AMC Trails & Waves, Spring 2018

37 Pages·2017·5.69 MB·English

Trails Waves
&

News from the Appalachian Mountain Club
Volume 40, Issue 1 • Spring 2018 New York – North Jersey Chapter
FOR SALE:
Fire Island Cabin
Trails Waves
&

Appalachian Mountain Club
NY-NoJ Chapter
5 West 63rd Street,
Suite 220 FEATURES
New York, NY 10023 20 Mountain Leadership School

27 AMC Photo Contest
Editor
Ron Gonzalez
29 Springtime Misadventures

Executive for Communications 25 Memorial to Dick Wolf
Lee Hoffman
CHAPTER UPDATES
Layout & Format
3 Fire Island Sale
Marty Plante
10 History of Fire Island
Trails & Waves is published by the 13 Chapter Volunteer Awards
New York–North Jersey Chapter of
19 Eileen Yin
the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Opinions expressed do not
25 Chapter Party
necessarily reflect the views and
policies of the AMC. We reserve 26 Congrats to Master Leaders
the right to decline any submission
33 Membership Update
judged to be inconsistent with
AMC’s purpose or not in keeping
with the sensitivities of its
membership.

Contributions of articles and
photos are welcome. Articles may
be edited for style, clarity, and
length. The newsletter assumes no
responsibility for lost material.
Please send photographs in the
original (uncompressed) size;
contact the editor if you need
assistance. Email all submissions
to: [email protected]

Read Trails & Waves on the
Chapter’s website

© 2017 Appalachian Mountain
Club, Boston, MA 02108
Fire Island

Cabin Sale

NY-NoJ Chapter Members Convince
AMC Board Not to Sell Beloved
Facility This Year

BY EILEEN YIN

fter two weeks of sometimes
contentious conversations over
a proposal to sell the AMC’s
beloved Fire Island Cabin, a
new alliance emerged between
AMC Executives and membership.

After watching the live stream of the
March 14th New York-North Jersey
Chapter Executive Meeting, the AMC
Board of Directors (the “Board”)
decided to postpone a scheduled vote
on selling its Fire Island property.
AMC President John Judge recom-
mended that the vote be delayed by
one year. AMC Board Chair Rol

Fessenden concurred, informing
NY-NoJ Chapter Chair Nathan Baker
of the decision that afternoon.
3 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
Fire Island Cabin supporters reacted does not fit or does not deliver
with cautious relief. Nathan said, “I substantial mission impact.” A staff
want to thank Rol, John and the Save report followed in October 2017,
Fire Island Cabin movement. Our concerning activities to be considered
debate over the disposition of the for elimination. On November 13,
cabin, while not handled through 2017, the AMC Facilities Asset
traditional channels, has been a Management (FAM) Committee
wonderful opportunity to improve assessed all volunteer- and staff-led
Club-Chapter relations. What started AMC facilities for their “alignment
as a heated disagreement has ended with and support of the AMC
with a pleasant meeting of the minds.” mission.”
The Board expressed concerns
about Fire Island Cabin including “the
residential character of the sur-
WHAT HAPPENED, rounding neighborhood, limited
flexibility in lodging options and
AND WHEN:
access, and its proximity to rising

seas.” Citing declining guest usage,
AMC Board Investigates
FAM recommended “investigating
Viability of Fire Island Cabin divestiture of the Fire Island Camp
due to lack of alignment with mission
The Board initiated a review of and operations.” With no input
AMC facilities and activities after sought from the Fire Island Cabin
October 2016 conversations with Bill Committee, FAM’s recommendation
Huyett, a McKinsey & Company was approved by the Board’s
partner, on the possibility of Executive Committee on November
16, 2017.
“shedding what we do or own that
4 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
The Board then moved its vote on The Fire Island Cabin Committee
the matter from its normal May date (FICC) held an emergency meeting on
up to March, declaring that “spring is Tuesday, March 6, resolving to launch
an opportune time to list such a a petition on Change.org, a direct
property, and the Fire Island letter writing campaign, a social
Committee has not started the media drive, and attend the Board
significant work of opening for a 2018 meeting in person. The FICC
season.” published a press release explaining
their opposition to the proposal, in
which they expressed that the sale,
AMC Informs Fire Island
presumably to developers, would be a
Cabin Committee
“departure from AMC’s core values
of stewardship and conservation,
On Friday, March 2, John Judge which stands in contradiction to its
and Board member Yvette Austin mission statement” which is to
Smith informed Fire Island Cabin “protect the places we love, ensuring
Committee Chair Diane Serlin that the ongoing access to the Northeast’s
AMC planned to sell the Cabin, and most precious natural resources for
that the 2018 season was cancelled, recreation and education.”
“effective immediately.” The next Within a week, the FICC’s petition
evening, Diane Serlin informed volun- on Change.org had gathered more
teers attending the Annual Fire Island than 3,500 signatures.
Cabin Volunteer Thank You Party.
5 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
AMC Board Explains Its
Decision

On March 8, AMC posted a
statement on outdoors.org that the
Board will “determine the extent to
which each location contributes to
organizational goals and mission…
The Board is weighing Fire Island
against the likelihood that increased
investments elsewhere would allow us
to engage more constituents.” It will
“consider a proposal to sell the Fire
Island cabin and deploy funds
elsewhere in greater New York” or
where it could have “greater mission
impact.”

