January/February, 2009

Tracker's Talk
January/February, 2009      By Phyllis Gall, Editor
I hope you will print out this list of events and mark them on your calendars. All the clubs appreciate your support to keep these events going. I am looking forward to a great year with the Clay-Platte Trackers. We are going to have some group walks at our Year Rounds on Sundays instead of meetings at the church so hope you can all try to attend some or all of these walks. They should be fun if the weather only cooperates. We have some new officers for 2009: Phyllis Gall, Pres., Mary Kemp, Vice-Pres., and continuing: Dorris Bender, Sec., Barb Andersen, Treas., Virginia Wallis and Jerry Priest, Trailmasters, Ed & Marty Burke, Brochures and Website. If you have suggestions or comments, feel free to talk to any of us.

2009 Calendar of Events

Tuesday, January 13 6 pm - Officer's Meeting at Panera's by Boardwalk

Sunday, January 18 Clay-Plate Group Walk at Liberty Greenway YRE & Soup Supper at Barb Milner's afterward. Meet At Liberty Comm. Center at 2 pm.

Tuesday, January 20 Regular Club Meeting at Gashland Presbyterian Church starting at 7 pm

Saturday, January 24 Birthday (Soup & Cake) Event-Topeka Sod Stompers

Saturday, February 15 Eagles Event at Lawrence sponsored by the Sod Stompers

NO FEBRUARY MEETING

Sunday, February 22 Clay-Platte Group Walk at Parkville YRE Meet at English Landing Park at 2 pm.

Saturday, March 7 Lake Shawnee Event sponsored by the Sod Stompers

Tuesday, March 17 Regular Club Meeting at Gashland Presbyterian Church starting at 7 pm

Saturday, April 4 Deanna Rose-OP Event sponsored by the Leavenworth

Saturday, April 18 Event sponsored by Pacesetters

April 24-26   KS Bus Trip by Terri Tyler

Saturday, May 16 NKC Event sponsored by Clay-Platte Trackers of KC

June 20-28   AVA Biennial Convention and Prewalks

NO JULY MEETING

Saturday, September 26 2 Walk Events: Weston State Park by Clay-Platte & Weston by Kansas Jaywalkers of Leavenworth

Saturday, October 3 Event sponsored by Pacesetters

Sunday, October 18 Baldwin City Event sponsored by Sod Stompers

December 4/5 Swims sponsored by Kansas Jaywalkers

December 5   Lights on the Plaza Walk sponsored by Clay-Platte

December 13 Christmas Lights Event sponsored by Wichita

Wednesday Morning Walks

January 7 Merriam YRE
January 14 Downtown (Riverfront Trail) YRE
January 21 Parkville YRE
January 28 Westport YRE
February 4 Liberty Town Walk YRE
February 11 Watkins’ Mill YRE
February 18 Parkville (Levy Walk) YRE
February 25 Free Walk - Suggestions Welcome
March 4 Downtown YRE
March 11 Fort Leavenworth YRE
March 18 Liberty Greenway YRE
March 25 Independence YRE

All are welcome to join us for these Wednesday walks. We meet in front of Metro North Mall at 8:30 am. Any questions, call me at 816-468-6012 or cell # 816-506-3134.

Clay-Platte Trackers Annual Christmas Dinner: About 26 attended this annual event held at the Tiffany Springs Golf Clubhouse.. The dinner and service was great. Thank you to Karen and Barb Milner for hosting this event.

A great thank you to our past President, Barb Buehrer and Vice-President, Julie Reynolds. They did a great job again as they have had this job several times before.

New Members: We have been fortunate to have several new members joining our club in the past few months. Please welcome them to our activities. They are Tammy Johnson, Lorene Osterhaus, Gordon & Doris Kelly, Missy & Pat McBride, Bob Kemp, James Purgason, John Bender, Dave Andersen, Pat Thon, Angela Baker. I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone.

Congratulations: Dorris Bender-125 Events & 1500 KM, Patricia Thon-125 Events, Phyllis Gall-650 Events & 8000 KM,

THANKS from Barb Buehrer

We finally had some good weather for our Lights on the Plaza Walk. We hosted 149 walkers, 121 of the walkers were paid walkers. Thirty-five of the walkers were club members, some of whom walked more than once. We had walkers from six states.

Thanks to all of the club members who worked a shift the day of the walk. Your efforts are very much appreciated. One can never thank everyone who played a part in making the walk a success; however, there are a few people I would like to mention. First, I would like to thank Carol Herdman for taking charge of the walk. Thanks to Karen Blakey and Barb Milner who handed the refreshments in an efficient and gracious manner. Thanks to Phyllis Gall for handling the workers plus filling in for me as the hostess/greeter. Each year we ask Laura Anderson to arrange for extra parking, and this year, we finally needed the parking. Thanks to Marty and Ed Burke for doing the brochures and the mailing.

The Lights on the Plaza Walk is a fun venture; however, it does require many more workers than an average event. The weather will always be a big factor in determining our success.

TRAILS KC

Trails KC plan was adopted by the city council as Kansas City’s first comprehensive trails plan. The next step will be to secure funds, establish a management structure, and developing a friends-of-trails organization to support trails development.

Kansas City was awarded $100,000 (Recreational Trails Program) grant from the Missouri Department of natural Resources. This grant will be in partnership with Clay County Parks and Recreation Department and the Northland Trails and Greenways for the construction of a two mile shared-use trail, as well as an equestrian trail, in Hodge Park. This trail segment will connect to the Shoal Creek Living History Museum and serves as the initial spine of a trail that will eventually link to the trail system at Smithville Lake.

There are several neighborhood projects which are under consideration for PIAC funding. Those trails under consideration are the Indian Creek to Trolley Track Trail, Shoal Creek Trail, and the Levee Tail.

Barb Buehrer