike is September 9 at 8:30 AM.  Meet at the trailhead on M-179 (Chief Noonday Road), about 0.3 miles west of Yankee Springs Road (about 8 miles west of downtown Hastings).  The hikers will car pool to the trail head on Peets Road, and then hike back to the M-179 parking lot.
    • Fall Color Hike is October 7, and led by hikemeister Joe Higdon.  Meet at the Kellogg Forest at 8:30 AM.  Carpool to Hutchinson's’ Trailhead to begin hiking at 9:00, and hike back taking a long loop through the Kellogg Forest.  A bring-your-own-food-and-drink picnic at the Forest after the hike.  Non hikers are welcome to join us for food and fellowship around 11:00-11:30.  The Kellogg Forest parking lot is north of the Augusta Shell station about 2 miles on Webster street (which turns into 42nd street), and south from M-89 about a mile on 42nd street.

TRAIL WORKDAYS:
    • For the September 16 workday, plans are to work on the puncheons at Ft. Custer.  Meet at 8:00 AM for breakfast at Kare’s Village Diner, 113 W Michigan, in Augusta.  Convoy from there to Ft. Custer to work in the wetlands -- so bring boots!  (Maybe an extra pair of dry socks would be good.)
    • October 21 is scheduled for a work day, but plans have not been finalized.  (Check the Web site for details.)
    • Put November 11 on your calendar also.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2006 NCTA VOLUNTEER AWARD RECIPIENTS!
    At a special awards ceremony held on the final evening of the conference, the NCTA awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Dave Cornell, the highest honor awarded by the rganization. Tom Garnett and Larry Hawkins were privileged to make the presentation.
    The Chief Noonday Chapter of the North Country Trail Association was well represented at the annual awards ceremony held in Clarion, Pennsylvania, by the North Country Trail Association and the National Park Service during the NCTA National Conference at Clarion University.  Tom Gilbert of the National Park Service, Superintendent of the Ice Age and North Country Trails, made the presentations:
    • 1000 hours of volunteer service awards: Dave Cornell, Tom Garnett, Charles Krammin and Larry Pio.
    • 400 hours of volunteer service award: Jim Baldwin and Larry Hawkins.
    • 200 hours of volunteer service awards: Tom Garnett and Mick Hawkins.
    • 100 hours of volunteer service awards: Mick Hawkins, Tom Garnett, Linda Warren, John Morgan, and Wayne Marvin.

PLEASE log your volunteer hours!

REMINDER: The Chief Noonday Chapter Newsletter is now being sent quarterly.  The next edition of the newsletter will be mailed in November.  For current chapter information please visit the web page.  Mick Hawkins our Webmaster has current information posted.

TRAIL ADOPTERS:
    We now have a “blue blaze” decal to use on the carsonite posts along the trail.  Adopters can get these from Dave Cornell.
    The trail is looking great, and the adopters are doing a great job.

Workdays

    During the May workday under the direction of Charlie Krammin, two kiosks were installed.  Great pictures of the workday are available on the web page. 
    We had a great turnout for our June workday, nine in all.  Bob and Brenda Jones backed up by Larry Pio, Dave Cornell, Jeff Fleming, Tom Momenee, Larry and Mick Hawkins, and our latest addition anchored the work crew, Melissa Schudel.  We focused on staining some of our older kiosks, and they really look sharp!
    July: Steve Hicks, Larry Pio, Ron Sootsman, and Jim Heaton took on the major willow tree that was blocking the pathway in the Fort Custer area.  Larry Hawkins fired up the power weed wacker and began to cut away at the jungle beyond the downed tree.  John Morgan and Mick Hawkins worked along with loppers and pruning shears until we had a clear path cut through the wetlands to the hardwoods at the west end of the section.  After clearing the path, Larry, Larry & Steve, the administrative comedy team, planned out the puncheon extensions that we need to get done before the next wet season sets in.  We will probably save that until September when Steve is back in the pack.
    At the August workday, a kiosk was installed at Bridge Park in Battle Creek.  A misty day greeted the hardcore determined group of Charles Krammin, Larry Hawkins, Ron Sootsman, and Mick Hawkins.

Hikes

    Spring Wildflower Hike:  We had a very nice turnout on a beautiful day for the Wildflower Hike in Yankee Springs on May 20 led by Barb VanDyken and Cal Lamoreaux.  Pictures are available of the Web page.
    Summer Hike:  Surprisingly, considering how hot it was, we also had a great turn-out on July 29 for a Summer Hike at the Warner Sanctuary and the Ott Sanctuaries led by Jerry Pattok.  There are pictures of this hike too on the Web site.