Fire Island Cabin Committee
and Member Reaction

On March 9, the Fire Island Cabin
Committee (FICC) issued a formal
press release about the proposed sale.
The story was picked up by media
outlets including Fire Island Patch,
Long Island Business News,
Newsday, and the New York Times.
Individual members sent letters
directly to Rol Fessenden and John
Judge, and posted appeals on social
media with the hashtag
#StopAMCSellOut. Members from
outside NY-NoJ and Volunteer
Managed Facilities wrote to AMC
expressing their concerns. Responding
to the outcry from local members, the
6 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
NY-NoJ Chapter Executive Com- gateway drug to the AMC at large.”
mittee devoted their regular meeting Diane Serlin described the pipeline of
on March 13 to the future of Fire chapter leaders mentored at Fire
Island Cabin. In a first for this Island Cabin.
chapter, the meeting was live- Others spoke of how Fire Island
streamed on Facebook. Cabin enhances the AMC’s conser-
An unprecedented 80 people vation, education, and recreation
crowded into the Westside mission. John Maier asked,
YMCA meeting room, with an “What better lab is there to teach
additional 20 participants global warming?” Marie Tanner
watching online. John talked about her
Judge and Board annual coastal
members were invited cleanup trips while
Many new
to attend or view the another hike leader
feed. Local Board talked about the
members initially
members Ann Lesk connection between
and Yvette Austin join AMC to take the Cabin and Fire
Smith joined in Island National
advantage of the
person. Over the Seashore Park. Jake
course of the two-hour Lewis, a Sailing
cabin’s
meeting, members Instructor, described
spoke passionately affordable and the cabin’s location
about their love for on the Great South
convenient access
the cabin, the Bay as the only safe
camaraderie it fosters, place in the area to
to the seashore.
its alignment to the teach open water
AMC mission, and sailing.
their dedication to Some attendees
keeping the cabin were alarmed by the
open. possible loss of access to
Many attendees described their affordable outdoor learning and
experiences at Fire Island Cabin. recreational opportunities accessible
Frank Bamberger reminded the by mass transit from New York City,
audience that many new members especially as the club strives to foster
initially join AMC to take advantage Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Others
of the cabin’s affordable and pointed out the irony of a conser-
convenient access to the seashore. vation organization selling their
Wylie Goodman, a new member, property to private developers likely
dubbed Fire Island Cabin “the to build homes for affluent buyers.
7 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
Some speakers expressed concern outdoors conservation organization.
about the commercial nature of a [If you do not sell] you will win our
report prepared by McKinsey & loyalty. You will win if you listen to
Company, a management consultancy us. Please listen to our voices so we
firm, pointing to its focus on bed- can work together to make a Win-
nights and other data points more Win so everybody will be happy.”
appropriate to a hotel chain than a Rob Holbrook, Secretary to the
conservation organization. Patricia Chapter’s Executive Committee,
Ensworth asked the Board to be more wrapped up the meeting by reading a
aware of the AMC brand, which she draft report to AMC Board summa-
cautioned is often perceived as “that rizing the chapter’s concerns. It
organization that runs those lodges, as asked for clarification of the phrase
if the AMC’s prime mission is “misalignment to the mission of the
hospitality.” AMC,” and why there was no time
The sole voice of dissent was set aside for a commentary period, or
Henry Schreiber, former Chapter any details of the club’s long term
Chair and former Regional Director, plan for the Greater New York Area.
who suggested Fire Island Cabin is Neil Burns, Chair of the Volunteer
too exposed to environmental ravages Cabins and Camps Committee,
such as rising water levels and major expressed his concerns in an email to
storms. “Get the money for it now AMC Executives. “[T]he Process
while we can,” he said. undermines the value of volunteers
Misako Yamagishi gave perhaps not only at Fire Island, but also at the
the most well-received and impas- other volunteer-led facilities. The
sioned appeal. “This is the place we message should be that we will
put our hearts and our time. If the undertake a Process that involves the
sale goes through, we will lose volunteers, respects the history and
member-ship and volunteers and not contributions of volunteers, and their
only in this chapter. There will be a incredible value to the AMC
loss of credibility of AMC as an mission.”
8 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
WHAT’S NEXT? Fire Island Cabin’s 2018 season
will continue as scheduled. AMC

staff, chapter and FICC plan to
Fire Island Cabin now has a
collaborate on proposed changes.
one-year reprieve.
“Going forward, I'm happy to say
that the Chapter and Club Executives
In a letter to Nathan and Diane, Rol have agreed to better communications
complimented them on the “construc- and input into the decision making
tiveness of how you approached our process of AMC,” said Nathan. “This
differences. I attribute that to your
might not have been a ‘traditional’
leadership. As a result, I am sure we discussion, but that is what we
can find ways to work together.” accomplished.”
Nathan posted a conciliatory note to
the chapter membership, “Thank you,
John & Rol, for working with us to Fire Island Cabin is the only
bring another great season to Fire barrier island facility in the AMC
Island Cabin. AMC Executives value outside of Maine. Serving as the
our membership’s commitment to the NY-NoJ Chapter’s home base for its
mission of the Club. Working sailing and sea kayaking programs,
together we will… strengthen our the cabin is situated on a vehicle-free
presence in the NY/Northern NJ barrier island within easy hiking or
area.” Nathan and Diane invited all kayaking distance from bird
Club Executives and Board Members sanctuaries, the Sunken Forest,
to “come out [to] enjoy some NY-NoJ National Lighthouse, and Fire
Chapter hospitality.” Island National Seashore lands.

Fire Island Cabin
Midweek for Families
Mon-Thu, Aug 20-23, 2018

9 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018
New York AMC
A BRIEF
members have
enjoyed Fire Island
HISTORY OF THE
Cabin for almost
100 years. Over
FIRE ISLAND
time, the origins of
the cabin have
CABIN
taken on an almost
mythical status.
Here is the real
story of Fire Island

BY BONNIE MAIRS, ANITA
Cabin.
BARBERIS AND EILEEN YIN
PHOTO BY JOHNNY MILANO / NEW YORK TIMES
10 Trails & Waves ║ Spring 2018