Walkin' Michigan with
the Historic Pathwalkers
member club of the
American Volkssport Association
08/13/2004
Remarks
Wayne Fieldhouse, President
P.O. Box 8494 Holland, Michigan 49422
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve
you as your group president this next year. I'll do the best I can to help you
have a worthwhile experience. We all extend a special thanks to the
previous leadership team: Jean Woltjer, John Pierce, Louise Blystra, and Alma
Lucas for a job well done. In the future we hope to continue to create lots of
opportunities for people to enjoy healthy living, be with friends and family,
learn new things and have fun with members who are always willing to take the
AVAs "Spirit of Walking" to a higher level.
Tres amigos: Outgoing Historic Pathwalkers
officers Louise Blystra, John Pierce, and Jean Woltjer pose for their official
portrait in downtown Marshall on July 31, 2004. Louise and Jean had just returned
from walking their fiftieth state in Alaska. John traveled with their group,
but he earned his fiftieth state earlier this year.
Annual
Meeting
At the Historic Pathwalkers' annual meeting on
July 31 in Marshall, Wayne Fieldhouse was elected president, Chelane Priller
was elected treasurer and Alma Lucas was elected secretary. Outgoing treasurer
John Pierce reported all bills paid and a $2555.09 balance in the treasury.
Historic Pathwalkers members voted unanimously to donate $1000 to the American Volkssport
Association. We celebrated veteran walkers Bill and Judy Bowne's forty-forth
wedding anniversary and met new members John and Nancy Gingrich. Louise Blystra
and Jean Woltjer had just returned from an Alaskan trip where they both walked
their fiftieth state. We met at the Midtown Grille in downtown Marshall where
the food was great; a $5.95 salmon tostado with seared salmon, olives,
tomatoes, peppers, and parmesan on flat bread was outstanding as was the
meatloaf hogie for $5.95. We walked our Marshall
Year 'Round Event in the morning and enjoyed an impromptu house tour in one
of Marshall's historic old homes
belonging to Don and Helen Hensick at 301 N. Division, a Georgian Revival built
in 1898. Marshall's annual Historic
Home Tour will be held on September 11 and 12.
Bill and Judy Bowne enjoy Don Hensick's discourse on our
impromptu tour of Don and Helen Hensick's 1898 Georgian Revival Home at 301 N.
Division Street. Hensick invited Historic Pathwalkers into his art-filled home
during our July 31 group walk of our Year 'Round Event in Marshall, Michigan.
Welcome members
Alma Lucas, Membership
5261 Southbrook CT #51
Hudsonville, MI 49426
616-662-2359 ajlucas@worldnet.att.net
Our club is delighted to welcome new members: John and Nancy
Gingrich, jngingrich@ameritech.net,
248-615-4399. Alma Lucas will be handling
club membership and requests for information about our club. Please contact
Alma if you'd like to join.
The Historic Pathwalkers
is a member club of the American Volkssport Association on the web at http://ava.org. See Executive Council highlights and
the AVA Checkpoint on the web at http://www.ava.org/avanews.htm
For more
information about the American Volkssport Association: 1001 Pat Booker Road,
Suite, 101, Universal City, TX 78148, 210-659-2112
Information
line: 1-800-830-WALK.
Upcoming walks
Mason, Michigan
There will be a scheduled 5K/10K walk in Mason, Michigan on
August 21 at Keans Store, 406 S. Jefferson Street. Start time is from 9 a.m.
until 1 p.m.; finish walk by 4 p.m. IVV credit is available for $3 fee; Girl
Scout patches are available for $1 each. Children under 12 must be accompanied
by an adult. This walk will be on paved park trails, city sidewalks, and
unimproved park/forest roads. The walk goes through natural areas and city
parks, past antique shops and through a cemetery. The Capital Area Balloon
Rally will be going on, so hot air balloons may be visible during the walk. Water will
be available at the start/finish and checkpoint. Restrooms and parking are
available at the start. For information, contact Trailmaster Chelane Priller,
108 W. Columbia St., Mason MI 48854, 517-676-7067 chelanep@sbcglobal.net
Directions: From I-96, take 127 south from Lansing to
the Kipp Rd. exit in Mason. Turn left onto Kipp Rd. At the second light, turn
left onto Jefferson. Kean's will be on the left. Parking is available behind
the store; turn left at the light. From I-94, take 127 north from
Jackson. Take the Kipp Rd. exit, turn right onto Kipp Rd. At the second light,
turn left onto Jefferson. Kean's will be on the left. Parking available behind
the store; turn left at the light.
