Oregon Nordic Club
Santiam Alpine Club

Hiking Chairpersons

Dawdler Hikes Chairperson:

Dawdler hikes are for those people interested in hiking and the outdoors but, for one reason for another, are not confident to hike with more experienced, younger, or more avid hikers.  The chair is responsible to schedule interesting hikes that are not as rigorous, lengthy, or demanding as other scheduled hikes.

Duties: 

1)      As warranted, solicit committee members or a co-chair to plan hikes.  Set and lead committee meetings.

2)      Schedule about one hike per week for the year, from March of the current year to February of the following year.  Hikes may be scheduled for any day of the week.

3)      Enlist leaders for hikes.

4)      Send list of hikes, leaders, and dates to the vice-president for inclusion in the Prospectus by date set.

5)      Send packet of materials to hike leaders about two months before Bulletin delivery.  Hike leaders may use on-line method.  Packets include:

a.   Instructions to trip leaders

b.   Hike information form to be sent to Bulletin editor

c.  White trip report form and blue guest form

d.   “We Were There” form (pink)

e.   Addressed envelopes – one to committee chair and two to Bulletin editor (for pre-trip write-up and post trip write-up).

6)      Keep record of each activity including junior members, senior members, and guests.

7)      Keep track of expenses and submit reimbursement request.

8)      Prepare annual report in triplicate for the Annual Meeting.  Present report at Annual Meeting. 

submitted by Janet Templar, July 2004

Mid-Week Hikes Chairperson: 

The mid-week hike chairperson is responsible for arranging mid-week hikes (March through February).  

Responsibilities: 

1.   In mid-December, send out letters to potential hike leaders, which are to be returned to the chairperson, with requested information, by the first of January (see sample copy of letter).  The chairperson may opt to use other procedures such as having a meeting with potential hike leaders or recruiting leaders by phone or e-mail.

2.   Early in January, two other members, along with the chairperson, meet to lay-out the calendar for the year.  The returned letters from hike leaders are utilized for this process.  If there are too many duplications on certain dates or other questions, the individual hike leader is called by phone in order to make reasonable adjustments on the hiking calendar.

3.   The completed schedule for the year, including the names of hike leaders, is forwarded to the vice-president or another Council member in charge of the Prospectus.  This is due early in January.

4.   Each month the chairperson mails the materials listed below to the individual hike leaders.   This is to be sent by the 15^th of the month in order for the hike leader to get the trip write-up to the Bulletin Editor by the first of the month deadline, i.e., this is the month before the hike.

a.        Instructions for trip leaders

b.       Trip description for the Bulletin

c.        Release & Assumption of Risk forms (1 white for members, 1 blue for guests)

d.       A “We Were There” form

e.        Envelopes addressed to mid-week hike chairperson and Bulletin Editor. 

5.   Hike leaders are to return the white (membership) and blue (guest) forms to the chairperson after each hike.  The Chairperson is to maintain a record of each hike, including number of members and guests.  This information is on the back of the white (membership) form.

6.  When hike leaders return the blue sheet with guest names, this should be forwarded as soon as possible to membership.  This is how prospective members receive Bulletins and are credited with completion of qualifiers.

7.       Present a verbal and written report at the Annual Meeting (2^nd Monday in January).  Provide copies for the president and the secretary.  The mid-week hike chairperson should keep a copy for his/her records.  The report should include participation statistics and possible suggestions for the coming year (see sample copy).

submitted by Pete Anderson, June 2004 

Weekend Hikes Chairperson: 

1)       Recruit twelve monthly coordinators, one for each month of the Prospectus hiking calendar, which extends from March through February.

2)       Organize and lead a meeting in late December with the twelve monthly coordinators.  The purpose of the meeting is to begin planning the weekend hiking calendar, to set goals about the number of hikes and their variety with respect to area, elevation gain, distance, and degree of difficulty, and to distribute materials (e.g., sign-up and instruction sheets) for the coordinators to mail to the individual hike leaders, if e-mail is not available.

3)       Current goals are to achieve a minimum of two hikes each weekend in December, January and February; a minimum of three hikes each weekend in November; a minimum of four hikes each weekend in March, April and October; and a minimum of six hikes each weekend in May, June, July, August and September.

4)       Collate the hiking lists compiled from the monthly coordinators, look over the schedule as a whole, make changes where appropriate, and submit the final list to the vice-president for inclusion in the Prospectus.

5)       Help organize hike leadership training sessions in the Spring at least every other year.

6)       Send write-up for 10-Mile-High Award to the Bulletin editor for the December Bulletin.  Include in the write-up a worksheet for calculating or totaling elevation gain on hikes and trail maintenance trips.  Print certificates for each qualifying individual.  Present certificates as the Annual Banquet.

7)       Submit an annual hiking report to the president at the Annual Meeting in January. 

Submitted by Jack Webb, July 2004

Activity information is provided to members in The Chemeketan our monthly bulletin. To receive a complimentary two-month subscription to The Chemeketan and for more information about membership, contact the Membership Secretary.