Well, the Desert season is "officially" over til October, your faithful management committee has handed over the helm to the new management, and with mixed feelings I end my tour as Chair.
The Banquet was a fine wrap-up for the year's activities, with tasty food, abundant wine, and a fascinating program. Betty McCosker provided lovely bouquets of roses for the tables, and Campy and Ski generously contributed equipment for door prizes. And, just to make all us desert lovers feel right at home, the air conditioning conked out! but of course the show went on.
Many, many thanks are due to the people who worked so hard to make the year a success- Karen Leonard, for a superb slate of programs, organizing the Banquet, organizing the second (and highly successful!) photo contest, and all the other tasks she handled so well during the year: Edna Erspamer, for taking the minutes and trying to keep the membership list in order-(no mean task, as I well remember!)-: J. Holshuh, for yeoman duty in keeping our finances in order and the Section solvent; and Randy Bernard for encouraging the leaders to lead so many trips, and keep them well spread out over the weekends. We are fortunate in having continuity in management, with Randy and Karen continuing on ; with Gene, Bob and Wynne I'm sure they'll do a great job, and I know they have ambitious plans for next year.
When I accepted the DPS "crown" from Maris last year, I told you my primary goal was to get through the year without any major disasters, and to have a safe and enjoyable year of peak bagging. To the best of my knowledge, we've accomplished this lofty ambition - and we've had a lot of fun! There've been many, many great trips, excellent parties, enthusiastic leaders and enthusiastic new participants, and I hope all of you have had as much fun with your friends on the trips as I have.
I'll close (in typical Sherry fashion) with a short commemorative poem:
The Chair Reflects on the Past Year
Being Chair of the D.P.S.
Is quite a change for a poetess
Its been lots of work and lots of fun
And I'm kinda glad that my term is done!
I'm more at home on a third-class peak
Than a podium where I have to speak
I'm better known for my poetry
(And reciting The Cremation of Sam McGee)
Than political perspicacity.
It's easier finding a new route on Nopah
Than trying to avoid manager1al faux pas!
So I thank you all for some super times -And I think I'll go back to my campfire rhymes!
Happy Hiking!