Join the Cumberland Valley Chapter for the 2010 Third Annual W&L Alumni Fall Backpacking Trip!

-Date and synopsis: Friday October 22, 2010 – Sunday October 24, 2010

-Location: Laurel Highlands Trail (LHT) in southwest PA, approximately two to three hours northwest from
Frederick.

-Difficulty: Specific route has not been determined, but typically PA trails are rocky. LHT is on ridge but will
have ups and downs. Objective is for trip length of 15-20 miles; linear trail may require shuttle.

-Contact: Chris Wilson ’86 cawilsonwebfoot@netzero.com or 301-360-9935 to participate.

-Participant criteria: must have hiking experience. Need to be in “decent” shape. Minimum requirements: 1)
for Saturday, be capable of walking for 2-3 hours with a pack of 30-40 pounds on your back, rest for lunch,
then walk again for 2-3 hours with a pack; 2-3 hour hikes on Friday and Sunday with pack; 2) should be capable
of ascending 1,000 ft. in elevation in about two miles (expecting difficulty of trail to not exceed this
level). Backpacking experience is not required but is preferred; leader will assist new backpackers in
trip preparation.

-Minimum equipment needed: backpack, sleeping bag, fall clothes, water containers, waterproof jacket (and
pants if you have them); hiking boots with sturdy souls and ankle support, expect any PA trail to be rocky
(need more than just “day-hikers”); utensils and cookware.

-Additional equipment available for sharing: tent, stove, water filter, first aid kit. Backpacking supply list can
be provided if requested. I know some equipment can be rented at Trailhouse in Frederick; again, good boots
are necessary.

-Food: pack own food for dinner Friday and Saturday night, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Prepare
Friday dinner for consumption at trailhead.

-Max. group size: 6-8.

In 2008, 3 of us did Great North Mountain for a one night trip. We did the Half-moon Lookout Trail in George
Washington National Forest.
In 2009, 3 of us went to Green Ridge State Forest for a great one nighter in this state park.

The August 2010 Cumberland Valley Chapter Newsletter is now available! In this edition:

• Pictures from the recent dinner at Brewer’s Alley
• Results of 2009-10 Chapter Activities
• Goals for 2010-11

View the Cumberland Valley Chapter August 2010 Newsletter

We hope you enjoy the newsletter!

The Cumberland Valley Chapter’s Annual Summer Reception and Dinner honors incoming and returning students. This year’s reception will take place on Wednesday, August 25, at Brewer’s Alley in Frederick. Please notice that the date has been changed from its original August 4 date.

If you are interested in attending this wonderful event, please access the Printable Invitation below. On the invitation is the RSVP form. The deadline to respond is July 30.

Printable Invitation and RSVP form

You may also register online at http://alumni.wlu.edu/registeronline.

We hope to see you on August 4th!

The June 2010 edition of the Cumberland Valley Chapter Newsletter is now available online! Included in this issue:

• Amazing Volt Dinner Event Recap
• Book project a success
• Chapter fishing trip
• Contact Info for the Chapter

Please take a few minutes and enjoy the Chapter Newsletter linked below.

June 2010 Chapter Newsletter

We hope to see you at a future Cumberland Valley event!

A great time was had by all at this sold-out event on January 19, 2010. Cumberland Valley hosted the dinner but many from the Baltimore and Washington chapters took advantage of the extended offer to enjoy this hot new restaurant. Said Nick Hantzes “I can’t believe I got to park right in front of the restaurant!”. Welcome to Frederick, Nick!

A cocktail hour with a special cocktail designed just for the evening started things off. Followed by a 4 course prix fix dinner with 3 different selections in each course. The entire restaurant was ours for the evening and we enjoyed the seating variety offered by the 3 different dining areas.

We ended the evening with Chef Bryan Voltaggio speaking in each dining room and making himself available for questions. Photo ops galore. See our gallery for pictures taken throughout the evening.

Cumberland Valley Chapter Golf Outing - Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Cumberland Valley Chapter will hold a Chapter Golf Outing at the Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown on Wednesday, November 4. We hope that you will be able to join us!

Event chairman Jim Clapp ’73 and host Bill Rice ’87 invite you to join your fellow alums for a delightful afternoon of Golf at beautiful Fountain Head Counrty Club.

Take advantage of this opportunity to play this highly regarded private course, renew your W&L connections and find some new acquaintances.

Event Details

Tee time: 1 p.m., Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Golf Course: Fountain Head Country Club, 13316 Fountain Head Road Hagerstown
Registration: $70, includes greens fees, cart rental
Deadline: Tuesday, October 27, 2009

• Format is individual competition
• Trophies/prizes will be awarded to Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Low Gross, Low Net
• W&L Honor Code applies to all claimed handicaps
• You may submit 4 person teams or Jim will pair you
• Refreshments at the 19th hole will be cash bar

$100 hole sponsors are encouraged. Proceeds will be used to underwrite chapter and university initiatives. Respond by printing the invitation/RSVP form linked below.

