Calendar

Stone State Park: 6-8 mile Day Hike around Mt. Lucia: Please see link below.

http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/stone.html

Meet Sunday November 29th,2009-Leave Wolner’s Grocery in Aksarben Village, 72nd and Center, 9:00 A.M., if you would like to make carpool arrangements on your own with fellow hikers. There is a Sierra Club Outing fee of $1.00 per person is paid to hike leader to support the continued training outings leaders.

Dress for the current weather and possible weather changes that night.
Wear layered clothing, a wind shell, rain gear, hat, and gloves.
Sturdy trail boots are required Bring at least two liters of water and a lunch.

Address: Woodbury County Iowa, just north of Sioux City off I-29. Take I-80 east out of Omaha and head north on I-29 for about 2½ hours. Just north of Sioux City, exit onto Route 12 and go north. We will meet at the trail head about half a mile north of the Nature Center access road, on the right side.

RSVP with first and last name, phone number, and email so you can be called in case of cancellation
Bob Goetschkes, MVG Outings Chair
bobbygoetschkes@hotmail.com
day: 402-614-4788
cell: 402-326-1775 (must dial 402)

Day Hike at Fontenelle Forest

Saturday, December 12th, meet at 1:00pm at the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Wetlands Learning Center parking lot:
103 Camp Gifford Road in Bellevue

Directions: From I-80 take Hwy 75 (Kennedy Freeway) South to Chandler Road. Turn left onto Chandler. Stay on Chandler approx. 1 mile until the road ends at the stop sign at Bellevue Blvd. Turn right onto Bellevue Blvd. Continue east on Bellevue Blvd. past the Learning Center and turn left onto Childs Road. Continue on Childs Road through the housing development. The road becomes Camp Gifford Road and will change into a gravel surface. Continue on Camp Gifford Road until it dead ends (approx. 2 miles from Bellevue Blvd).
The Wetlands Learning Center will be on your right, just before
the entrance to Gifford Farms. Use the parking lot on the left side of the road.

Dress/Gear: Everyone should bring boots suitable for trail hiking, water, and clothing suitable for the current weather (layers are best), including rain/snow gear. Trekking poles and a light snack are also a good idea.

Description: We will hike for about 2 ½ hours on easy to moderate trails, at a fairly quick pace. In the event of snow/ice, participants may wish to bring snowshoes, yak trax, or similar equipment.

Cost: There is a Sierra Club Outing fee of $1.00 per person, paid to the hike leader to support the continued training of outings leaders. There is a $7.00 fee to access the park, for non-FNA members. For more information visit www.fontenelleforest.org.

Transportation: The hike is very close to Omaha, but if you are interested in carpooling, let me know when you RSVP. I can forward email addresses or phone numbers of those interested in driving or riding, so they can make arrangements with fellow hikers.

RSVP: with first and last name, phone number, and email so you can be contacted in case of cancellation.
James Phernetton, MVG Outings leader
jamesphernetton@mac.com
402-319-2322 (cell)

Day Hike and Optional Overnight Car Camp - Waubonsie State Park

January 16, 2010 - Saturday

Description: Waubonsie State Park: 5+ mile day hike with the option to stay and camp overnight.
http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/waubonsie.html

Directions: Meet Saturday, January 16th , at the Waubonsie park office parking lot:
2585 Waubonsie Park Road, Hamburg, IA 51640
From Omaha: Take I-80 East to I-29 South. Travel about 40 miles to IA-2 (exit 10). Turn left (East) on IA-2E. Follow the road to the park.

Those of us spending the night will meet at 1:00pm to pay the $6/campsite fee and choose our campsite(s). We’ll then meet everyone doing the dayhike at 1:30pm, back at the park office parking lot. We’ll do about a 2 ½ hour moderate to difficult hike. Dayhikers can return home, and those of us braving the elements overnight will set up our camp, have our dinner, enjoy a campfire, and then retire for the night. We’ll have our breakfasts on Sunday morning, pack up our gear, and then do another short hike to warm ourselves up.

Dress/Gear: Everyone should bring boots suitable for trail hiking, water, and clothing suitable for the current weather (layers are best), including rain/snow gear. Trekking poles and a light snack are also a good idea.

