Adirondack Peeks Summer 2023

ADK 46er Recognition Committee and Service Awards Update

would recognize volunteer hours from that date for ward. While contributions of elected and appointed volunteers were greatly appreciated, the hours spent in those voluntary elected and appointed positions were not “grandfathered in” as they had never been asked to track hours and they were recognized in other ways; that is, the Founders Award. It would be a Herculean task to go back to the be ginning of the organization and try to reconstruct the significant contributions of those individuals, but ev ery effort will be made going forward to utilize the ap proved policy should individuals volunteer for one of our existing programs. The new policy, adopted by the board in 2021, con tinues the historical one, in that elected and appointed individuals serve with no expectation of receiving hours for their time. Their time is greatly appreciated but vol untarily given to the organization. Other participants in the approved 46er volunteer programs of OSW, AAH, TSP, Trail Crew, and Correspondents are awarded vol unteer time according to the newly adopted policy. The same committee, amalgamated with members of the Founder’s Award committee, has recommended that the Founder’s Award be replaced with a more com prehensive award, The President’s Award. This award would continue the spirit of the Founder’s Award in that it would be a way to acknowledge and thank those who have served in a variety of capacities, such as elected or appointed positions. It would have an updated ap proach that allows for nominations of people in all vol unteer roles, from members, followed by a committee based selection process. This award has received approval from the BOD. The process of nomination/deliberation/announce ment of recipients will begin in the fall of 2023, with the first recipients at the spring meeting 2024.

Mark Simpson, 6038V

At the fall 2019 executive meeting, Adirondack 46er President Siobhan Carney-Nesbitt appointed a com mittee to investigate ways to increase volunteerism and recognize the contributions of those who volunteer. Historically, the 46ers had gathered information and recognized the contributions of the Trail Crew in terms of hours (at a rate of 8 hours per day worked on trail crew). Those hours were recorded by Trail Masters, col lated, and many trail crew members recognized accord ing to how many hours they had accumulated: 46, 146, 346, 546, 746, 1046. In subsequent years, those who were on staff at the Outdoor Leadership (now Skills) Workshop, Trailhead Stewards, Herd Path Adopters, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, and the current Cor respondents were added with set hours assigned for participation in those projects. The Founders Award was established prior to 2006 as another way in which, historically, other volunteers had been acknowledged. These other volunteer contri butions included those serving as Directors, Committee Chairs, Correspondents (particularly in the transition from Grace herself) and other elected and appointed positions. Ninety-four individuals were recognized with this award between 2006 and 2018. These volunteers had never been asked to track the hours they accumu lated while conducting that work. They readily agreed to assist the organization with no expectation of earn ing any hours. In 2021 the Recognition Committee asked the Board of Directors (BOD) to approve a new procedure that Become a Trailhead Steward! Share your love and knowledge of the mountains with other hikers! From April to October, the Adirondack 46ers staff an informational table at Cascade Trailhead and the inter section of Meadows Lane and Loj Road. The program focuses on education, conservation and information for the general hiking public, to improve the sustainability of the High Peaks trails and improve the hiking experi ence for all. Training is provided and counts toward 8 hours of 46er volunteer hours! Learn more here: https://adk46er. org/trailhead-steward-program/ Steward training took place on April 22 and May 13. There will also be a class on July 9. Thanks to those who participated in the training this year!

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