Welcome to the GNS web page! It is under construction. Please email
corrections, suggestions, and new material (photos as jpeg attachments; under
200K, please; please date event and identify people if you can) to
Tim.
(For the moment, though, aesthetics take second place to content.)
Bienvenu au site SNG! Il est en construction. SVP envoyer par courriel des
corrections, suggestions et du nouveau matériel (les photos comme
attachements jpeg, toujours moins de 200KO svp, et svp identifier le gens et les
dates d'événements si vous le pouvez) au
Tim.
(Pour l'instant, cependant, l'esthétique prend la deuxième place au contenu.)
President's Report 2003 / Rapport du président 2003
Georgeville, Nature, Ski is starting the winter with a bang this year: Susan
Morse on Nov 15 (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; tickets still $8) is not to be missed!
The trails are in good shape this year, and have needed fairly little clearing.
(Some clearing remains, awaiting the end of hunting season.) You will be glad
to know that the scrub has been cleared from the two fields on the blue
triangle that give the view over Vermont and the nice, gentle runs down to
Noel Road: the "Wilson fields" now owned by Tom Bronson. That scrub was apple
trees and hawthorn bushes, now getting to be two feet high and catching at boots
and skis. For the work so far, thanks to Jean-Paul Clermont, Kip Cobbett, Peter
Denis, Jake Kakebeeke, Peter Kohl, Ed Markwell, Mary Ann & Tim Merrett, Stephane
Morin, and David Stanger.
The nature walks during the summer were again well attended: as last year, some
thirty people enjoyed various of the five walks (averaging about ten on each
occasion). Members and guests who learned about the plants and animals at Magoon
Point, Ile du Marais, Marlington Bog, and around Geprgeville included: Bachelder
Beatties, Boynton, Delorme, Denis, Cowans, Guy, Hadrill, Kohl, Lacoursiere,
McTavish, Merrett, Pasztor, Rasmussen, Scott, Stanger, Taylor, Tierny, and
Wolfe. One highlight was the visit to the McTavish Wetlands, led by Wayne
McTavish. This tract of deciduous and coniferous woods, with its beaver swamp,
dam, and stream, has been generously transferred to Memphremagog Wetlands
Foundation, and a boardwalk is planned to make visits easier than the clamber
and scramble we enjoyed in September.
The "S" in "GNS" was also very active last winter. Ski Day was oversubscribed
as usual, and the "funskis" that we held once a month also continued
successfully. On three weekends throughout the winter, a couple of dozen skiers
of all abilities met at Murray Memorial Hall for a modest outing on one of the
"downtown" ski trails (the blue north of McGowan Rd., or the Golf Course, say),
followed by soup and sandwiches at the hall (or coffee and cake the one time
we met on Sunday afternoon). Thanks to Joan and Peter Hadrill, Diane and Peter
Kohl, and Mary and John Cowans, last winter's hosts!
The second annual return of Barbara and Errol Clift's "kids' ski day" was held
on March 2nd, again on the Golf Course, thanks to Penny and Wayne McTavish, and
ably organized by Ginnie Cartmel, Janet Partington, Mary Cartmel, Martine Kesber
and members of the GNS Executive (special thanks to Peter Denis again this year
for artfully made and treasured medals for all winners). The hilarious events,
enjoyed by adults and young participants alike, included an obstacle course
over hay bales (thank you, Fraser), under a tarpaulin, and ending with popping
balloons by ski pole (try it!); a one-legged relay (two skiers, two skis on legs
tied together, two skiless outer feet to push); and John Boynton's inimitable
annual scavenger hunt.
Bird Count will be on Saturday, Dec. 27 this year.
Ski Day will be on Saturday, Feb. 7. (Don't forget to book early: we needed a
waiting list last year.)
We also expect to hold Family Fun Skis again this year: on Sat. Jan 17, Sun.
Feb 16 and Sat. March 20. And we plan another Young Families & Childrens' Ski
Day for a Sunday afternoon at the beginning of March, depending on school
schedules. All these dates may change, so please keep an eye on the Community
Calendar and the noticeboards.
We hope to see you at as many of these events as possible.
Tim Merrett