- January 2012 newsletter
Hello Everyone,
We hope you had a great Christmas, and we wish you a happy new year! We’re sorry we didn’t get a newsletter out for Nov & Dec; things have been very busy and hectic, sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
We are sad to report the loss of our beloved member Nancy Huffman 80 who passed on Nov. 22, 2011. She rode with the OHC on their Nov 5 ride and had planned to ride on Thanksgiving. God truly loved her to allow her to enjoy what she loved in life to the very end and beyond. Her casket was carried by a horse-drawn wagon with her mule tied to it, followed by a covered wagon that included her family, friends and three of her dogs and behind it were several of her friends on their horses. It was sad and wonderful at the same time; not many of us get to have our friends and animals with us during this time. She will be missed by many. We also express our sympathy to Bill Beymer on the loss of his sister.
We want to welcome our newly elected President Barbara Hoover, who called our first meeting of 2012 to order at 7:02pm on Tues Jan 3rd at the Golden Corral Restaurant in Parkersburg WV with 21 members present!
We want to thank Kim Matheny for her years of service as the club president and for representing us as a board member on the board over Mountwood Park. We also want to welcome our newly elected Board of Directors; Ray & Barbara Tidd, and Dave Williams, who replace Bill Beymer, Jim Gray, and Brian Reynolds; additionally we want to thank them for their support and service on the board. The remainder of the officers remain in office; Melody Crawford as VP, Tara Patterson as Treasurer, Dorla Yeager as Secretary, Carl Maze and Vickie Williams as Board of Directors.
Carla Knapp is no longer the Park Director of Mountwood Park as of Dec. 31, 2011. We met the new Park Director Jeremy Cross at our Nov meeting. Carla & Jeremy worked together until he formally took over as Park Director on Jan. 1, 2012. We wish Carla the best and thank her for her work at the park.
Welcome to our newest members; Carol Miller, Lori Dyer Arthur, Sherri Metz of Ripley WV & Becky Walker of Liberty WV.
New Business
- While riding at Mountwood on New Years Day vandalism to several of the trail signs was noted by Dorla Yeager, Mike Douglass, and Bill Beymer. The signs at the intersections of Pettigrew/Hardigg/Brandi, Pettigrew/Hardigg/Camp were twisted around pointing in the wrong directions, and the Sam sign was half knocked down. Dec. 1, 2011 Tara Patterson reported damage to the water hydrant near the stalls to Carla Knapp. We will be organizing a repair day to go out and fix these issues.
- The need for a quieter meeting place was addressed and we voted to move our meeting spot to Red Hill Church. Plans were made to bring simple refreshments, coffee will be provided, any attending members are invited to bring whatever snacks i.e. cookies, donuts etc. they want and whatever drinks they would like if they don’t want coffee. Plans to do pot luck suppers will be discussed at the February meeting at Red Hill United Methodist Church. Directions from Parkersburg: Off of Rt 50 East turn onto the 2nd Red Hill Road exit (across from the Dutchridge exit), go to the top of the hill, turn right then take first left onto Red Hill Church Rd and go to the top.
- Dorla Yeager, Rita Schultheis, and LeeAnn Piggott will be collaborating on a new WCHRC banner for the club to carry in parades etc. as well as camp site banners to promote WCHRC and OHC.
- Vienna welcomed resident horse owners in their 2011 Christmas parade for the first time in twenty years! A big Thank You goes out to the volunteer pooper scoopers; Tad Wilson & Ben Stanley who followed the horses on a four-wheeler with trailer in tow. There were 12 horses in the parade and the crowd loved them.
- We have been invited to participate in the 2012 Parkersburg Easter Parade! This is a big deal as it has been quite a while since horses were welcomed in the parade, we have a couple pooper scooper’s lined up to follow the horses, and we will need all participants to respect private property and prevent their horses from causing damage.
- Volunteer sheets were passed around to sign up for the upcoming fundraisers, please see events below for details on each and help if you can.
