NBTC Annual Holiday Dinner

Transcription

1 FALL 2018 Velvet Display, by Don Young. Top: Carefully Chronicled Bulletin Board, by Bill Snell. Shadow Box, by Marg & Gary Ewert Bottom: Badge Hat, by Tony Hopkins. Bruce Trail Quilt, by Lis Laustroer. Pillow, by Art Smith. President's Message DEBBIE DEMIZIO The Niagara Bruce Trail Club offers one of the most diverse hiking programs of all Bruce Trail Clubs. Recently, I took the hike leader training certification course. One of the reasons I took the course was to develop a better understanding of the responsibilities and contributions of our volunteer hike leaders. The Niagara Bruce Trail Club is very lucky to have a group of dedicated and qualified hike leaders who are motivated by their love of exercise, nature and conservation of the Bruce Trail. In addition, they add an element of their own personality and heart by sharing a vast array of skills and interests to contribute to our club s robust hiking program. The hike schedule enclosed with this newsletter offers a wide variety of hikes. You can choose to join a hike at the pace and terrain that suits your ability, or a route that piques your interest. This is especially useful for hikers who are just getting started or are new to the region. 1 The Grapevine FALL 2018 Even if you are a regular hiker, you may not be aware that our volunteer hike leaders have also been involved in off schedule hikes in response to specific requests and needs of our community. Examples are mood hikes, an introductory hike for graduate students, and a hike for youth attending a national conference at Brock University. Special thanks to the volunteer hike leaders who have shared their hearts and responded with enthusiasm to lead hikes and to Alicia Aitchison and Margaret Northfield for coordinating the schedule and responding to the special requests! Look at every path closely and deliberately, then ask ourselves this crucial question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good. If it doesn t, it is of no use. - Carlos Castaneda Happy trails, Debbie

2 Board News DEBBIE DEMIZIO Bill Ford retires as NBTC VP After relocating from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake and joining our board as Vice President nearly 2 years ago, Bill and wife Karen have decided to follow their dreams by relocating to an ocean-front home in PEI. Bill has shared his heart with the club by leading more leisurely-paced hikes. He has also strengthened the club s liaison with Niagara College. I thank Bill for his contribution to the board and wish him and Karen all the best in PEI. Bill s departure creates at least two volunteer opportunities. First, if you are a hike leader interested in leading more leisurely hikes, please contact Hike Coordinator Alicia Aitchison aliciaaitchison1@gmail.com. Second, there is an opportunity for a new volunteer to join the board. The position of Vice President is normally 2 years, but in this case, it s anticipated that the VP would be the appointed to the job immediately and slated as nominee for election into the role of President at the next Annual Meeting, April If you are interested in joining our dynamic team in this board position, please contact any of the board members or the club directly niagarabrucetrailclub@gmail.com Gift Memberships Gift memberships are a great way to introduce a friend or family member to the wonders of the Niagara Escarpment. A 1-year membership with the Bruce Trail Conservancy is $50. You receive a charitable donation tax receipt for the full amount of the gift membership. For more info, see p/gift-membership Upcoming Events DEBBIE DEMIZIO Bruce Trail Conservancy AGM, Friday September 21 to Sunday September 23 Hosted by the Peninsula Club, the AGM will be held at the Evergreen Resort, 139 Resort Rd, South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario N0H 2T0. Contact the resort directly to reserve accommodation. frontdesk.evergreenresort@gmail.co m or Phone (519) Be sure to mention that you are there for the BTC Annual Meeting. For more information, or to register for the AGM, please see: annual-meeting-september Bruce Trail Day, Sunday, September 30 Bruce Trail Day is an annual event celebrating Canada's oldest and longest footpath, hosted by the Bruce Trail Conservancy and each of its Bruce Trail Clubs. Join us for free guided hikes to explore the Bruce Trail and discover the amazing variety of life along the Niagara Escarpment. Learn about our yearround hiking programs, trail maintenance opportunities, and what we are doing to establish a conservation corridor from Niagara to Tobermory. Bruce Trail Day 2018 is generously sponsored by NBTC Annual Holiday Dinner Sunday, 25 November 2018 When available, details to be posted on the website: THANKS TO STATION 1, GRIMSBY The Niagara Bruce Trail Club was Station 1 s Charity of the Month for May. Station 1 donated over $400, which represented a portion of the sales of all beverages for the month. Special thanks to Station 1 owner, Laurie Didyk-Mindorff. Donations help us preserve the trail for future generations by making the following possible: Improve the trail experience through better signage and wayfinding Support 720 volunteer trail workers who keep over 1,300 km of trail safe and enjoyable Reach out to new trail users, providing them with the information and tools they need to have a positive and memorable experience on the Bruce Trail Remove invasive species along the Bruce Trail, improving the Escarpment's biodiversity Conduct ecological inventories and assessments of Bruce Trail Conservancy Nature Reserves, to create and update ecological management plans FRIDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2018 Delectable potluck meal provided by our own Bruce Trail Conservancy Niagara Club Cash Bar 5:00PM Dinner 6:00PM 2 The Grapevine FALL 2018