THE NATIONAL SCENE:
    Personnel changes have been made at NCTA Headquarters in Lowell.  The Accounting and Data Management systems have been replaced to increase efficiency and be less labor intensive.
    Three Strategic Initiatives have been established by the NCTA Board:
    • To manage the trail regionally rather than globally, three regional trail coordinators have been appointed.  These managers will interface with the local chapters to provide support and direction and assist with local land managers and organizations to garner support for the trail within their specific regions.
    • Maintain existing trail to the highest standard possible.
    • Establish a GIS (Geographic Information System) for the trail.

National Conference:
    The 2006 Annual National Conference of the North Country Trail Association was held at Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania, August 10 through the 13th.  The Conference was well attended by members of the Chief Noonday Chapter:  former NCTA President Martha Jones, Board Member Dave Cornell and his wife Jan, Acting Executive Director of the NCTA Jim Baldwin, Chapter President Larry Hawkins, Immediate Past-President of the chapter and current board member Tom Garnett, Newsletter Editor Linda Warren, and Webmaster Mick Hawkins gathered in Clarion for the Conference.  See photos on our Web site.
    The Conference was a great success, and we are looking forward to the 2007 National NCTA Conference that will be held in Bemidji, Minnesota the first weekend in August 2007.  Hope to see you there.

HASTINGS SUMMERFEST (August 25-27):  A huge THANK-YOU to Jerry Pattok for his coordination of this event. Joe Higdon volunteered to plan and lead a hike shortly after SummerFest to spark interest in the trail and the Chapter.  A heartfelt THANK YOU to the following people for their contribution to the NCTA-CNC booth at Summerfest: Charles Krammin, Larry Hawkins, Dave Cornell, Sandi Pattok, Laura Pattok, Anna Pattok, Sheryl Drenth, Eileen Oehler, Steve Hicks, John Rudnicki, Joe Higdon, Larry Pio, John E. Morgan, and Mick Hawkins.  Look for photos in the Trail Log on our Web site.

Tom Garnett reports that Chief Noonday's Southern Brochure including Kalamazoo and Calhoun County has been printed and looks great.  John Rudnicki will be getting them into the Battle Creek area libraries and Larry Hawkins has a supply if anyone needs them.

Lynne Durham has orchestrated an article in the Kalamazoo Gazette about the NCTA centering on the historical site at the Hutchinson trailhead.

WEB PAGE NEWS:
    Mick Hawkins has made a modification in the background design on the Web site.  You will now notice a bark design around the margin of each page and that the content of the page is always centered on your monitor.
    A new Trail Log page has been added featuring brief news items and pictures of goings-on in the Chapter and on the trail.  We also have an exciting project in the works with NCTA's cartographers to update and improve our Maps page, and the results should appear some time in September.
    A Memorial Page dedicated to LaVerne BeBeau who recently passed away has been posted on the Web site.
    Please visit the Events Calendar on the Web site for Volunteer Opportunities and Trail Care dates and times.

Events of Interest:
    Celebrate autumn, the season of harvest, at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) and the W. K. Kellogg Forest on Sunday, October 8, from 1 to 5 PM.  This year’s sixth annual “Share the Harvest” program features activities for the entire family during open houses at the Kellogg Manor House, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, Kellogg Farm Dairy Center and the Farming Systems Center. 
    • As visitors tour the Manor, they will learn about the 80-year history of the W. K. Manor House. 
    • Take a stroll through the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, and along the way make a bird feeder and dissect an owl pellet.
    • Create a cheese bug at the Kellogg Farm Dairy Center.  The young and the young-at-heart are invited to pet the calves, visit the milking parlor and see how cows are milked. 
    • Take a wagon tour of the agricultural research areas and see farm equipment in action at the KBS Farming Systems Center.  Learn what crops are grown on the farm and how they are used.  Find your way through the corn maze and receive a pumpkin to decorate and take home. 
    No admission, but a nonperishable food item donation is requested.

    KBS volunteer opportunities can be found on their Web site.  Volunteer training dates are scheduled as follows:
    • Wednesday, September 20; Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Tour Guide
    • Tuesday, September 26; Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Resource Center/Gift Shop
    • Wednesday, September 27; W. K. Kellogg Manor House Docent I
    • Wednesday, October 4; W. K. Kellogg Manor House Docent II
    • Thursday, October 5; Kellogg Farm Dairy Center Tour Guide
    • Wednesday, October 11; W. K. Kellogg Manor House Docent III

    KBS and the Kellogg Forest host portions of Chief Noonday's section of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Newsletter available on-line!  
    You can view the .pdf file for the Newsletter in the Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking on the link above under the title of this page, and you can even save it on your hard drive.  Or you can receive the .pdf file by e-mail if you e-mail Larry Pio at nalcoman1@aol.com.