- Like to encourage members to join OHC- Ohio Horseman’s Council & get the Equine insurance to protect them in parades, etc & allows them to use the Obstacle course at Arden & Claudia Sims in Beverly, OH ……it’s wonderful and inside. Contact Arden: 740-984-2902 casims1@gmail.com
- Time to pay dues; $10.00 for single, $15.00 family (includes spouse & children under 18). Make checks to: W.C.H.R.C. mail to: 113 Miller Ridge Rd. Davisville, WV 26142
Old Business
- No news yet on the Connector Trail status. A vote on the Connector Trail is imminent; we should have a report on the status of that by next month.
- We had 15 horses in the Belpre Lights parade and two of them were in the Parkersburg newspaper; the horses are a huge favorite of the crowd and looked great decorated in lights. Thanks to those who participated and to those who came & watched the parade.
- Please remember to scatter/spread your manure in non-grazing areas, and don’t forget to put your stall gates back up when you leave so they don’t warp out of shape.
- Ruthie 304-588-1407 and Park Attendant Lorrie 304-588-1403 larthur@wvdsl.net and are taking care of camp/stall reservations. Check with them on reserving a stall or spot with electric. Pay your fees with envelopes located near the collection box at the Sugarbush barn. If you don’t camp but use the trails you might consider giving the park a donation once in awhile.
Mountwood Park Horse Camp:
Day riding $3.00 bridle fee, Primitive camping $10.00, Electric $15.00, Stall fees $10.00 a night. To make reservations call: Ruthie 304-588-1407 or Lorrie 304-588-1403 larthur@wvdsl.net
· Please continue to keep track of all your trail miles ridden, (totals for 2011 need to be turned in to Tara by the end of Jan. 2012 in order to be considered for awards) especially the miles ridden out of Mountwood Park horse camp; don’t forget the www.horsetrailsdirectory.com to comment and rate the horse camp/trails, and give Tara holytara@yahoo.com your volunteer hours for any work or trail maintenance you do so we can keep track of them.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
· There will be a Soup tasting Benefit on January 21 at the Deerwalk VFD from 2-5 (just off RT 50 East on Rt. 31 near Reese’s Country Store). The Benefit is to help with the expenses that will be incurred by Mark Arthur and his family from traveling to Cleveland for treatment of his illness. A taste of Soup for $1.00 and a bowl for $5.00 which includes crackers and a drink. Also desserts will be available to purchase and there will be a silent auction & raffle. If you would like to donate soup, dessert or something for the silent auction contact: Peggy Squires 304-679-3914 or 304-588-9148. Note; Mark Arthur is the maintenance foreman at the park and his wife Lorrie also works for the park & helps take the reservations for the horse camp, both are wonderful people and big supporters of the horse camp.
· WCHRC and OHC will have a Soup/Chili, etc. Dinner and Flea Market Feb 11th 4 to 7pm at the old Reno school building, 260 Sandhill Rd, Reno Ohio. We need volunteers to help with this event & to bring soup, chili, soup beans, etc and items for the flea market. Any questions: Rita 740-374-2062 rvsart_frames@yahoo.com
The proceeds from this combined fundraiser will help make improvements to the Mountwood Park Horse Camp and the Horse Camp the OHC is sponsoring at Kinderhook in Newport Ohio so please help if you can. Watch WTAP daybreak on Feb 10 at 6:30am to see club members of both clubs promote this event and they’ll be on WMOA radio Talk of the Town on Feb 9 at 8:30am.
If anyone receiving a hard copy (snail mail) of the newsletter would consider switching to an emailed copy to save the club on printing expenses please let us know, just email us at: trailgaiter46@gmail.com or holytara@yahoo.com
Next meeting will be February 7th at the Red Hill United Methodist Church on Red Hill Road at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
Respectfully submitted by Secretary,
Dorla Yeager
Thought for the day: Don’t be discouraged; it may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door.
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