Chippewa Moraine Chapter IAPTF

There are lots of different kinds of trails, and people have countless reasons for hiking on them. We'll learn about a trail in Spain that has its own story to tell and attracts world-wide visitors for a variety of reasons.

Nancy and Tony Schuster hiked the Camino de Santiago through northern Spain and will provide a mini-introduction to this interesting trail, that is scenic, recreational, historical, and spritual in its appeal. We'll meet some of the  people who walk "The Way of St James" and hear about some of the ways this trail is promoted. Of course there will be pictures!

We'll also select our officers, hear a few annual reports, and hear what you have to say as well. 

By member consensus, our meeting will begin at 6 PM. The place is the Chippewa Falls Public Library, just inside the main entrance. 

In anticipation of new 50th Anniversary editions of our popular Ice Age Trail Atlas and Ice Age Trail Companion Guide later this spring, we're clearing the decks of our inventory of the 2004 edition. Copies are available at the Visitor Center for $13 for the Atlas or $7 for the Companion Guide. You can order them online at www.iceagetrail.org for a dollar less and pay a dollar postage, so it's a wash. 

The new versions will be in a new format, and of course will be more current and have additional content. But you just might want to have one of these to throw in the pack and not have to worry if they get wet!

Our thanks to the folks at the Holcombe United Methodist Church for donating $200 of the proceeds from their Christmas fundraisers to help with our work (as they say) "toward maintenance and upkeep of the trail for future generations." We're honored by their recognition of the importance of our work, and will put it to good use in support of our trail mowing needs.

You should have received a postcard in the mail with our annual calendar for 2008. If you didn't get one, please let us know and we'll send one out. (It will be on the web site soon for downloading, as well.) Of course it is best to check with our web sites for confirmation of the details, but it's a good guide of what's in store! 

If you look closely you may note that our meetings will start at 6 PM, and our series of "First Sunday" hikes will begin at 1 PM this year. Also, watch for information about special 50th Anniversary events in conjunction with our annual Parade of Colors Fall Hike on October 4.

Our own active volunteer JoAnn Parks is being recognized by the National Fraternal Congress of America (a sort of super fraternal association) as a "Fraternal MVP". You can read about JoAnn (and her inclusion of the IAPTF as one of the beneficiaries of her efforts) here: http://www.nfcanet.org/Programs___in_action/FraternalMVPsWeekofJanuary142008.htm

Congratulations for your well-deserved honor, JoAnn.

The first of two evening full-moon snowshoe hikes will occur this Saturday evening at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center. The hike begins at 7, but come at 6:30 for a brief talk about snowshoes and a chance to get your shoes on. If you wish to borrow a pair from the center, call 715 967-2800 to check on availability. Naturalist Rod Gont leads this popular event each year.