Overnight campers should bring their own sleeping bag (rated for the appropriate temperature), a change of clothes in case their hiking clothes get wet or sweaty, their own food for dinner and breakfast (and a way to cook it), a tent or other shelter, extra water, and any other items that will make a January night outdoors more comfortable.

Cost: There is a Sierra Club Outing fee of $1.00 per person, paid to the hike leader to support the continued training of outings leaders.

Transportation: Those interested in carpooling should let the outing leader know when RSVPing, so a place and time for people to meet and arrange carpooling with their fellow hikers can be determined.

RSVP: with first and last name, phone number, and email so you can be contacted in case of cancellation.
James Phernetton, MVG Outings leader
jamesphernetton@mac.com
402-319-2322 (cell)

Media Committee Meeting
Saturday, December 5th. 10 a.m.

Location:
W. Clarke Swanson Library, 9101 W. Dodge Rd., Omaha
Located on N 90th just south of Dodge Rd

WE NEED YOU! Join us in recruiting and training conservation volunteers, staffing information booths, developing and staffing parade entries, and maintaining the database.
Commit yourself to specific "leadership team." The current teams include:

Webmasters' Team
Web Reporters/Editors Team
E-Newsletters Team
Nebraska Sierran (hard copy) Team

To RSVP or for More Info: Email: albert_lierz@yahoo.com

Membership Committe Meeting
Saturday, December 5th. 11:30 a.m.

Location:
W. Clarke Swanson Library, 9101 W. Dodge Rd., Omaha
Located on N 90th just south of Dodge Rd

WE NEED YOU! Help us reach out to the citizens of Nebraska and tell our story of conservation and sustainability. Commit yourself to specific "leadership team." Committee teams include:

Speakers Bureau Team
Parade Entries Team
Information Booths Team
Database Entry Team

To RSVP or for More Info: Email: albert_lierz@yahoo.com

Saturday, November 21st., 2 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Douglas County Extension Office

All Club members and interested environmentalists are invited to attend. The meeting will feature reports on our state and local conservation projects.

Watch this website for the posted agenda.

The Douglas County Extension Office is at 8015 West Center Road. From I-80, exit at 84th Street and go north about one-half mile to HascallSt. Turn right (east) on Hascall and proceed to 80th Street. Turn left on 80th Street and go north about three blocks. Turn left into the Extension office parking lot just before the median begins. After entering the front (north) door, turn right to enter the meeting area.

The Annual Chapter Banquet will start at 6 p.m. See the article below for details.
For more information contact: Dick Boyd (402) 484-0446 or dickb68506@yahoo.com.

Saturday, November 21st., 6pm
6 pm: Social Hour/Silent Auction
7 pm: Dinner/Awards/Program

Location: Spaghetti Works Restaurant
84th St & Park Drive, Omaha

The Nebraska Chapter of the Sierra Club will hold its Annual Banquet on Saturday, Nov. 21 in the Omaha metro area at the Spaghetti Works Restaurant, 8416 Park Drive in Ralston, about 1.5 miles south of I-80. Take 84th Street south from I-80, and the restaurant is located near the northwest corner at Park Drive.

Our evening will include a social hour with cash bar and silent auction at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., a brief presentation of awards, and a program.

The speaker will be State Sen. Ken Haar from Malcolm near Lincoln. Sen. Haar, a member of the Natural Resources Committee, has been instrumental in getting legislation passed to promote renewable energy in Nebraska. He will discuss the outlook for environmental legislation in the 2010 legislative session.

Cost for the banquet is $20. Price includes dinner of all the pasta you can eat with 12 different choices of sauces, salad bar, bread, coffee, tea, or soda.

In conjunction with the dinner, the Missouri Valley Group will hold a silent auction. The new 2010 Sierra Club calendars will also be on sale. Join us for a fun evening of socializing, fine dining, and an outstanding program.

To RSVP or for More Info:
Email: Clyde Anderson, at ClydeLAnderson@cox.net Or 402-932-7225 or fill out and return the form from the November issue of the Nebraska Sierran along with the appropriate check.