Our May meeting was the Chapter Annual Meeting, and on even years, we also elect our Officers.  The slate of officers elected:

• President: Larry Hawkins

• Vice President - Administration: Larry Pio

• Vice President -Trail Management: Jeff Fleming

• Treasurer: Ron Sootsman

• Secretary: Mick Hawkins

As far as I can determine, Jeff is our 4^th head of Trail Management, following in the footsteps of:
Lynn Waldron: up to 2001
Charles Krammin: 2001 to 2005
Steve Hicks: 2005 to 2010

Steve Hicks is shown in the picture to the right, taken at our work day in April at the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. 

Steve was also Treasurer of our Chapter for several years before becoming VP Trail Management. 

He has earned a well deserved break from the extra demands of his time we have asked of him.

Thank you Steve for all the work you have done to build and improve our trail.

Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator for the National Park Service, met June 13 with Larry Hawkins, Ron Sootsman, Linda Sootsman, and Larry Pio to provide training.

The first thing we learned was we needed to be signed up properly as a volunteer to be covered.

• Larry Hawkins has taken care of this for NCTA members who are current on their membership.
• For non-member volunteers, we have a quick form to fill out prior to your activities.  This would include nonmember spouses, members whose dues are delinquent, or any other visiting volunteer.
• For volunteers under the age of 18, parental or guardian signatures are needed, prior to volunteer activities.

The second thing we learned: if you are injured, it must be reported, even if treatment is not being sought.  Sometimes injuries are worse than we first thought, and if they aren’t reported, it is difficult for Dan to help out later.

There is paperwork for the physician to fill out, but if you require medical treatment, getting the treatment is the first priority.  We can always go back and get the paperwork.  Call Dan’s office as soon as you can, and he can help make things happen.

The FCRA is located across Dickman Road from our section of trail in the Fort Custer National Cemetery. The FCRA is located on 3033 acres, and the hike will be around the lakes section. One thing you may see on this hike is a very large beaver dam. This dam is about 6 to 7 feet tall, and has turned the stream into a very nice looking lake in this area.

Breakfast will be at Duda’s, at 113 W. Michigan in Augusta at 8:00 AM. Once again, let Mick Hawkins know if you will not be able to meet for breakfast, so he can make arrangements to meet up with you at the FCRA. A State of Michigan Parks Annual Sticker or Day Pass is required.

July 24: Work Day in Barry State Game Area; Barry County
Our July 24 work day will involve an area of potential reroute in Barry State Game Area around a zone that has been clear cut. The work site will be on the east side of Norris Road, 0.4 miles south of Gun Lake Road at about 9:00 am.

We will have breakfast at 8:00 am at the Gun Lake Diner at 12441 West M-179 Highway (Chief Noonday Highway). The Gun Lake Diner is 4.7 miles west of the Yankee Springs Road and M-179 intersection on the south side of the road.

August 5-8 NCTA 2010 Conference to be held in Ashland, Wisconsin
The 2010 NCTA Conference kicks off on August 5 in Ashland, WI with the opportunity to visit with, and learn from, NCT volunteers from the whole length of the trail.  Some highlights on other opportunities:

• A pre-conference 2 day backpacking hike led by Bill Menke on August 3
• Chainsaw certification on August 5
• Medic First Aid workshop on August 5
• Cruise the Apostle Islands on August 7
• A large selection of hikes and workshops the rest of the conference

Only 614 miles from Delton, MI to visit a great vacation spot on the shores of Lake Superior. Hope you can join us.

August 11: Chief Noonday Picnic and a Meeting
Our annual picnic will be held at the shelter behind Barry Township Hall in Delton at 6:00 PM. We encourage everyone to attend, and specifically we would like to invite all the land owners and land managers who host our trail to join us.  Families are welcome.  Please bring a dish to pass, your beverage, and table settings.

August 14: Hike Allegan State Game Area, North Swan Lake Trail; Allegan County
We will hike the Allegan State Game Area, North Swan Lake Trail, for our August 14 hike at about 9:30 AM.

August 21: Work Day for Blazing
For our work day on August 21, blazing road walk is our current priority.  Please check our web site for a breakfast location, which will be somewhat centralized.  We will disperse from breakfast to our blazing assignments.  This will involve painting blue blazes to assist hikers in staying on the trail. Bring your gloves and sunscreen.