3 Hikes ALICIA AITCHISON We have many new names in our Fall Hike Schedule. I would like to offer my congratulations to the following new hike leaders who completed the Certified Hike Leader Training in June 2018: Debbie Demizio, Carol Anne Diguer, Andrew Flores, Barb Kocsis, Audrey Lopez, Vanessa Miranda, Margaret O Dell, Sid Savage, Troy Schilger, and Galina Szlapetis. Check out the Hike Schedule and join these new leaders on their fall hikes. Thank You to these new leaders for joining our Hike Leader program; to Stephen Connacher (who was already certified but joins us as a new NBTC Hike Leader), and to all our existing hike leaders for continuing to volunteer. You make our hiking program what it is! There are a few changes to note in our regular weekly hikes: For the fall, the Tuesday Short Hill s Hikes have combined into one hike which meets at the Wiley Road parking lot, led by Janet Davey. We ve added a new monthly leisurely paced hike, the second Monday of each month, meeting at Rotary Park, led by myself. Don t forget the Tuesday and Thursday hikes change to 10:00 a.m. start time with the Daylight Savings Time change as of November 4 th In addition to our Niagara area hikes, we also have several hikes to consider outside of Niagara and one outside of Canada: See our Fall 2018 Hike Schedule and the calendar section of our website at endar/. for more information on the International Hike, Ganaraska Wilderness & Kawartha Trail Hike Series, Steeltown Stomp, Beaver Bites Side Trails Badge, Grand Valley Trail Towpath & Carolinian Crest. Check the website calendar regularly for up to date information including hike leader changes and hike cancellations. Happy Hiking! Media Relations MARGARET NORTHFIELD NBTC Online You don t have to be a Facebook member to see what is happening with Niagara Bruce Trail Club: ra-bruce-trail-club / However, if you would like to leave a comment or add to the conversation you need to become a Facebook member. If you like to look at beautiful photos, we have an active Instagram page: arabrucetrailclub/ Twitter enthusiasts can contact us at Hiking 101 If you are new to hiking or just don t know how to get started sign-up for Hiking 101. Members and nonmembers are welcome to participate in the 3-day Fall session, to be held Sunday afternoons on September 16, 23 & 30. Topics include safety, footwear, clothing, seasonal adjustments, maps and more. The cost is $30. Participants attending all three sessions will be given a free, made in Canada, Tuberz tube scarf. Online registration details on our website: Pelham Sumerfest Hope you had a chance to enjoy Pelham Summerfest on Saturday July 21 st. The Niagara Bruce Trail Club had a colourful and informative booth. Thank you, Judy and Lou Gaudier and Frances Smeets for volunteering to spread the word about the wonders of the Bruce Trail. Interested in volunteer trail work and hiking in the Monteverde cloud forests of Costa Rica? And earning a BTC Friendship Badge while doing it? The Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club is organizing its fifth volunteer work party on the Sendero Pacifico Trail for February/March 2019 and is looking for volunteers for this unique experience. This trail is twinned with a section of trail in the Beaver Valley Club, which you also must hike to receive the badge. I went in February 2018 and can attest that this experience was hard work but also rewarding and enriching. If you d like to participate in this effort and are available for a 11 day period in February/March 2019, please contact Ros Rossetti of the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club info@beavervalleybrucetrail.org. I m also happy to answer any questions you might have. ruthdmoffatt@gmail.com or phone: Ruth Moffatt 3 The Grapevine FALL 2018

