Committee Reports

From planning and leading recreational activities to seasonal trail work – here's what our committees were up to last month.

20s/30s

The 20s/30s+ WhatsApp group has over 100 members! ✧ Recent events: 02/22: XC Skiing at Notchview (w/ Worcester); 03/08: XC Skiing at Notchview (w/ Worcester); 03/29: Hike at Mt. Toby State Reservation; 04/19: Hike at Mt. Tom State Reservation; 04/30: Social at Treehouse Brewing; 05/17: Hike at Quabbin Park; 05/17: Interchapter Social at Rapscallion Brewery (WMA, CT, Narragansett, Worcester); 06/04: Another Spring Social at Powder Hollow Brewing; 06/14: Paddle+Hike at Tully Lake; 06/22: Outdoor Leadership Training

A.T. Management

The most recent A.T. Committee meeting was May 5 ✧ Seasonal project work is in full swing. Projects since the last report include removal of 2 deer stands on Park Service land near the trail, grass mowing along the trail in open areas, repairing the picnic table at Wilcox North shelter, corridor boundary maintenance in Tyringham, clearing invasive plants along the trail, leveling the boardwalk around Hop Brook in Tyringham, clearing brush around Reynolds Rock in Cheshire on National Trails Day and helping the Green Mountain Club rough cut an Appalachian Trail relocation at the MA/VT border ✧ Upper Goose Pond Cabin has been open for 4 weeks and is seeing an increasing number of overnight visitors as the season moves along ✧ Seasonal project work is ongoing; see the Outdoor Connector (OC) for details on upcoming A.T. projects and information on how to volunteer with us ✧ Volunteer recruitment needs include trail maintainers, corridor monitors, and three coordinators: shelter, communications and group outreach ✧ Next meeting: August 25, 2025

Bicycling

The Spring Warm-up for Experienced Cyclists and the 25 Miles of Farms & Quiet Roads Warm-up were cancelled due to rain ✧ June, July and August bike rides are listed on the AMC Outdoor Connector (OC) and include: Turners Falls to Northfield Ride (23.9 miles/1240 ft), Tour of the Hamptons (29.9 miles/1638 ft), Berkshires Ride - Tyringham Loop (32.6 miles/2043 ft), Berkshires Ride - Great Barrington to Mill River (26.8 miles/1223ft), Berkshires Ride - Stockbridge to Alford (37.7 miles/2518 ft)

Communications

The Chapter's social media accounts continue to gain new followers. The Facebook account had a great month due to the popularity of a post about the adaptive hike with All Out Adventures. Instagram data remained fairly stable ✧ We created a poster and an event on Facebook to promote the National Trails Day events throughout western MA ✧ On the website, this month's analytics registered the highest users (1,487) and views (3,713) since we started tracking web data! ✧ Facebook: 28 posts (top post: All Out Adventures Adaptive Hike) ✧ Instagram: 20 posts (top post: Lady Slipper Season) ✧ Ongoing web work includes activity postings, updates to the Western MA Exchange, new photos, and site maintenance

Community Engagement

Katherine Brainard and Dawne Piers-Gamble are leading a Women+ Juneteenth Reflection Hike on June 19 ✧ The Paddling Committee will have our new transfer bench for use on the rescheduled Cheshire paddle on June 15, in the Berkshires ✧ Interested AMC volunteers can sign up to volunteer with AOA here ✧ The Interchapter Community Engagement Committee meets bimonthly on the 4th Thursday of the month from 5-6 PM. Our next meeting is Thursday, June 26, 2025 ✧ We're planning hikes on the New England Scenic Trail (NET) with Miriam Maistelman, to be led with AOA as part of a grant received by AMC ✧ Save the date for 4th annual Women's Weekend on Sept 6, 2025. Planning for this retreat is underway

Family Programs

May 18, Family Wildflower Hike at Noble View ✧ The May/June StoryWalk^® is "Fairy House" by Tracey Kane ✧ Family Outings members, Paddle Committee members and NV Stewards Council members created fairy houses for the StoryWalk^® APT Trail. 9 houses are displayed ✧ Created a Family Scavenger Hunt Bingo handout and other family pamphlets for National Trails Day in Cheshire ✧ Late summer and early fall program preparation continues

Membership

We are working with Kevin Pelosky re: a NET Tabling event in Cheshire, MA. Information, swag, snacks, and maps will be available ✧ We are scouting potential "front country" hikes in Williamstown, Pittsfield, North Adams, and Adams ✧ Upcoming events, now scheduled on AMC's Outdoor Connector, include a guided hike with w/Williamstown Rural Lands to examine the local effects of climate change and a tabling event at Bennington Trailfest. Feel free to join us or share information about your committee with the Membership Chair

NET Management

May 17: AOA (All Out Adventures) event at Bright Water Bog property owned by the Kestrel Land Trust; NET/AMC and NPS staff assisted ✧ 173 Volunteer hours are reported, including the Pioneer Valley Hiking Club's installation of a new set of stairs on Section 2, north of the Springfield Reservoir ✧ Planning continues for Wendell SF Shelter Project scheduled for mid July ✧ Attended a National Trails Day event at Holyoke Range SP, which included tabling and a guided hike The next NET Committee meeting is scheduled for June 16, 2025

Paddling

The Paddling Committee last met on 03/19; committee goals and plans for 2025 were discussed ✧ Deb attended the Interchapter Paddling Committee meeting on May 15 with discussion of the Outdoor Connector and new Leader Fundamentals course. Much of the meeting concerned the AMC150 relay for 2026 with discussion of the paddling legs. Western MA expects to run the Westfield River day trip and a 2- day trip on the Connecticut River in Northampton. Hoping to involve All Out Adventures in one day of AMC150. ✧ May 23: LGBTQ+ river trip on the Knightville section of the Wesetfield River [moved from Deerfield due to high water), led by Ann Gillard Find upcoming trips on the OC

Training and Education

T/E members met to discuss how to best support learned knowledge on new online training platform by identifying ways to check LIT understanding of content ✧ Supported in planning a 20s & 30s affinity space in hosting a leadership application day for June ✧ Continued to support new LIT's, both from Western MA and other chapters to identify paths to full leadership status