piedmont plateau group - ppgsierraclub.org · protect. they are also a much-needed fundraiser for...
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Piedmont Plateau Group
of the Sierra Club Jan. 2010
Oct 2015 -
Jan 2016
Sierra PPG Calendar Fundraiser
It's that time again ... the 2016 Sierra Club calendars have arrived. They feature
stunning nature photography of places the Sierra Club works to
protect. They are also a much-needed fundraiser for the Piedmont Plateau Group.
This year's wall calendars are $14 (including tax) and engagement calendars are
$15. To order please contact Tom Taylor at: [email protected] or
(336)402-6100.
Year End Donations: The Sierra Piedmont Plateau Group needs funds to advocate for
the environment, provide educational programs and introduce people to the great out-
doors. If you would like to contribute, please send a check for any amount to the mailing
address: P.O. Box 5032, Greensboro, NC 27435. For tax deductibility, make your check
payable to Sierra Club Foundation; otherwise to Sierra Piedmont Plateau Group.
We welcome your articles, photos,
and outings reports. The deadline
for newsletter contributions is the
second Saturday of the month.
Submit contributions to Bob Pollet
Our group has open positions and
could use your support. If you are
interested in taking a more active
role with the Sierra Club in your
community, please contact Bob
Pollet at [email protected].
Email______________________
Please Give Us Your Email Address!
Since the frequency of our newsletter has been
reduced, it is even more important for us to have
your current email address. You will receive
email notifications (only about 2 emails per
month) about meetings and environmental events.
Send your full name, snail mail address (USPS)
and email address to Adam Sensel at
(Note: The Sierra Club Database requires the
above information.)
To change your USPS address officially, email
your address change or correction to:
December 8th Holiday Party
Sierra Club PPG Meet-Up Group
To obtain electronic notices of the Sierra PPG Events, join
our new Meet-Up Group:
http://www.meetup.com/ppgsierraclub
Photo Contest Fellow Sierra Club Members, it is photo contest time! We can’t wait to see
your entries!!! The photo contest has prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. The
contest is open to anyone living in the Piedmont NC area; photos must be
NC settings & should be JPEGs with basic editing only. Entries must be
submitted by the individual who made the photo, and may enter up to 2
photos. The photos will be displayed at the holiday party on December 8th.
Email photo entries (or send questions) to
Page 2 Oct 2015 - Jan 2016
A Message from our Group Chair I have been traveling all summer, experiencing beautiful places like the coasts of Oregon and Washington; and Yellowstone, Olympic, Cascade, Glacier and Roosevelt National Parks. Over a three month period I camped about half the time and did some hiking. I also met interesting people, including a couple that hiked from Mexico to Canada non-stop, walking 20-25 miles/day with 25 pound packs on their backs. While I was away, the ExCom did an amazing job with the meetings, arranging speakers, and having hikes/activities. Thank you to each ExCom member and those supporting them! Unfortunately (for us), Jerry Varner (former PPG Chair and current Political and Vice-Chair), with understandable ambivalence, is moving to Massachusetts to be closer to his children and grandchildren. Our Group and the State Chapter will miss him greatly. His departure calls for interested Sierra members to move into some of our volunteer opportunities; please contact me at [email protected] or 215-859-7451.
Bob
Conservation Chair Notes, Fall 2015 Vance Arnold (336)272-5736
As I prepare this column, it is a cool, overcast, drizzly, fall-like day. I sure am glad summer is ending; how about you? This will be a lengthy column because there is lots to report. 1. BOLD MOON: We are negotiating a new agreement with Guilford County to continue our management of this open space property, as we have for the last 5 years. Hopefully the county officials will allow us to do more of the work there and allow the open field to grow back like a Piedmont Prairie and we will cut trails through the grass (the county has provided us with a very nice mower from the Prison Farm for this purpose- thank you). We will also be responsible for maintaining existing trails and possibly creating one or two new ones on the property; and very exciting: there is a 20 acre tract of county property "Bold Moon II" across Reedy Fork Creek which we are arranging to be scouted by Sierra Club members, with appropriate release by the county being arranged. There are no plans to do this exploring until after the first "Killing Frost": snakes, bugs and vegetation. We are very fortunate to have acquired the services of a great volunteer; Adam Sensel who lives near Bold Moon; he has numerous useful skills, and enthusiasm. Bill Markham is in the process of finishing another of his great information signs for the property, this one about the women's commune that was there in the 1980's and 1990's. Also we are in discussion with the Sally Bingham Center for Women and Gender Studies at Duke about their accepting the various books, records, newsletters, etc saved before the trailer was burned years ago. There is a walk every month on the property, Sunday after our monthly program meeting (which is always the 2nd Tuesday of the month, so the date varies) at 2PM. Please call so I'll expect you and PLEASE say your number slowly and distinctly; a woman left me a very detailed and clear message regarding attending our September hike and said her phone number so quickly that I couldn't decipher it correctly after 3 tries- Sorry, I tried. 