Liberty Bell Wanderers Newsletter

 AVA - 0238

Member Club of the
American Volkssport Association

LBW Home Page

Newsletter(NEW)

 

January 2012   

Wishing everyone a Very Happy & Healthy New Year’

 

From the President, Ron Nelson

     2011 seemed to whiz by a lot faster than it should have.  Now it is time to make the dreaded New Year’s resolutions.  I hope yours will include doing more volksmarching.  There are many new programs that should serve as an incentive to get more active.  The KSVA 2010 program will be repeated again.  A free log book is available to keep track of how many walks you have done in Pennsylvania. After 20 walks (10 if you live outside PA) you may purchase the award pin.

    Also this year KSVA will begin a 2 year Lincoln Highway program.  The Lincoln Highway was the first automobile road across the U.S. and was built about 1915.  In Pennsylvania it passed through 15 counties.  The clubs in PA have sanctioned 15 walks that include a section of the Lincoln Highway.  LBW has 5 of the counties in our area.  These 5 walks are all new locations where we have not had walks before.  There are 7 patches available for this program.  Also, by completing a walk in six different counties you may purchase a special program completion patch.  Free log books are available.

 

     There are also a number of new Special Events that are starting in 2012.  Some that should be of interest are:  America’s Bakeries, Golden Cinemas, Classic American Diners, Gristmills, Struttin’ Down Main Street and Walking America’s Murals.  These are in addition to the ones already in existence.

 

     As we begin the New Year we will face some challenges that every member can input suggestions and ideas. We need to find and recruit new members especially younger adults and families.  Volkssporting is an ideal family activity for seeing new places while getting physical exercise.  We need to increase participation by our existing membership.  Our new walks and the changes made to our older walks should make walking them a new and exciting experience. Walking the events of other clubs should also be encouraged.  With the price of gas coming down hopefully we can consider visiting other locations.  With 71 Year Round events in Pennsylvania and walks close by in New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland there is no reason to sit at home saying there is nothing to do.

 

     Do you have any ideas or suggestions for improving our club?  Don’t keep it to yourself.  Let us know.

 

January 18, 2012, General Meeting: Election of Officers

The annual election of officers will be held at our regular monthly meeting.  The following slate of elected officers is being presented:  President: Larry Wagner

1st Vice President:  David Brown

2nd Vice President:  open

Secretary:  Nancy Parkton

Treasurer:  Doris Simon 

Nominations may also be presented at the meeting

 

Membership:  Jean Meyer:

Welcome to the following new member:

Kathy Schultz - Jim Thorpe, PA

 

If you have not paid your dues for 2012, please do so as soon as possible.  You don't want to miss out on any news about the club.  We have 44 renewals thus far.

 

Lost & Found: Bill Parkton

We recently found a set of Chrysler car keys between the seats of our car. No idea how long they've been there. There is a Geico lime green key fob & a Buckingham towing & Collision tag attached to the keys. If you happened to have ridden with Nancy on a Thursday walk, they may be yours. We can't figure out where else they could have come from. If they are yours, let us know asap.. No need to respond if they are not yours.

 

Walk with the Iditarod Sled Dog Race

   Here’s a way to do some walking and a good way to start the new year.  Participate in the Idita-Walk sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 298 in the Nome District of the Western Alaska Council, sponsored by the Nome Rotary Club.  This troop has been in existence in one form or another for forty years and has sponsored this walk since 1999. 

 

   The Idita-Walk is an event to promote physical fitness in the spirit of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.  The Iditarod Sled dog race is 1049 miles long from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.  To complete the Idita-Walk, simply walk 30 minutes a day for 35 days between February 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012 for a total of 1049 minutes (any combination of minutes will work - just reach 1049 during the 59 day event!).   Last year, there were 925  participants from across the U. S., including many of our LBW members.

 

   The registration fee is $10.00 and all proceeds go to the Camp Bronson maintenance, scholarships and numerous youth related programs.  The camp is on the banks of the pristine Salmon Lake 35 miles north of Nome. The old Quonset hut cabin was demolished and replaced by a new 16' x 24' cabin. It was built in Nome by a local contractor and moved by truck to Salmon Lake. It is used by Boy Scouts and other youth organizations with outdoor activities that have the same outdoor ideals as the scouts. 

   You can register on their website:  http://www.idita-walk.com/idw/Index.asp

 

 

Officers & Executive Committee

President                     Ron Nelson                  215-699-9246

1stVice President         Larry Wagner              215-442-1337

Secretary                      Position open              

Treasurer                     Doris Simon                 215-342-5140

Trip Coordinators        Carol Rautenstrauch/   215-675-9476

                                    Joyce Deibert               215-657-2530 

Membership                 Jean Meyers                 215-674-5943

Circulation N/L                        Carol/Bob Talaga         215-576-0617

E-mail Newsletter        Al Kilburn                   215-354-1723

Newsletter                    Betty Good                  215-884-1135

Program                       Helen Missfeldt                       215-646-4799

Publicity                      Dave Berry                  215-674-9064

Sales                            Janet Nelson                215-699-9246

Sunshine                      Bev Robinson              215-672-4417

Trailmaster                   Pat Graeber                  610-287-3065

Youth Advisors                       Maureen Dunlap          215-884-2420

                                    Carol Lavery                215-884-3334

Betty Good, Editor: e-mail:  bjg42@verizon.net

LBW Website – www.ava.org/clubs/libertybellwanderers    

Atlantic Region www.ava.org/clubs/reg_atlantic  (a line between the g & a)

 

SAVE THE DATE!

