Sandhill Chapter News -...

Florida Trail AssociationAlachua, Gilchrist, Levy & Marion Counties

Sandhill Chapter News

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS

The 9th Annual IDidAHike, headed up by the North FloridaTrailblazers Chapter, was a huge success with over 200 hikersparticipating in this year's hike along the beautiful Suwannee River.

IDidAHike is an annual fund-raising event in support of the FloridaTrail Association. Hikers gathered in White Springs, paid theirregistration fee and were shuttled to the Bell Springs Trailhead tobegin hiking back to their cars - 8.5 miles away. Hiker aide stationswere available at the 3.5-mile and 5-mile marks where participantscould take a break, snack on some of the goodies donated by TomRichardson and REI, grab some cold water, and even get a rideback to White Springs if their feet were tuckered out.

The bright orange IDidAHike T-shirts, available for the first time thisyear, seemed to be a big hit, too!

CHAPTER NEWS IN BRIEF

We would like to thank Michelyn Luttge for stepping up andaccepting the position of Chapter Treasurer. And also a big thankyou goes to Janice Everidge for keeping our check book straightfor so many years.

We also need a new person to arrange the programs (guestspeakers) for our monthly meetings starting in the fall. Ifinterested, contact Mitch Sapp.

CHAPTER CONTACTS

Chapter Chair: Mitch Sappmesapp1941@gmail.com

Trail Coordinator: Mike Hankeymikeh32217@yahoo.com

Activity Chair: Deb BlickFTCricket@windstream.net

Treasurer: Michelyn Luttgemichaelyn@luttge.com

Membership: Ted Kmet tjkmet@yahoo.com

Programs: Noelle Silknsilk04@aol.com

Hospitality: Tootie Richeytootie2t@yahoo.com

Chapt. Council Rep: Judy Trottajudytrotta@gmail.com

Newsletter: Deb BlickFTCricket@windstream.net

April/May 2017

Join us on Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Sandhill-FTA/ for all our activities

Track us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SandhillFTA/and https://www.facebook.com/SandhillChapterFTA/

Happy IDidAHike Hikers in the new T-shirts

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES – APRIL AND MAY

Thursday, Apr. 6 – Day Hike – Dot Morrison Dotlesslou@aol.com 352-377-7537

Wednesday, Apr. 12 – Day Paddle, Juniper Creek, Ocala National Forest. Limit of 8. Rentals available, suitable for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Thursday, Apr. 13 – Day Hike – Dot Morrison Dotlesslou@aol.com 352-377-7537

Saturday, Apr. 15 – Day Paddle, Juniper Creek, Ocala National Forest. Limit of 8. Rentals available, suitable for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Thursday, Apr. 20 – Day Hike – Dot Morrison Dotlesslou@aol.com 352-377-7537

Saturay-Sunday, Apr. 29-30 – Suwannee Quest. Our final section as we finish up all of the Suwannee River in Florida. This trip is from Fowlers Bluff to the town of Suwannee on Saturday and from the town of Suwannee out to the Gulf and back on Sunday. You must provide your own boat! Car camping in the town of Suwannee Friday and Saturday night. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Thursday, Apr. 20 – Chapter Meeting – Wesley United Methodist Church, Gainesville. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Jack Putz, professor of forest ecology at UF.

Wednesday, May 10 – Day Paddle, Itchetucknee River. Let's do it before the tubers take over for the summer! Rentals available. This is a good trip for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Saturday, May 13 – Day Paddle, Itchetucknee River. Let's do it before the tubers take over for the summer! Rentals available. This is a good trip for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Thursday, May 18 – Chapter Meeting – Wesley United Methodist Church, Gainesville. This meeting is generally changed to be a picnic, so stay tuned for further information.

Wednesday, June 7 – Day Paddle, Rainbow River. Rentals available. Good trip for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

Saturday, June 10 – Day Paddle, Rainbow River. Rentals available. Good trip for beginners. Deb Blick FTCricket@windstream.net

MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETINGSOur monthly chapter meetings are held on the third Thursday during the months of September through May. The meeting are from from 6 to 8 pm at Wesley United Methodist Church, 826 NW 23rd Ave, Gaineville, FL. Each meeting features a guest speaker as well as the opportunity to meet other Chapter members and catch up on what'sgoing on in the Chapter and state-wide in the Florida Trail Association. For more info contact Chapter Chair Mitch Sapp. We hope to see you there!

Picnic in the pavilion - Deb Blick

We had a very nice turnout for our chapter special eventat Silver Springs State Park earlier this month. Sixteenpeople participated in the pre-picnic hike on the FNSTBefore the hike Ranger Marshall met the group at MarshalSwamp and provided some history on the Cross FloridaBarge Canal. After that overview, the hike leaders - JacSteer, Bob Jones and John Schaefer - led a hike from theBaseline Road Trailhead to the Marshall Swamp Trailhead.

On another pre-picnic hike Mitch Sapp and Noelle Silk ledabout a dozen people on a shorter nature walk withinSilver Springs State Park that ran from the picnic areadown to the Silver River and back.

About 30 people attended the picnic and enjoyed a wideassortment of food in the potluck. At least fivenewcomers were welcomed to the Chapter. After stuffing our faces with good food and catching up withfriends new and old, a short Chapter meeting was held.

After the picnic a variety of activities were available for folks to discover all the park has to offer - the SilverSprings Museum, the Cracker Village, glass-bottom boats rides, and additonal park hiking trails. NaomiCharboneau and John Schaefer led a 3-hour kayak trip on the Silver River where we saw a variety of birds,lots of basking turtles and gators and at the very end, the monkeys.

SILVER SPRINGS PICNIC REPORT - MARCH 18, 2017

Little Blue Heron - Deb Blick

Hikers at Marshall Swamp - John Schaefer

Kayaking on the Silver River - Deb Blick

NEXT FTA ANNUAL MEETING AND CHAPTER COUNCIL

Sandhill Chapter of the Florida Trail Association5415 SW 13 StreetGainesville FL 32608

The Florida Trail Association's Annual Meeting and Chapter Council meeting, originallyscheduled for April 1, was cancelled. A new date will be annouced soon, probably for aweekend in May, so watch for an annoucement.

The Annual Meeting is primarily the occasion for the election of new state officers. ChapterCouncil is a state-level committee made up of representatives from each of FTA’s 18 chapters.This is an opportunity for people to learn more about the ongoing work of the Florida TrailAssociation from Board representatives as well as to meet members from other chaptersacross the state and learn about their successes and challenges.

Judy Trotta and Mitch Sapp will be representing the Sandhill Chapter at the Chapter Councilmeeting, but all FTA members are welcome to attend both it and the Annual Meeting. If youare interested email Judy Trotta at judytrotta@gmail.com for more information.