THE BLAZE

Newsletter of the Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club

Spring 2018

Newsletter in .pdf form

Lost Mountain Shelter near Damascus

The Lost Mountain Shelter was built by the Mount Roger Appalachian Trail Club and the Konnarock Crew in 1994 with funding and assistance from the Forest Service and the ATC. 

REMEMBERING TWO BOBS:

The MOUNT ROGERS APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB, a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy was organized February 29, 1960. The club has maintenance responsibilities for 59.4 miles of the APPALACHIAN TRAIL in the Jefferson National Forest, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Grayson Highlands State Park and additional trails in the area.

Bob Kilbourne and Bob Broyles both died within the last few months. They were trail maintainers in the club in the 1990s and early 2000s.

“Shorty” Kilbourne may be remembered as the one who carried the gas can to refuel weedeaters and chainsaws on trail maintenance trips.

Bob Broyles was the club’s timekeeper for many years. Both Bobs were life members of the club and their wives, Marie Broyles and Joann Kilbourne, are still life members.

LOOKING TOWARD THE 2018 SEASON

The club logged over 4800 volunteer hours to the ATC for FY Oct. 2016 through Sept. 2017, including trail maintenance, meetings, rare plant monitoring, supporting Hardcore, events in AT Communities, and leading recreational hikes on the AT. We are trying out a new club leadership structure in 2018 to continue all these activities with vigor.

Doug Levin is Trails Coordinator, with a committee of four others to help plan and organize trail maintenance. Our section monitors do light maintenance on assigned sections and report issues the club needs to address, which has been a very successful way to keep up with trail problems. We have quite a few club members who come out regularly for trail maintenance outings, but more are always welcome! We have a good time and enjoy the satisfaction of making improvements – and we encourage others to come out and join us for one of our work days.

Whitney Osborne, who joined the club within the past year, jumped right in and is heading up the club’s Outreach Committee in charge of community events, publicity and the youth engagement subcommittee, chaired by Mary Davis. Whitney has already expanded and modernized our outreach efforts by setting up the club on Twitter and Instagram.

Carol Broderson, a club member for many years, has an interest in and knowledge of wildflowers and plants. She is now the club’s Natural Resources Coordinator and will work with others in the club to keep our rare plant monitoring going along the AT.

Sharon Trumbley wears two hats. She has been Membership Coordinator and has now also taken on the role of Recreational Activities Coordinator, preparing the club’s Activities Schedule and working with a committee to plan hikes and organize the club’s social events.

Terry Walker, Past President, has taken over the position of RPC rep. from Bill Hurlebaus, who was our club’s rep. to the ATC’s meetings with other trail clubs for over ten years. Bill will still be available as an alternate, and we have added another interested new Board member as an alternate as well: Gerry Davis.

The Board, in addition to these five Coordinators and the RPC Alternates, includes some old members and some new ones: George Kilgore, George Dickert, Isaac Peters, Edie Bobko, Jim Warden, Anne Maio. Continuing as Treasurer is Kathy Walker and our new Secretary is Mary Davis.

Besides Membership, the club has other support positions. Ron Bobko is the Timekeeper, keeping track of the club’s volunteer hours. We also have club members in charge of the club’s website (Pat Hensley), newsletter (Denny Troth) and Facebook (Mary Davis).

As for me, Interim President this past year while we were coming up with a new leadership structure, I am excited at the possibilities this new structure offers, not only for spreading out the work the club does but for getting more people in positions to use their ideas and creativity. Besides the Coordinator positions, there are many opportunities for all club members to become involved in committees, trail work, outreach, and natural resource monitoring. With this newsletter, there is an insert listing the club’s Board, Coordinators and those in other administrative positions, with contact information. If you have an interest or curiosity, contact someone on the list. We have hikes and work trips on Saturdays and Wednesdays and sometimes at other times, hoping to catch as many people as possible.

How about a New Year’s Resolution for 2018, starting this spring: if you didn’t come out on a group hike, club activity, meeting, or a group work trip in 2017, plan to try one sometime in 2018.

                                                                                                                                                -- Anne

EMAIL CHECKUP

We expect that Mary, as Club Secretary, will take over sending out the weekly emails about club activities this spring. So it’s a good time to ask, so we can clean up our email list: If you are not receiving club emails and would like to, please send us your email address. If you are receiving emails, but would rather not get them, please let us know. (You can email me, either way: trailsamkm@aol.com, and I will pass the word.) 

     Jim Warden, Maria Salgado and Sharon Trumbley at the Tennessee Virginia line 

VOLUNTEER HOURS AWARDS: FY OCT. 2016 – SEPT. 2017

At our Annual Meeting, the following club members received volunteer hours awards from the Forest Service: 50 HOUR PATCH: Edith Bobko – 60; Ron Bobko – 325; Gray Hauser – 112; Jim Heaney - 162 100 HR BAR: Ron Bobko – 325; Rick Brakeman – 123; Gray Hauser – 112; Jim Heaney – 162; Steve Panella – 109; Maria Salgado – 148. 200 HR BAR: Ron Bobko – 325; Gerald Davis – 250; Janet Gibbons – 203. 300 HR BAR: Ron Bobko – 325; Jim Warden – 368. 600 HR BAR: Ed Clayton – 601. 900 HR BAR: Judith Foster – 926; Sharon Trumbley – 962.

The following received volunteer hours awards from the ATC:

8-99 Hours (Pin): Brian Allgood - 25.75; Edith Bobko – 60; Ron Bobko - 325; Ashley Cannon – 14; Steve Cannon – 21; Frank deNobriga – 35; Megan de Nobriga – 12; Beth Fairbanks – 14; Bonnie Harrington – 8; Jim Heaney – 162; Chris McConnell – 15; Matt McEndarfer – 30; Melody Poe – 8; Josh Stovall – 9; Gloria Surber – 28; Judy Wilson – 8. 100-499 Hours (Patch): Ron Bobko -325; Rick Brakema -123; Gray Hauser – 112; Jim Heaney -162; Steve Panella -109; Maria Salgado – 148.

Presidential Certificate of Recognition - 4000 Hours of Volunteer Service: George Kilgore – 4005 Hrs (GO GEORGE!)

Members with over 1000 volunteer hours: Aubrey Arrington -1898, Carol Broderson -1193.5, Wilford Corbin – 1322, George Dickert – 1453.5, George Kilgore – 4005.5, Doug Levin –1521.5, Anne Maio – 9354.5, Anna Sherrill – 1023.5, Denny Troth – 1359, Terry Walker 2226.8.

Thanks so much to all for your contributions to the Trail and the Club!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS WHO JOINED BETWEEN FEB. 2017 AND FEB. 2018!

Jim Austin, Bobby and Glenda Boyd, Patricia Darnell, Jeff Donahue, Mark Elliot, Dave and Sandie Hatcher, Monica and Al Hoffman, Kimberlie Harmon, Phillip Imel, Ted and Lisa Jackson, Norma Koscinski, Joe and Donna LeVine, Chris and Kristi McConnell, Whitney Osborne, Owen Parks, Isaac Peters, Marcia Pruner, Jeannette Sanders, Cassa VonKundra, Chuck Walk, Richard Weintraub, Peter and Jennifer Whiteis.

Hope to see you all on the Trail!

NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT: 50TH ANNIVERSARY

2018 is the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, which established the AT as a national scenic trail. Events on national trails will be announced on www.trails50.org throughout the year. At Trail Days in Damascus in May, there will be a celebratory family hike with information.