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Meeting began with Trail Time being an activity– coloring copies of our chapter logo to decide on the colors to be used in embroidered patches.
Business meeting was called to order at 8 pm by President Joan Young. Minutes from February were read and accepted.
Current membership is at 50. Treasurer Ed Chappel reported $444.80 in our operating fund.
Publicity: All newspapers can now receive e-mail submissions for event news releases. West Shore Community College has requested a stack of flyers and Char Holly will take these to their wellness center. The spring newsletter should be printed in time to use for Earth Day, April 22. Angie needs submissions and photos. The April meeting date will be the deadline to get things to her. Ramona will make radio station contacts in April and May while Nan Chappel is out of town.
Forest Service: Joan made an initial contact with John Heuske of the Baldwin Ranger District concerning National Trails Day since we want to hold the event at Bowman Lake which is in their district. She also reported the burned area we saw on our hike about 1 mile north of Bowman Lake.
Upcoming events: April 7,8 Campout and hike at Bowman Lake. April 22 Earth Day celebration, May 5-7 NCTA Conference, June 3 National Trails Day at Bowman Lake, September 23 Striders Run.
Trail Work: We have had a request from a Boy Scout troop from Indiana to do some trail work while they are on an outing in our area. The information was given to Ramona and she will contact them about cleaning the section of trail north of the Marilla Trailhead. We received a set of videos and books from the National Park Service that we should have received as part of our start-up package, but was somehow overlooked. Seth Hopkins agreed to serve as Chapter Librarian. He will make a list of what is available and get it to Angie to be published in the newsletter. A motion was made by Ramona to allow Seth to get a rubber stamp made to mark our materials. It was commented that computer generated labels would be a lot cheaper. The motion was amended to have Seth look into what a rubber stamp would cost. Motion was seconded by ???, and passed.
CSC Grant: The grant of $1000 to complete trail marking on our section was received. The 3 additional scrapers and 4 gallons of paint are received. Joan will keep these gallons and Ed has the 4 that were ordered by the NFS so there is paint near both “population centers” of our chapter. Ramona will look into who can make routed signs. Joan will look in old minutes to find out who from Traverse City said they had a source for nice laser-cut signs.
Income Opportunities: We now have a number at Prevo’s for donations to be made from the shopper’s card. The number is 00213. Joan presented estimates from two companies to make embroidered patches, the Embroidery House of Jenison, and Royal Stewart Enterprises of Monroe, both in Michigan. Various price levels were noted. Ramona moved to order 200 patches from Royal Stewart at a cost of $1.25 each, to be sold at $3.00. Nan seconded. This was agreed to be a good number to see if we liked their work. We can always order more. The motion passed and Joan will place the order which should be received in time for Earth Day.
National Trails Day: Co-chairs Seth and Kari Hopkins presented a sketched map of the Bowman Lake area to show how an event might be staged. Joan and Ed agreed to serve on the commitee. We want to do hikes of various lengths with interpretive sites. Possible participants for tables in addition to our sales table at the “fair” might be The PM Fly Fisherman, Orvis, EMS. We might arrange with the Baldwin Area Transportation Authority to run a couple of shuttles to the event. Further discussion was tabled. The committee will meet at Bowman Lake Sunday at 3 pm to better assess how the site can be used.
A letter from Fred Crawford concerning increased interest in participation by Boy Scouts for National Trails Day was read.
The measuring south of Timber Creek for the next map set has not been done. Ed gave Joan the maps and wheel since he is leaving for Florida.
Ed moved that the meeting be adjourned at 9:45, was seconded by Seth.
Members present: Ed and Nan Chappel, Ramona Venegas, Seth and Kari Hopkins, Angie Addington, Joan Young. Non- members present: Scott Johnson, Sharon Anderson.