Our next excursion will be to St. Mary’s City and Solomons, MD, on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27.  St. Mary’s City was the number 1 rated AVA walk in 2011.  Unlike St. Mary’s City, which is a Year Round Event, the Event at Solomons is only held on one day.  This will be the perfect way to start next year’s summer events and still allow you to celebrate Memorial Day with your family and friends.  Watch for the reservation flyer in the February newsletter.  

Submitted by Carol and Joyce

 

 

 

2012 Saturday Group Walks (First Half)                              

Jan 7                10:00 AM        Morrisville         ******For directions to Start Point- Go to Home page, click Group Walk Schedule then click on Morrisville.

Jan 14              10:00 AM        Phila. Mural

                        (Meet at Holiday Inn 4th & Arch)                              

Jan 21              10:00 AM        Collegeville       

Jan 28              10:00 AM        Make up

Feb. 4              10:00 AM        University City

Feb. 11            10:00 AM        Valley Forge History        

Feb. 18            10:00 AM        Phila. West

                        (Meet at Holiday Inn 4th & Arch)

Feb. 25            10:00 AM        Make up

March 3           10:00 AM        Bryn Mawr

March 10         10:00 AM        Doylestown )

March 17         10:00 AM        Make up

March 24         10:00 AM        Bethlehem

March 31         10:00 AM        Phila. East

                        (Meet at Holiday Inn 4th & Arch)

April  7            10:00 AM       Radnor

April 14           10:00 AM        New Hope

April 21           10:00 AM        Allentown Town

April 28           More Info          Communiversity

                        later                  (sponsored by PAWS)

May 5              10:00 AM        Lorimer (Hoagies)

May 12            10:00 AM        Downingtown

May 19            10:00 AM        Allentown Little Lehigh

May 26            10:00 AM        St. Mary’s (Bus Trip)

 June 2             10:00 AM        Valley Forge Creek

 

                                                           

 

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V.E. Wednesday Menu for January 2012

4          Fried Chicken             Swiss Steak

11        Seafood Newburg       Maple Glazed Ham

18        Pork Schnitzel             Baked Salmon

25        Seafood Cake             Chicken Parmesan

Feb 1   Alpine Chicken           Sauerbraten

 

 

 

 

Message from Patty and Earl Miller

Feliz Navidad!

   Hello from Albuquerque!  It's been a little over a month since we arrived here and just wanted to let our friends and family know how we're managing.  The city is 600,000 strong with plenty to see and do. 

     Upon our arrival in November, we registered at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - UNM Continuing Education and Home Page (OASIS), two life long learning organizations, where we have taken courses in architecture, religion, history, music and art.  The blending of the three cultures--White, Hispanic and Native American---afford many opportunities to experience each of these.  We have attended Native American dances and visited pueblos, such as History of Acoma Pueblo & Guided Tours: Sky City Cultural Center .  We have tickets for a mariachi Christmas and enjoyed theNational

 Hispanic Cultural Center - home

 seeing the Day of the Dead altars there on Nov. 1.  Plus, there are many concerts, dances and plays all over the city as well as at the University of NM.

     To begin the holiday season, Old Town plaza at Albuquerque was filled with hundreds of luminarias that filled the night with candlelight.  It is magical to see it.  Tamales are traditionally served at Christmas, along with "Christmas" chile--both red and green together!  Many hispanic communities revive the tradtion of Las Posadas, where Mary and Joseph go from house to house to find shelter before the birth of Jesus.

     We have been doing some traveling as well...north to the adobe rich capitol of  Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau: santafe.org , three days in Home | Taos Vacation Guide | Vacation Planning Tool for Visitors to Taos County, New Mexico, USA at the Dreamcatcher B&B and 3 days in Chimayo, historic village in the heart of Northern New Mexico at Casa Escondida B&B, the Bosque del Apache--for the beautiful flight of the sandhill cranes, the NRAO Very Large Array and spending a day driving the high road to TaosOH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO: September 2011 , a beautiful

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travelogue if you have time to click on it and read.  We are even staying a night at the New Mexico Casino Resort | Albuquerque Hotels, Restaurants, Spas, Meeting Space | Albuquerque Casinos | Sandia Resort Casino , since signing up for a player's card gave us a good deal.

     The weather here has been better and worse than we thought.  Of course we knew the temps were not going to be like Florida or Phoenix and we were prepared with winter jackets, scarves and gloves.  Most of the days are sunny , but the nights and mornings are chilly.  This past week has been an exception, with a blast of unusually cold weather and snow that hit NM hard from the west. Surprisingly, the metro area, where we are staying, had no snow, but a 2-3 mile radius outside the city experienced very bad conditions.  This weather pattern happened last year in February for about 2 weeks, so, perhaps, this will be a changing weather pattern over the upcoming years.  Most of the time the mornings and evening are cold, but warms nicely to 50+ degrees in the afternoon.  The difference is that the sun shines most nearly everyday.  Hopefully, this pattern will continue once this storm system moves out!  I am glad that I hiked up in the Sandia Mountains over a week ago to see the fantastic views because now they are drenched in snow!

     Our casita is charming and we are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in a tri-lingual way.  Hope all is well with you and I'll connect again when we head to southeast Asia in February. 

Yah-te-hay!  Patty (and Earl)