Christmas Party – This Tuesday, December 6, at the Huntsville Public Library Downtown!
Just a reminder that the annual Christmas Party for the North Alabama Sierra Club will be this Tuesday, December 6 at 6:00pm in the auditorium of the Huntsville Public Library downtown. The club will provide turkey and ham and beverages. Please bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share. We welcome vegetable dishes! Note: If you come at 5:00 you can help us set up!
Election for new Excom Members
The local Sierra Club group could not function without the hard work of the members of the executive committee. This year there are five open seats and five candidates. You can also write-in a candidate. Members of the local club should have received a post card ballot in the mail. You can mark the postcard and return it by December 10 to the address on the card, or turn it in at the Christmas Party. The members running for the executive committee are:
Charlotte Buening
I have been a member of the Sierra Club since 2004 and have enjoyed many hikes and trips with the Club. Conservation and saving our beautiful earth for the future is important to me. I have worked the booth for the Club at the Earth Day, Green U, and Madison Street festivals, telling people about the Sierra Club and its work for the environment, and helping people get outdoors to enjoy the countryside. I have been a hike leader, and am a current member of the Excom. I would like to continue to help the Sierra Club in any way I can for the future.
Charlie Cohen
For almost 28 years, I have been living in Huntsville, where I have been hiking with the Sierra Club and earning my living as a scientist. For the past nine years, I have been leading hikes for the North Alabama Group. As treasurer for the North Alabama Group, I have been promoting environmental causes by handling the Alabama Chapter’s money. This is an essential job. I have enjoyed the support of the Executive Committee, and I would like to continue in this position.
Steve Jackson
Hiking has been a hobby of mine since I was a Boy Scout, spending many a day and some nights hiking the hills of Madison and Jackson Counties. I have also hiked in the Appalachians, Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains and Southern Cascades Ranges. This time in the woods has led to a deep appreciation of our natural world and the need to protect it from the onslaught of "civilization.” My wife Beth and I also support other fine organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, NRDC, etc. I am currently the Club Vice-president and Program chair and enjoy my role as an outings leader and the benefits it provides me, my fellow hikers and the Club.
Aaron Lesky
New to the Sierra Club of Alabama, I enjoy my time outdoors with my intrepid sidekick Jefferson. I'm a transplant from California who has traveled extensively giving me a perspective that allows me to truly cherish the natural environment here in the Southeast. I see the Sierra Club's role as being a voice for the environment and wild places and one of the best ways we can do that is to help the community have firsthand experiences out in nature in fun and safe ways.
Jayanthi Srikishen
Jayanthi is currently on the Executive Committee as the Publicity chair for the North Alabama group and would like to continue in that capacity. She enjoys the outdoors and hiking and as publicity chair for our group plays an important role in advertising our events, particularly the speaker programs.
Cleaning Up Our Database
We recently went through the club membership database and did some cleanup, and one of the things we did was add emails to the list for distribution of this newsletter. If you do not want to receive the newsletter or are already getting it at another email address, please respond back and let us know. Thanks!
The Sierra Club Online
web - http://www.sierraclub.org/alabama/north-alabama
email - na.sierraclub@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/254833822112/
Outings
DEC 3 (Sat) Hike Wade Mountain Nature Preserve - 10-mile hike - Strenuous
Wade Mountain was designated a National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. The National Recreation Trails program recognizes "exemplary trails of local and regional significance" across the nation. There is now a trail that connects the two sides of Wade Mountains trail system. We will hike most of the trails which include Devil's Race Track, which has a view that includes Tennessee; the Rock Wall Trail where we will stop and speculate; and the Fossil Bench Trail. Meet at 8:30 at the Land Trust parking lot at Wade Mtn on Spragins Hollow Dr.. Drive north on Memorial Parkway past Alabama A&M University. Turn left onto Hollow Road (first road north of Winchester Road). Turn right onto Spragins Hollow Road. The Land Trust parking lot is on the right, just past the third 90 degree turn in the road. Dress for the weather and have sturdy shoes. Bring water, snacks, lunch and a gift for the hike leader. For more info contact your hike leader Charlie at charlie.cohen@att.net or 256-361-3837 RAIN CANCELS.
DEC 17 (Sat) Monte Sano Hike - Strenuous
Sure, you have tons of Xmas shopping to finish up… and so much to do to get your house ready for guests… or maybe get packed for that holiday trip, but wouldn’t you rather get outside, stretch your legs, breathe some clean air and talk to some really nice folks? The correct answer is yes, and we’re here to help you out with a 10ish mile and ~600 ft elevation gain hike in the jewel of Huntsville, Monte Sano State Park . With the leaves off the trees, you get a totally different perspective of the Monte Sano trails. We’ll hit some great trails, Goat Trail, Keith Trail, Logans Point, Mountain Mist. If you need an excuse, just tell people you are out hunting mistletoe (no mistletoe will be harmed during this hike). Meet at 9:00 AM at the Hikers Parking Lot in Monte Sano State Park: 5105 Nolen Ave SE, Huntsville, AL 35801 Dress for the weather (layers), bring lunch, snacks and water. Thunderstorms Cancel! For more information, contact Aaron at sctrailevents@gmail.com