FoOTnotes - November 2008

FoOT Supporters,

The last few months have been busy with lots of significant activity in our organization.  Here are some highlights:

Thanks to Those who Serve

We have had several changes in our assignments in the past few months.  A special Thank You goes out to two folks stepping down.  Bill Mooney has served as a District Captain in the east end since we developed the District Captain concept.  He has done a great job coordinating effort with adopters in his section and working with Pinnacle Mountain State Park.  Thank you, Bill, for all your hard work.  ‘EJ’ Pangle has been our record keeper from day one.  ‘EJ’ takes the data from all your work reports and compiles them into the annual report we provide the USFS.  This report has become more important as we grow larger, and she has done a fantastic job, setting up the system, meeting the USFS needs, and making it possible for someone else to take over.   Thank You, EJ.

FoOT will continue to thrive as long as we have new people willing to step up and take additional responsibility.  In the past few months we have had several members do just that.  Bill and ‘EJ’ have been replaced, and we have two additional new District Captains.  Randy Joslin has taken Bill Mooney’s job as District Captain, working with Pinnacle Mountain State Park.  Randy has also provided graphics support, having created the new banner on our web site.  That same artwork was used for a permanent canvas banner, which we will be displaying to at the National Trails Symposium.  Keep your eye out for additional applications of this same graphic theme to represent FoOT.

Jeremy Gwin has volunteered to help Todd Henne as District Captain in sections 5 / 6.  Ned Skoog has taken District Captain responsibility in Sections 8 / 9, taking part of Bill’s section and relieving the workload on Glenn Wortham (sect 7) a little bit.

Finally, Madonna Gwin of Story, AR, is taking over EJ’s record keeping responsibilities.  All your work reports will now flow through Madonna.  Thanks to all of you who serve.

Annual Meeting and Election of Directors

As a non-profit corporation, one of the important events in the FoOT year is our annual meeting and election of Directors.  This is a membership run organization.  FoOT membership elects the nine members of the Board of Directors.  This year, three Directors are up for re-election and have been nominated for an additional three year term.  We need a quorum of members to return their ballots to have a successful election.  The election closes at our annual membership meeting on Nov. 22 at Camp Ouachita.

Information on the election and annual membership meeting has been separately sent to all FoOT members.  As a member of the organization you are urged to do three things:

1. Complete your ballot and return it prior to the meeting, even if you plan to attend.  Kris Ed Hawkins, Kris McMillen, and Mike Sims ask for your vote in re-electing them to the Board for another three years.
2.   Renew your membership in FoOT for 2009.  This is a requirement of state law to maintain our non-profit corporation status in Arkansas.  It is a simple re-affirmation that you still support the organization.  If you have been a working member and can no longer afford the time or effort to meet that requirement, consider a financial contribution instead.  But, please, renew your membership.
3.  RSVP to the annual FoOT Membership Meeting.  This is our one day of the year to simply celebrate what we have achieved and have fun – and FoOT pays for lunch. 

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008 we meet at Camp Ouachita (near Lake Sylvia), at 11:00 am.  We will conduct our business and then proceed to lunch.  Camp Ouachita is less than half a mile from the Ouachita Trail, so feel free to come early and go for a hike (or ride).    Please RSVP no later than November 7 so we can have enough food.

National Trails Symposium

Little Rock, AR – November 15 - 18, 2008

It is only ten days until the National Trails Symposium!  There is still time to participate -- registration is still open and volunteers are still needed.  This event is a great opportunity for all trails advocates to mingle with the best and brightest of trail people from around the country.

FoOT plans to be heavily represented.  We will have a booth manned in the Exhibition Hall Saturday through Monday.  We are sponsoring a mobile workshop at Camp Ouachita to hear the story of FoOT and then offer hikes on the Ouachita Trail, highlighting the Nancy Mountain Shelter, which FoOT labor rebuilt.  Finally, we are teaming with Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, for a talk and panel discussion on the power of team work. 

There are several ways that you can contribute to and benefit from the symposium.

1.  Plan to attend. Buy a complete symposium pass, or individual day tickets.  The Exhibit Hall is open to the public, at no charge, on Saturday afternoon.  Stop by our booth if you attend.  Check out the symposium web site for the full schedule and on-line registration at www.americantrails.org/2008 .
2.  Volunteer for the symposium itself.  All manner of assistance is needed and volunteers receive free admission to one session for every four hours worked.  Details are on the web site.
3.   Support funding initiatives.  Terry Easton, the local co-chair of the symposium, is attempting to leverage the symposium to obtain legislation to permanently fund an Arkansas fund to provide $2M / year in trail grants.  Sponsors for this legislation have been secured, but the hard work of pushing it through the state legislature lies ahead.  Stay alert to support this effort.

FoOT Receives Additional Grant Money

In our first year in the grant application business, we have our second success.  FoOT has received a $200 grant from the Hot Springs Village Community Foundation.  This money will be applied toward the new chain saws that Kris plans to buy for FoOT Patrol.

The Resources Committee, led by Bo Lea, is working hard with the USFS to get the highway department grant money we won earlier this year in work.  This money will pay for a couple of trail re-routes in badly eroded areas.  The Resources Committee is also working on contractual procedures for applying FoOT money to USFS contracts.  With the money we have received from the Ouachita Challenge the past two years, we have enough to get some serious projects accomplished, as soon as we can get the USFS procedures worked out.

Trail Signs – Help Needed

Replacing Trail Signs is a continuous process, as the wooden signs fall into disrepair and/or rot away.  We have several signs that need replacing at this time.  Previous attempts FoOT has made have gotten some new signs, a few at a time, but were all tremendously labor intensive and can not keep up with the demand.  Perhaps someone does wood working and has lots of time; perhaps there is a better way (a computerized router?); or different material?  If anyone has expertise, or knowledge of someone with expertise, who can make trail signs, please contact our VP, Maintenance, Kris McMillen.

FoOT Web Site

Those of you who have not seen our web site recently should go check it out.  It has a new look and is being updated frequently with current stories about FoOT, our members, and the trail.  There are also several useful sections with information for trail users and trail workers.