4 Laura Secord Hike JANET DAVEY We had beautiful weather for our 27th annual Laura Secord hike, held on Saturday June 16th. 107 hikers woke up bright and early to meet at 5:45 a.m. at the Niagara Region office and check in for the hike with the assistance of Corrie Kellestine, Lauren Doig and Janet Davey. The buses set off at 6:00 a.m. sharp for the Laura Secord homestead. From there, hikers walked (and a few ran) 32 kilometres along the Bruce Trail to DeCew House. Along the way they were met with encouraging words, snacks and drinks by our wonderful checkpoint volunteers, Bill Ford, Ruth Moffatt, Kathy and Doug Toms, Donna and Gary Sands, Judy and Lou Gaudier. rest, our volunteers Bill Ford, Carol Taylor, Ineke Brinkman, Marinus Koole, Rowan Shirkie, and Don McFarlane drove them back to their cars. Once again, this hike would not have been possible without the support of our wonderful Niagara Bruce Trail Club volunteers. Thank you to each of them for the time and effort they put into making the day a success. The proceeds from this event of just over $2400 will be used to support the conservation of the Bruce Trail. VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AT LAURA SECORD HIKE Saturday, June 16 th 103 hikers completed the hike - a 96% success rate! After their long journey, hikers were very happy to see Jean and Judy meet them at DeCew House with a cold drink and lunch. They then received their badge and had their photo taken with our wonderful Laura (Diane Marlatt). Margaret Northfield managed the merchandise table where hikers could purchase our beautiful new Niagara Bruce Trail Club buffs. A big thank you to the Egg Farmers of Ontario who sponsored our event! Hikers kept cool under their tent while enjoying the delicious egg salad sandwiches and other goodies provided for lunch by Diane Marlatt, Jean Lucente, and Judy Socha. After hikers had a chance to NBTC Secretary Janet Davey (left) and NBTC President Debbie Demizio (right) present volunteer Judy Gaudier with a box of Laura Secord chocolates. Names of the Laura Secord volunteers were entered in a draw to win the chocolates, and Judy Gaudier was the winner! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The Niagara Bruce Trail Club loves its volunteers and, in fact, would not be able to function without them. But, we need more! The club offers many opportunities: you may help at one of our events; assist in delivering calendars; become a hike leader and lead hikes; perform trail maintenance; or knock on doors to thank our landowners (and/or enquire about trail securement through purchase or donation) we have a spot for you. If you have a bit of free time and would like to participate in one of these activities, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, George Prins, prinsgeorge6@gmail.com, to have your name added to the list. 4 The Grapevine FALL 2018