September 3-7: Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter Hosts "Bring on the Bridge"
The Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter is hosting their 2nd "Bring on the Bridge" event in Moran, Michigan.  This is a camping rally, and includes hiking across the Mackinaw Bridge on Labor Day, the only day during the year that section of the North Country Trail is open to foot traffic.

September 18: Work Day Scheduled
This work day may be used as a back up day (in case of rain on our scheduled blazing work day on August 21) or we will schedule other work.  Please check our web site for more information as the date approaches.

The following additional hikes are scheduled for 2010:
November 6, 2010:  Saugatuck Dunes State Park; Allegan County
December 4, 2010:  Marshall Riverwalk, and Brooks Nature Area; Calhoun County

October 2: Fall Color Hike – MSU Kellogg Biological Station to Kellogg Forest; Kalamazoo County
If you haven’t hiked the MSU Kellogg Biological section of our trail in the past two years, you will find quite a different look, as much of the trail has been rerouted, and an extension to the north has been added.  We will hike from KBS through the Cheff Center forest, and then on to MSU Kellogg Forest.  After lunch, we may continue on to the Hutchinson property parking area in Augusta.

Breakfast location is yet to be announced, but you should put this hike on your calendar now.  This hike also all North Country Trail, and qualifies for Hiker Challenge miles.

• The passing of our Chapter’s senior member, Martha Jones.  Martha was also a past president of the North Country Trail Association, and was an active participant.  She was 90 years old, and will be missed greatly.  Mick has a much more detailed summary, with some great pictures on the web site.
• In his May 2 summary of events, Mick also includes Bruce Matthews' note on Martha Jones’ memorial service.
• Our April hike in Yankee Springs, with Charles Krammin, Verle Krammin, and Mick Hawkins the only participants, as the forecast looked grim.
• The April 17 work day in Yankee Springs, where we completed the finishing touches on the trail reroute.  Thanks to Mick Hawkins, Steve Hicks, Jerry Pattok (and his granddaughter Anna), Larry Pio, George Lee, Bob Sulaski and Charles Krammin for all the help on the work day, and to Jeff Fleming for making the signs that were installed.
• Our May 1 Adopters Meeting held at Kellogg Forest.  Larry Pio led the meeting with a brief review of blazing technique, and the unveiling of our new DR Trimmer / Mower.  Later, Larry Pio, Steve Hicks and Ron Sootsman tried out the new DR Trimmer / Mower at the Hutchinson parking lot.  Thanks to Diane Hawkins for taking this year’s Adopter photo.  Thanks to all of our adopters for their service. They are: John Rudnicki, Bob Cooley, Susan Bond, Larry Pio, Mike Wilkey, Chris Vreeland and family, Jeff and Mary Fleming, Ron Sootsman, Jim Martin, Jim Mackey, Josh Richie, Tom Funke, Marcia Mellon, Joe Higdon, Roxanne Potter, Jerry Pattok, and George Lee.

Every quarter we have a section on what Mick Hawkins reports in our TRAIL LOG, but he does a whole lot more with our web site.  He has done an amazing job mapping almost our entire Chapter, and he has made it available to print from the web site.  You can also select the background for your map, viewing terrain, street layouts, satellite view, or a combination of satellite and street layouts.  This is a great tool to have available as you are heading out to look at that section of trail you haven’t been to before.  Check out the MAPS tab on our web site.

The other area that Mick and Ron Sootsman put together a couple years ago is our site’s NCNST Databook for Hikers.  This is a great database for hikers who are using their GPS to navigate our Chapter’s trail.  It also has reference codes for finding restaurants, groceries, water, campsites, etc. Thanks to both Mick and Ron for these excellent hiker aids.

Competition is well underway for the Chief Noonday Chapter Hiker Challenge Cup, version 2010. The basic challenge is to see who can hike the most miles on the North Country Trail in 2010. The complete rules can be seen on our web site, but here is a summary:

Our top 10 leaders as of 6/27/10 are:

We have a new TRAIL DEPUTY REPORT project, where our hikers can report trail conditions, signage, blazing, etc.  These reports are useful to us to keep up on where our trail needs extra work, and gives hikers filling them out extra volunteer hours.  A link to this form is found on our HIKER CHALLENGE web page, in the VOLUNTEER HOURS box at the bottom of the page.  (Or just click here.)  Send your completed form to Larry Pio.  Please note: this form is not required for your report.  It is useful as a list of items to evaluate, which can be summarized in an email if you wish.  Thanks for your help in keeping our trail as good as it can be.