May President’s Message

[Bill JohnstonModerator]

May President’s Message

Welcome to May. The weather is quite nice, though a little cool and windy. A great time to get outdoors and enjoy nature with WTC.

Masks
I have heard frustrations with WTC mask rules, and I understand your concerns. Here is the official, posted, CDC policy: “When fully vaccinated (my emphasis), you can gather or conduct activities outdoors without wearing a mask except in certain crowded settings and venues.” We do not require vaccinations to attend WTC events. We only have a vaccination requirement for shuttles and carpooling.

Also, the 3 states we currently use for events have different mask rules, either more or less restrictive than CDC. It is too confusing to have different mask rules for WTC depending on which state you are visiting. (This is in flux as I write, but the masking changes appear to address fully-vaccinated individuals only).

Therefore, our current mask policy “Use your mask if you are not able to maintain the 6’ distancing.” ensures we are complying with CDC and state requirements at all times for our vaccinated and non-vaccinated members. Please adhere to our policy.

Private Property
Here is the first paragraph in the WTC Constitution: “The purposes of the Club shall be to provide opportunities for members to enjoy outdoor recreation and to promote and support the protection and restoration of places of natural beauty and interest.”

Part of this mandate is to be a good citizen in our community. We are well aware of the large increase in outdoor participation during the pandemic. Unfortunately, many of these new enthusiasts are unaware of basic outdoor etiquette. Some landowners are rightfully frustrated by trespassing and are beginning to act.

We expect our members to respect private property and only use it with prior permission when on WTC events or on their own. When you trespass wearing WTC clothing you promote a negative picture of WTC for landowners and jeopardize our official events. Please respect private property.

Leaders
We are seeing a decrease in event leaders which equates to a reduction in WTC events. There are numerous valid reasons for this issue. What that means for you, the member, is you need to step up if you want to continue seeing numerous events on the calendar. We will help you learn the simple steps to be a great leader. Please contact your favorite leader or Joan Burke for Hiking, Wes Young for Paddling, and Debbie Chaga for Cycling to start your new leadership role.

Webmaster’s Corner
In 2019, the WTC Council made a financial and environmental decision to discontinue the printing of the “Event Bulletin” and “Membership Directory“. Both of these up-to-date documents are available to members online, after they log in. Members can also print their own copies if desired. All club information can be accessed through the top menus of the website.

Please email April Schmitt for assistance.

Bill Johnston
President

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