2. Farmers Market Creek: We are continuing our monthly clean up of trash from in, and on the banks of Mudd Creek at the west entrance to the downtown Farmers" Market, and need volunteers. This service is much appreciated by the market staff, vendors and customers. If you'd like to help just show up at the bridge 9AM Saturday morning, after our program meeting the previous Tuesday. Boots and gloves are advised. FREE Coffee when you finish. Also, we are discussing planting some ferns along the upper bank nearest the building amidst the rocks. 3. Mayo Beach: My friend Liz and our dogs went up to the stretch of the Mayo River at what is called "the Boiling Hole", a favorite canoeing spot recently. The prime reason was to collect Muscatine grapes for ice cream as we had last year; and also to enjoy a beautiful place. We couldn't collect grapes because somebody had severed the vine (perhaps they thought it was PI or maybe they didn't like grapes falling on them while they partied). We picked up lots of trash and there was LOTs left. I hope to go back in October for another visit and trash clean up. If you'd like to go, call me and let's arrange a day and time. Ideally it would be great to have a Rockingham County Sierra Club member take this on as a regular activity; this stretch of river is part of Mayo River State Park; but a Guilford County Sierra would be just fine!. Thanks so much! Contact Information: Vance 336-272-5736 Adam 216-906-5113 or [email protected]
Page 3 Oct 2015 - Jan 2016
GROUP DIRECTORY
Office
Group Chair
Vice-Chair
Conservation
Hospitality
Membership
Program Chair
Newsletter Editor
Newsletter Distr.
Advertising
Outings Chair
Political Committee
Treasurer
Webmaster
Publications
Publicity
Secretary
Name
Vance Arnold#
Hazel Landers#
Vance Arnold#
Lena Vesterlund
Kathe Latham#
Jerry Varner*
Vickie Degges
Dick Mearns*
Tom Taylor#
Denton Melvin
Gay Cheney*
Phone Number
272-5736
545-0717
272-5736
790-2370
852-1489
337-4987
674-9281
285-7608
OPEN
375-7013
OPEN
UPCOMING SIERRA CLUB PROGRAMS
October 13th (7-9 PM): Environmental Stewardship GSO; Faith based environmentalism and the green-ing of our churches; Bill McNeil will describe environmental efforts currently underway in a local church. November 10th (7-9 PM): Offshore Wind in North Carolina; Zak Keith, NC State Sierra Club Organizer, Zak will update us on efforts to bring offshore wind to our state and how we can bring this effort to fruition.
December 8th (6-9 PM): Holiday Party; Join the club in our annual pot-luck dinner featuring music and our annual photography contest.
January 12th (7-9 PM): Road Trip to the Northwest; Bob Pollet our Group Chair will present pictures and stories from his trip across the country to the northwest USA and Canada. His travels included seeing beautiful places like the coasts of Oregon and Washington; and Yellowstone, Olympic, Cascade, Glacier and Roosevelt National Parks. His travel blog, with many of the photos, was/is travelswithrob.wordpress.com
Programs begin at 7:15 after a brief Sierra Club meeting and social time at 7 pm. Sierra Club meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 pm at Fellowship Hall; park near the Sierra street sign and use the nearby back entrance of Church of the Covenant, 501 S. Mendenhall, Greensboro. Please give Dick Mearns ([email protected]; Phone 674-9281) your ideas for future programming.
Pre-meeting dinners at 5:30 pm (Optional): If you plan to attend the pre-meeting dinner, please RSVP Jerry Weston at [email protected] or Ph. 856-1431 before 9 pm. Jerry announces the dinner locations via an email shortly before the meeting. If you are not on his email list, please send an email to Jerry to request to be added.
Political Chair Farewell Comments
Jerry Varner
I regret to inform you that I am moving to Massa-chusetts next month and will no longer be able to be an active volunteer for the Piedmont Plateau Group of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has been a very rewarding part of my life for the past 10 years and I will greatly miss working with all of you. I hope my work as your Political Chair will be continued. I will be trying to form a committee of political activists to carry on the very challeng-ing fight to protect our air and water. The Sierra Club's current major activity is to fight is to get a Clean Power Plan adopted here in NC. Contact me at [email protected] or (336)337-4987 to learn more. ———————————————————————-
Oct. 10th (Sat) Hike at Hanging Rock State Park If interested, contact Bob Pollet at [email protected] or 215.859.7451. We will meet and leave the Church of the Covenant in GSO at 9 AM. More info on www.meetup.com/ppgsierraclub
ENERGY REDUCTION
SPECIALISTS of
NORTH CAROLINA
Less waste and pollution
Improved comfort
Lower utility bills
Improved Air Quality
Extended Life of your heating and cooling equipment
The least expensive investment with the biggest benefits
For a home energy reduction assessment, contact
Gary Silverstein, President
[email protected] (336) 643-9199
Ned Pearson [email protected] 609-7089