Click here for Mason brochure.
Birmingham, Michigan
The previously announced walk on September 11 in Birmingham
has been CANCELED.
Manistee, Michigan
The previously scheduled walk in Grand Ledge, Michigan on
October 9 has been canceled. The club plans to substitute a group walk at our
Year 'Round Event in Manistee, Michigan on October 9.
Reactivated Michigan AVA affiliate hosts College
Campus program walk
Jim and Carolyn Steelman of Sterling Heights, Michigan have reactivated a ten-year-old AVA Michigan affiliate named the Michigan Pathfinders, AVA Club #025. Don Vartanian of Indianapolis is the reactivated club's treasurer. Although the two Michigan clubs, our Historic PathWALKERS and the reactivated Michigan PathFINDERS, have similar names, they are two separate AVA clubs based in Michigan. Jim and Carolyn Steelman may be contacted at 2810 Burningbush Drive, Sterling Heights MI 48314, phone 810-739-4781
The
reactivated club, Michigan Pathfinders, are hosting a 10K walk that will
qualify for the College Campus Walk program on August 22 in Ypsilanti,
Michigan. Treasurer Don Vartanian sent the following message to all Michigan
walkers:
"The
Michigan Pathfinders cordially invite you to our volksmarch in Ypsilanti,
Michigan on August 22, 2004. This walk will begin at the McKenny Student
Union from noon to 3 p.m. at Eastern Michigan University and will qualify for
the College Campus walk program. We hope there will be some
representatives from the Historic Pathwalkers so we can discuss any issues or
suggestions you may have. Thank you for taking an interest in our club and hope
to see you on the trail. Sincerely, Don Vartanian, Treasurer, Michigan
Pathfinders, AVA Club # 025"
For
brochures about 25 events in Indiana and some in Michigan, too, contact Don
Vartanian at donvart@yahoo.com or send a
self-addressed envelope to Don Vartanian, 6330 Woods Edge N. Drive, #2-B,
Indianapolis, IN 46250-3530.
Walkers can earn "walk degrees" in the College Campus Walk Program
by participating in AVA sanctioned walks at schools of higher education all
over the United States. For more information about the program contact College
Campus Walk Program Chairman Chris
Mellen at 90 Parham Road,
Tyngsboro, MA 01879-1269, telephone 978-649-7633 or e-mail walkpapu@att.net.
Check the web at College
Campus Walk Program.
U. S.
President's Special Event Program
Nancy Stenger walkvirginia@erols.com>
from Walklist@yahoogroups.com
The "Rules". The US Presidents Special Event Program starts on July
4, 2004 and ends on July 4, 2009. The web page for the program is at
www.ava.org/clubs/AllAmericanWalkingClub
Complete 15 events anywhere in the United States where an event or activity
occured in relation to United States Presidents. The most obvious locations are
routes that have a library, a home where he lived; a cemetery where he is
buried, or the site where he died. A list of events will be available
with registration by state and additional information will be posted on the AVA
web as more events are identified.
I have created a list of events that relate to US Presidents. This is
only a guide to get you started. It is not a "has to be here"
list of events in
order to stamp your US Presidents book. If a club knows there is a U.S.
president siting on their trail -- pass it along to me. I have two
weekend
events posted now: one in Indiana and one in Maryland.
If you are participating in a weekend event, or even a YRE/Seasonal and come
across a US President siting, by all means get your book stamped. If it
is
a YRE/Seasonal, please pass along the information about the walk so that it may
be added to the list. During the past few months I have noticed many
little known US President landmarks.
No duplicate event numbers are allowed. If a year round event was used for an
entry in the program book, i.e., 1900+, then 1900 without + is not
allowed. Repeating the same event in another year is not allowed. Each line of
the record book is used to record the IVV event stamp. This program is
not retroactive. You may not record previously completed events in the book.
All walks must be stamped in the record book using the IVV event stamp.
Handwritten entries are not allowed.
The US Presidents Special Event Program Book would be available for $10. Redeem
it when complete to receive a 5", 100% embroidered color patch. The patch
is included in the price of the book. Completed books must be postmarked by
July 31, 2009.
Order your book by sending $10.00 payable to All American Walking Club, 14402
William Carr Lane, Centreville, VA 20120-2813.