Chapter Golf Outing Invitation/RSVP Form

Return the form by October 27, 2009 to Jim Clapp and include your check for $70 per golfer; Jim’s phone number is 301.371.4716; or email at jhclapp1@aol.com.

James Clapp
8401 Pete Wiles Road
Middletown, MD 21769-8706

We hope to see you there!

The October 2009 Chapter Newsletter is now available for viewing. Please click the link below to check it out.

Chapter Newsletter – October 2009

2009 Second Annual W&L Alumni Fall Backpacking Trip

Cumberland Valley Camping Trip 10/2008 - Ted Gregory, Chris Wilson and John Cherry at Great North Mountain

-Date and synopsis: Saturday, October 24 – Sunday October 25, 2009 – leaving Frederick at 10:00 Saturday morning, 2 hour drive up to Green Ridge arriving at noon, lunch at the trail head, start hiking about 12:30. Overnight and hike back Sunday morning to return home.
-Location: Long Pond Trail in Green Ridge State Forest – we will hike in, select overnight spot, drop packs and and then hike further to enjoy the day and the scenery. Return to selected overnight spot and set up camp and have dinner. Next morning hike out.

-Difficulty: see http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id114.html - rated moderately difficult but the hike in and out to the campsite are less than 5 miles and we’re in no hurry.  Expected pace is 1.5 miles per hour.

-Participant criteria: must have hiking experience.  Need to be in decent shape.  Minimum requirements: 1) be capable of walking for an afternoon and morning with a pack of 30-40 pounds on your back, and 2) should be capable of ascending 1,000 ft. in elevation in about two miles (expecting difficulty of trail to not exceed this level).  Backpacking experience is not required; leader will assist new backpackers in trip preparation.

-Minimum equipment needed: backpack, sleeping bag, fall clothes, water containers, waterproof jacket (and pants if you have them); hiking boots with sturdy souls and ankle support, trail is rocky and slippery as it is a valley creek trail (need more than just “day-hikers”); utensils and cookware. 

-Additional equipment available for sharing: tent, stove, water filter, first aid kit.

Backpacking supply list can be provided if requested. I know some equipment can be rented at Trailhouse in Frederick; again, good boots are necessary.

-Food: pack own food for dinner Saturday night (many of us will do a “foil pack” for the fire, breakfast and maybe lunch on Sunday.  Prepare Saturday lunch for consumption at trailhead.

-Max. group size limit: 6.

-Contact: Chris Wilson ’86  cawilsonwebfoot@netzero.com or 301-360-9935 to participate.

If interested in this type of outing but you are not available to participate these specific weekends, please contact me to indicate interest; future trips in the spring, summer, and possibly later in the fall can also be planned, though the dates specified above are guaranteed to be open for me.  Confirmation for this trip will occur via e-mail, so make sure your response includes your e-mail address.  The trip in the fall of 2008 had three participants and was a great success; see Ted Gregory’s most recent alumni newsletter to see who the lucky folks were.

Chapter Plan for 2009-2010

 

Immediate goals:

1. Rejuvenate chapter website and use for all announcements and registrations.

2. Recruit a chapter steering committee and create a leadership succession.

3. Publish 3 chapter newsletters.

 

Projects planned for the year:

1. Recruiting students summer send off – 8/5 – Helen Gregory chairing

2. Book Project in at least 2 Frederick schools – Ted Gregory, recruit co-chair and add schools in other areas – Mid-January 2010

3. R. E. Lee/George Washington cocktail event at Isabellas back room – late January 2010 – Ted Gregory chair

4. Yield party coordinated with Alumni Admissions Coordinator – April 2010 – Helen Gregory chair

5. Golf tournament in Charlestown area – Jim Clapp chair

6. Brewery Tour at Flying Dog Brewery – Ted Gregory chair, 2/27/2010

7. O’s game in Baltimore coordinated with the Baltimore chapter, TBD Fall 2009

8. Frederick Keys baseball game – Ted Gregory chair, Spring 2010

9. W&L sports game in our region, attend the game and host a post-game reception – Chris Wilson and Helen Gregory chair TBD

10. Wine Tour of Frederick/Loudoun County – Andy Radcliffe chair, Fall 2009

11. Backpacking trip – Chris Wilson chair, Fall 2009

12. Ski trip to Canaan Valley – chair needed, February 2010

13. Fly fishing instruction and picnic at Hidden Valley – Ted Gregory chair, May 2010

14. Beer/Wine Dinner at Acacia or Isabellas – Ted and Helen Gregory, Fall 2009/Winter 2010

 

Newsletters in July and October 2009; January 2010

• Annual Plan and Chapter newsletter – July 2009

We had a successful Annual Summer Reception and Dinner honoring Incoming and Returning Students on August 5, 2009 at the Old South Mountain Inn. Attendance was light but we were very pleased to have a visitor from the University that did a great job of telling us the latest news – Louise Wasserott, Assistant Director of Planned Giving.

 Louise worked in Alumni affairs in a previous position and it showed in the way she connected with all of us.

 All of us enjoyed the evening and South Mountain did a great job with dinner.