5 Trails RICK WATERS Trail Re-routes: We have a new permanent re-route of 340m between the Welland Canal and Ball Ave. This change was necessary when construction forced us off the Main Trail. With the help of Trail Captains and volunteers, we had this new Trail open in time for the Laura Secord hike. New Trail Captains: Jenna and Trevor Bader, Karen Couch, Charo Cuervo, Albino DiSanto Jenna and Trevor Bader Albino DiSanto Niagara E2E TRUDI SENESI May 19-21, 2018 (Victoria Day Weekend) By the time this Fall issue is in our mailbox, the Niagara Club s 2018 End-to-End will be a fond memory. This year we again saw a record number of registrations: over 250 hikers signed up, and we gave out 105 badges to those who completed the 3-day hike. Unfortunately, rain greeted us on Saturday, the first day of the hike. This kept many away on the first day, but we enjoyed fine weather on Sunday and Monday. Still, mud on hills, wet rocks, and slippery trails meant that caution was the word for this weekend. Luck was with us and there were no mishaps. Even with tired muscles, hikers came through with smiles on their cheery faces. The smiles turned to wide grins when they completed the day s hike and a hot shower and relaxation was now just around the corner. As always, volunteers led the way in making this event as popular and successful as ever. Beginning on Day One with the ladies who stood in the rain registering hikers, and the men who guided drivers to their parking spots - all proved indispensable. Checkpoint volunteers over the 3 days showed why Niagara Club s E2E is known far and wide for the goodies provided you come here to put on weight, not to lose a pound or two. Lunch on the last day proved that one never tires of good food hikers ate, visited and traded tales of this year s event. The entire team of volunteers deserves a round of applause once again. Take a bow, all of you too numerous to individually mention here. We also should mention that this year we had Kathy and Paul Roberts celebrating their 35 th anniversary, Meghan Colvin-Daley who drove all the way from PEI; Brooke Bax who raised $ for her local ALS society, and Bonnie Zinn who completed the entire trail for the 16 th time. Some hikers had to drop out but came back to finish. They received the other NBTC E2E badge and our secretary Janet Davey was kept busy sending these out. This was my last year coordinating this event. In the past 10 years I have seen many changes from handwritten records to registrations now done online. I remember when Fred s goal was to reach 100 hikers and we now regularly have over 200. We have come a long way but have not lost any of our spirit in putting this hike together. I have had the opportunity to work with wonderful coordinators, exceptional volunteers and a club that has given each year s team cooperation and support. I sincerely thank each and every one. And to all those participants, returning and new, I wish you all safe and happy times on our wonderful Bruce Trail. 5 The Grapevine FALL 2018

6 The Allure of Badges RUTH MOFFATT Sports teams get trophies; runners get medals; and hikers get badges and hikers do love their badges! How do you display your badges? Displaying them is an art form as seen from the front-page photos. Hikers frame them, quilt them, wear them and are very proud to display them and show them off. The front page shows 6 badge collections. Badges represent achievement. Whether you ve been hiking the trail for 50 years or 5 days, a badge - and the pride that goes along with it, is astounding. If you would you like to see your badge collection featured in a future newsletter, please our editor, Kathleen Orth at btcgrapevine@gmail.com Vintage Badges, Photo courtesy of Barry Westhouse. Barry Westhouse was 18 when he first completed the trail and was the 20th person to do so. He says, I started hiking the Trail at the age of 18. It was on April 26, 1970, I had literally stumbled onto a path marked with white blazes at Forks of the Credit. In search of more info, I was invited to attend the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club AGM on May 30, It was there that I was invited by Philip Gosling to participate in an event that he was organizing. The event was to recognize the Tenth Anniversary of the idea of the Bruce Trail and all I had to do was to hike E-2-E of the whole Trail. The event was called the Decennial Hike in a recently published History of the Bruce Trail. I have been involved with the Bruce Trail all my adult life, and I have been recognized by the Caledon Hills Club and the Bruce Trail Conservancy over the years. Here are two early photos: one of me under the wood sign was about Aug 29, 1970 when I finished my E-2-E hike, and the one by the Cairn with my arm in a cast (industrial accident) was taken September 19, 1970 at the Southern Cairn unveiling (Bruce Trail Association AGM hosted by the Niagara Club.). 6 The Grapevine FALL 2018 On International Trails Day, June 2, 2018, Ruth Moffatt took a Bruce Group of 10 over to Lewiston to hike the USA Niagara Gorge Trails - and received a pretty badge for the effort. Special thanks to Carol, shown second from left, our naturalist & guide for leading the way.

