2020 Washington Alpine Club Annual Meeting

The Washington Alpine Club held its annual meeting on October 18, 2020 virtually due to the pandemic.

Below are the meeting notes to be shared on the topics being covered.

Election Results

Annual Board Member elections results were shared.

PRESIDENT: Chelsea Sweetin
1st VP: Pat O’Brien
2nd VP: Nathaniel Harrison
TREASURER: Elden Altizer
SECRETARY: Angela Crampton
DIRECTORS:
Rebecca “Reebs” Shore
Rachel Minucciani
Mike Daly
Mike Mahanay
Derek K. Lester

President’s Notes

Chelsea presented a high-level recap on the year.

Been a crazy year [with the pandemic] and we’re still a club.
Lots of work done on all different fronts and behind the scenes.
Lots of work at the cabin.
DEI updates and road maps.
Looking for people to step up.

Membership

The Washington Alpine Club has 518 members. The Board of Directors asked for member recognition in the October Bulletin and wants to thank everyone who has donated time and energy towards the club throughout the year.

Special recognition goes to:

Ira Rushwald
Brandi Garcia
Mike Mahanay
Jen Louie
Rachael Minucciani
Dale Ott
Mike Daly
Elden Altizer
Dave Mitchell
Robertson Miller
Alan Widmer

Class Report

Pat provided a summary of the classes over the year and a plan for continuing during the social distancing restrictions.

Thanking the co-chairs of all the classes
Misses all the other instructors
COVID
- Tough with the beginning class – held the first class
- Didn’t know what was happening or how serious it was going to be
- Intermediate Class with more information to pull the plug
- Backcountry class 2021 is canceled.
  - Came down to companion rescue
  - And an assumption if everything went right
  - Plan on things went wrong as well
Open question about the 2021 Intermediate Class and 2022 Backcountry Travel Class
Truncated small classes for refreshes
Co-chairs have started all meeting together – Zoom has helped with getting everyone together
Pat talks about instructor turnover and concerns of missing a year or two on how it impacts people volunteering for the WAC

Call for ideas – volunteer for presentations. The co-chairs would like to have a steady stream to keep people engaged. Email all the co-chairs at wac-all-cochairs@googlegroups.com.

Treasurer Report

Nathaniel provided a year-over-year summary of the financials of the club and how the pandemic has impacted the organization.

Looking solid financially
Cash has grown compared to last year even though we haven’t run our classes, we were able to get matching donations were a flow.
Mike M did a good job keeping the cabin open as much as possible with a COVID plan. Not as much as last year but we’re not down all that much from 2 years ago.
Expenses look different, except for the cabin.
Having another strange year 2020-2021 but have sound footing.

Stewardship Committee

Elden and Chelsea provided a recap on the work that has been done by the Stewardship Committee.

Jen Louie and Tessa were conservation committee.
Elden joined the committee.
COVID impact but still had a few events.
Access Fund canceled a lot of activities and had limited number of participants.
Jen and Alan went up and worked at Fun Rock in September.
A WA Pass stewardship day was planned for one weekend but everything is covered in snow and canceled. Could always go to Olympic Beach to do a clean up.
Hoping next year to have more participation and encouragement with the Basic Climbing Could put in a day of conservation work being tied to the land.
Every month the stewardship committee has been inputting things to the bulletin.
Send feedback to the stewardship alias.

Activities Committee

Elden presented a report on the from the Activities Committee

Board approved this committee
Goal for the first year was to ease into it
Drafted up guidelines for participation or anyone in the club wants to lead an outing
No campouts next year and probably going to wait until 2022
Last year’s report
Next year
- Post guidelines so everyone in the club can see
- Will do a better job asking for help and putting things in the bulletin

Call for volunteers to lead and offer help with the planning of WAC outings.

Guy Cabin Report

Mike M. shared the cabin’s restructuring in the times of Covid-19 and an update of all the work parties and repairs done to the cabin.

Had a really good ski season until the beginning of March
Closed cabin for 2 months
Dale and Elden very helpful to reinvent Guye Cabin
Isolation stays where it is your own AirBnb, super successful and still doing it – used every weekend. Had a time period during the week that has been booked as well. Brought in about 1,000 per month that is more than members in the summer. People like the exclusive use.
ISO work parties
- Best part was the social aspect and meeting new members
- 50 total volunteers
Looking for more participation
Kids day in the past and would like to do that again – takes parents to drive these programs at the cabin.
Cabin is a great place to introduce people to the outdoors
Guye cabin classroom is dead in the water – nothing happened with it and try to get it going again this year
ISO into the first week of December
Winter and ski season and we aren’t going to have any of that.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Rebecca and Angela presented on a high-level look on the work being done.

Chelsea wrote a letter on behalf of the board to support every voice and stronger commitment.
Purpose of the road map to be a starting point for current and future leaders to make it a more inclusive space.
Shared high-level road map that will be shared to entire club soon.
Be kind as we move forward.

Call for volunteers and a committee to form.