I look forward to hearing from ya'll soon.
2005 AVA Biennial
Convention host hotel accommodations ready to reserve
Diane Evans
The Hilton Philadelphia/Cherry Hill Hotel has been selected as the 2005 AVA
Convention Host Hotel and convention site. The Hilton is where all convention
activities: Executive Council and State Association meetings; Meet and Greet
social; workshops; general business sessions; silent auction; convention
seasonal walk plus swim; and closing banquet will take place. The Hilton has
408 rooms and our goal is to fill them all with AVA walkers. A large block of
rooms is reserved until May 23, 2005 under the group identifier "American
Volkssport Association." You are advised to reserve your room early!
Reservations can be made by phone at 1-800-HILTONS (1-800-445-8667) or on-line
through our Convention 2005 web site at http://www.2005avaconvention.org/.
The Hilton's 2005 AVA Convention room rate is $105 for single, double, triple
or quad occupancy. This special rate is valid for reservations beginning
Saturday, June 18 through Sunday, June 26, 2005. If you would like to
arrive earlier than June 18 or stay past June 26, please call the hotel
directly at 1-856-665-6666 and talk to the Sales Department for an extended
group rate.
The Hilton overlooks the Philadelphia skyline and the Cooper River. The lively
Camden Waterfront which includes the Tweeter Center amphitheater,
New Jersey State Aquarium and the Battleship New Jersey is close by, and the
Atlantic City beaches and casinos are only an hour away. The Hilton
amenities include standard rooms which offer you 252 square feet of comfort and
style. You can select either two double beds or a large king bed. Guest room
features include hair dryers, iron and ironing board, in-room coffee makers,
and telephone with data port and voice messaging. Other hotel amenities include
the on-site Cooper's Bar & Bistro (American cuisine offering breakfast,
lunch or dinner), room service, gift shop, self-service laundry, complimentary
parking for all convention attendees, ATM, currency exchange, safe-deposit
boxes, fitness center, outdoor heated pool overlooking the Cooper River,
business center, shipping/packaging, and a Hertz car rental desk. Numerous
restaurants, shopping areas, and a movie theater are within on-half-mile to
4-mile range from the Hilton.
The newly renovated Hilton, 2349 West Marlton Pike, is conveniently located
near the NJ Turnpike, I-295 and only 12 miles from the Philadelphia
International Airport. Directions: From the Philadelphia International
Airport take I-95 North to the Walt Whitman Bridge Exit. Cross the Walt Whitman
Bridge East into New Jersey to I-676 East to Route 130 North. Follow Route 130
North to Route 70 East. The Hilton is on the right. From I-295, take Exit 34B
for Cherry Hill/Route 70 West. Proceed approximately 4 miles on Route 70 West
to the second exit for Cuthbert Blvd passing under the Cuthbert Blvd overpass.
Stay in the right hand lane so you can immediately exit Cuthbert Blvd to Route
70 East. You have just made a NJ U-turn and the Hilton is on your right. From
the New Jersey Turnpike, take Exit 4 for Route 73 North to I-295 South. Follow
I-295 South to Exit 34B for Cherry Hill/Route 70 West.
Proceed approximately 4 miles on Route 70 West to the second exit for Cuthbert
Blvd passing under the Cuthbert Blvd overpass. Stay in the right hand lane so
you can immediately exit Cuthbert Blvd to Route 70 East. The Hilton is on your
right.
There are numerous public and private campgrounds available in New Jersey.
Private campgrounds which are the closest to Cherry Hill include: Timberlake
Campground in Clarksboro, NJ; Lake Kandle Campground near Glassboro, NJ; and
Hospitality Creek Campground near Williamstown,
NJ. Public campgrounds include: Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly known
as Lebanon State Forest) located near the intersection of Route 70
and Route 72; and Wharton State Forest located near Atsion on Route 206. More
detailed information on these camping facilities can be obtained at
http://www.newjerseycampgrounds.com/
or to obtain a FREE full hard copy of the 2004 New Jersey Campground and RV
Guidebook leave a message at 1-800-2-CAMP-NJ. To further assist you in planning
your visit to New Jersey visit http://www.visitnj.org/
or order a FREE copy of the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide plus a New Jersey
Lighthouse Guide by calling 1-800-VISIT-NJ.
See you in June 2005 at the 14th Biennial AVA Convention!