7 Philip Gosling turns 90! DEBBIE DEMIZIO, with archives from the BTC Philip Gosling was one of the founders of the Bruce Trail. In 1960 the idea of a public footpath spanning the entire Niagara Escarpment was born. Never before in Canadian history had a trail of this scope been realized. Raymond Lowes articulated this vision of a footpath to friend Robert Bateman at a meeting of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The first meeting of the Bruce Trail Committee was in The four members attending: Norman Pearson, Ray Lowes, Dr. Robert MacLaren and Philip Gosling, each became instrumental in building the Bruce Trail. Gaining access to the Niagara Escarpment was the critical first step in building the Bruce Trail. From 1960 to today, Escarpment landowners have been key to the existence of the Bruce Trail. Understanding that building relationships was essential, then Trail Director Philip Gosling, visited major towns along the proposed trail route to solicit help. Literally going door-to-door, Philip Gosling and his team of volunteers discussed their vision of a trail along the Niagara Escarpment with landowners. Happily, they were greeted with support all along the way. Regional Clubs were established by Each Club was responsible for organization, landowner approvals, construction and maintenance. In Tobermory, Canada's Centennial Year - the cairn at the northern terminus of the Bruce Trail was unveiled. Seven years of determination, support, vision and hard work were realized when the Bruce Trail was officially opened. Dr. Gosling founded the Gosling Foundation, which pledged $1 million dollars to the BTC's 50th Anniversary Milestone program, which aims to grow the BTC's land acquisition program. The BTC acquires Niagara Escarpment land to ensure a secure and permanent conservation corridor. Many people don't realize that the Bruce Trail is not permanently secure, and that approximately 50% of the Bruce Trail corridor is still vulnerable to development. The BTC is working to secure this corridor by receiving donations of land or by purchasing land. Each year the BTC spends from $1 to $2 million on land purchases, preserving hundreds of acres of Escarpment landscape and Bruce Trail corridor forever. These acquisitions protect a diverse array of landscape types - wetlands, karst topography, open meadows, caves, towering scarp edges and lush forests - all within the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Today over 8,400 acres of Escarpment land are secured and managed by the BTC. This preserved land is cared for by Bruce Trail volunteers, with the support of a small BTC staff. In 1977 Dr. Gosling noted "Ours was a plan which inspired people of all interests: naturalists, hikers and campers, conservationists, all caught up in the idea of an unbroken footpath tied in with a major conservation objective." Today, he reflects on what the Bruce Trail means to him, "50 years ago I was privileged to help save the Niagara Escarpment. Of all the things that I have done and am proud of, the Bruce Trail is at the top of the list. And how it enriched me...i met the most wonderful people and so many caring and committed individuals who taught me so much about life and whose memories I treasure." Dr. Gosling was awarded the Order of Canada in December The Bruce Trail thrives today because of the vision and commitment of people like Dr. Philip Gosling" noted Bruce Trail Conservancy's Chief Executive Officer Beth Gilhespy. "For over 50 years Philip has worked to ensure that the Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment he loves so much are appreciated by and shared with the people of Canada. His enduring commitment to conservation is a testament to what can be accomplished when passion and perseverance are combined in the right measure. He is a treasure and serves as a true inspiration to us all." Trail to the Bruce by David Tyson Reviewed by Ruth Moffatt In 1992, Philip Gosling, said in his speech at the Club s 30th Anniversary, One day, I am determined that the story of those who built the trail will be written. This is that book. Trail to the Bruce is an historical account that carefully chronicles all facets of the history of the Bruce Trail from Ray Lowes original idea, to the path the trail took, to the history of the formation of each club and the dates they joined the Bruce Trail Association, as it was known at the time. I highly recommend this book. It s available at the BTC in both hardcover ($38) and softcover ($28). 7 The Grapevine FALL 2018

8 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES HERE The Grapevine is the newsletter of the Bruce Trail Conservancy Niagara Club, published four times a year. Contact btcgrapevine@gmail.com for editorial guidelines and for rates to advertise. NIAGARABRUCETRAILCLUB.ORG niagarabrucetrailclub@gmail.com Facebook :: Niagara Bruce Trail Club Instagram Twitter BROWN RABBIT CABINS PHONE: 1 (709) BROWNRABBITCABINS@GMAIL.COM 8 The Grapevine FALL 2018