What the Green Mountain Club is Thankful For

In a year of challenges, we’d like to take time to reflect on what we as a staff are thankful for. While there is plenty of work to be done, there is also plenty to celebrate. Here’s what we’re giving thanks for this year.

Volunteer & Education Coordinator Lorne Currier:

I’m thankful for…

• The many, many maintenance reports from Trail & Shelter Adopters that bring the Long Trail into my life via e-mail every day.
• The Old Long Trail from Stage Rd. to Bolton Notch Rd. I got a puppy in April and that quiet and beautiful piece of trail is just perfect for training him to be a hiking pup.
• My fellow staff at GMC who crack jokes over Zoom, acknowledge that working from home can be hard, and accept the glacial speeds at which my home internet moves.

  

Conservation Manager Mollie Klepack Flanigan

I’m thankful for…

• The land and all those who make it publicly accessible, allowing so many of us to explore Vermont in new ways this year.
• The power of exercise and endorphins which can bring a boost to a weighted mind.
• Yellow birch trees which can grow on top of boulders.

Director of Finance Jason Buss:

I’m thankful for the Beane Trail. My son Lincoln and I hiked it a number of times this year and watched it change through the seasons.

Director of Development Alicia DiCocco:

I’m thankful for…

• Our donors and members who started donating before we even asked.
• Getting out in the field with my coworkers and volunteers to get dirty and be reminded how much fun working on the Long Trail is.
• The bridge at Gleason Brook where my son Hugh played one day while I worked, and for hiking Camel’s Hump with my daughter Lane, where she didn’t ask any questions about the virus and just got to be a kid.

AmeriCorps Stewardship Assistant Anthony Erwin:

I’m thankful for…

• Having the opportunity to work alongside such a great organization this past field season.
• Being able to work and live with people that are passionate about protecting the long trail.
• The Green Mountains!

Group Outreach and Field Coordinator John Plummer:

I’m grateful for all of the awesome Vermont organizations that stepped up to do service projects with GMC this year.

Visitor Center Information Specialist Rick Hopkins:

While I would have much rather preferred a more traditional year at GMC and in Vermont, I am so thankful to have been able to work for GMC each week.
I am most grateful for the hours spent thinking about the Long Trail System while answering emails/phone calls and filling book orders, which let me temporarily leave behind the topsy-turvy days, weeks and months.

Development Assistant Erica Harris:

I’m thankful for…

• Field staff that managed to stay flexible and still get work done despite COVID changes.
• Enthusiastic volunteers donating their time and knowledge.
• The open summit ridgeline of Mt. Mansfield, where I brought my parents for their first visit this October.
• The rich history of GMC that people worked hard to preserve over the last 100+ years. As a new staff member and Vermonter, it is amazing to have that context and see how the club has changed over time.

Media Intern Matt Heller:

I’m thankful for all those who kept Vermont’s trails clean and accessible this year. It’s no small task, but judging by the number of people who chose to hike during these uncertain times, it’s clear the work was appreciated.

Database Manager Rick Dugan:

I’m thankful for the field staff. It’s still incredible to me that they were able to adapt multiple times to a constantly changing landscape. The layers of elements that go into a field season were accounted for under all of the COVID restrictions, and caretaking and field work all went on despite the pandemic. The field crew is already an integral part to the club, but they showcased what an important resource they are, even in the face of uncertainty.
2020 gives me great confidence that GMC can handle a plethora of problems, sometimes all at once in no particular order. No one demonstrates that strong willpower and commitment like the field staff did this year.