September Happenings in Western Massachusetts

It's hard to say when I started thinking about becoming an AMC hike leader. Maybe in the 90s when I would regularly volunteer to be the "sweep" for local hikes/walks. Later on, I found myself wanting to facilitate hiking for those who might otherwise not hike, especially women, and combine it with some other complementary skills. And I always loved sharing the places I discovered with other outdoor lovers. The pull got stronger when I moved to western Massachusetts ten years ago, with so many trails nearby and wonders at every turn. In 2018, at age 57, I finally signed up for leadership training, knowing that an AMC certification would give me skills, confidence, and credentials. Being an AMC leader has helped me get to know trails I might never have discovered, and it brings me the joy of helping others Be Outdoors! Read on for your opportunity to join our ranks and add your uniqueness as an AMC activity leader, as well as about our delightful new web newsletter (shout out to our Communications team!!) and how you can add your passion and perspectives to help keep our Chapter growing and vibrant. See you outside! Diane Jones, Western MA Chapter Chair

Come Join Our Team!

Would you like to channel your skills and passion for the outdoors to contribute to your AMC Western MA Chapter? Together, we provide recreation and conservation activities throughout the region, while collaborating in the spirit of teamwork and fun, and volunteers make it all happen! Learn more about what we do in the areas of conservation, membership, activities, organization, projects, and leadership, and how you can join us and make a difference. Let us know what grabs you by dropping a note to info@amc-wma.org. We'd love to chat with you!

Upcoming Leadership Training Opportunity

Whether you'd like to become a Chapter leader, or just want to improve your outdoor leadership skills, you're invited to attend AMC's Leadership Training on Sunday, October 15, 2023 from 9:00 am to 4:00 PM in Greenfield. The training is free and open to anyone who wants to learn more about leading in the outdoors; AMC membership not required. The comprehensive training includes:

• Activity planning and management
• Screening of potential participants
• Risk management, including AMC's Leadership Requirements & Guidelines
• Leadership approaches
• People skills, including group dynamics, interpersonal communication, and feedback
• AMC Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and accident scene management
• Leave No Trace (LNT) and conservation
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

This training is followed up by a half day of leadership training scenarios where participants will engage in role plays and apply the techniques and knowledge learned during part one of the course in an outdoor environment. If you choose to be an AMC leader, then your next step is a mentorship with a certified AMC leader. For more information and to register click here.

New Chapter Online Newsletter

Want to know everything that is currently happening in the Chapter with one glance? You can now go to the Western MA Exchange, our new online newsletter, to see upcoming activities, Facebook posts, summaries of committee accomplishments from the past month, and volunteer opportunities. There is also a link to previous issues in our archives, so past information is easily accessible, and sometimes surprising! Bookmark this page to keep updated about the goings-on in the Chapter as they evolve.