A Letter from Margaret Crowley, WO Board President

Dear Members of Women Outdoors,

As another year draws to a close, it is good to take a moment to reflect on the incredible adventures, personal growth, and camaraderie that have defined our past year together.

Highlights of Our Year

From our Craftsbury cross country skiing weekend, to exhilarating hikes in the Northeast Kingdom of VT, to our kayak instruction on Lake Scully and serene kayaking trips on the Connecticut River, to The Gathering 2024 and fall foliage hiking Mt Greylock or the Mt. Morris Dam, every adventure has been an opportunity to build lasting friendships in the great outdoors.

Community and Connection

Women Outdoors (WO) continues to thrive because of the dedication and passion of each member. It's been inspiring to see how we've supported one another, from cheering on a fellow paddler getting back into a swamped kayak for the first time, to sharing tips for orienteering, to learning wilderness first aid, to sharing stories around the campfire, to sharing talents at the talent show during The Gathering. The strength of our community is a testament to the power of shared experiences and mutual encouragement.

Achievements and Milestones

We are proud of the many achievements this year, including:

• WO first virtual annual meeting (so that more members could participate, rather than limiting participation to those who were able to attend The Gathering) 

• Mid-Atlantic Region hosted their first annual Mini-Gathering Camping Weekend with great success (11 participants)

• Initiated a Paddling Committee for WO

• Craftsbury Cross Country Skiing Weekend (40 participants)

• White Mountain Winter Getaway (13 participants) 

• 5 members have successfully completed ACA Kayak Instructor Training during 2024

• Offering a diverse WOOF calendar 2024 (members can view these online if you missed any)

• The Gathering 2024 (49 participants)

• Launching new workshops and training sessions on outdoor skills

These milestones are a reminder of what we can achieve together when we set our minds to it.

Looking Ahead

As we look forward to the coming year, we have even more exciting plans in store. Our calendar will be filled with diverse activities ranging from local day trips to more ambitious multi-day expeditions as well as international travel to South America. We'll also be introducing new initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and promoting conservation. Our WOOF (Women Outdoors Online Fun times) presentations have been a big success and we’ll be starting these up again soon and continuing WOOF into spring. 

We are super excited about our new venue for The Gathering 2025 which will be held August 22-24, 2025 in the mid-Hudson Valley of NY at Camp Scatico where camp staff will prepare meals and do the dishes! This larger, full service and well equipped camp has many new offerings such as a climbing wall; gymnastics room with a floor trampoline for yoga, bouncing, exercising and/or gymnastics;  golf putting & driving range;  hiking right from campus (no need to drive off campus to a trail head); possible archery range; and an inflatable to bounce off of, or be launched off of, into the lake! Along with all the traditions such as campfires and talent show - We cannot wait! Mark your calendar now!

Gratitude

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has contributed to Women Outdoors’ success, whether by organizing events, leading trips, encouraging others to join, serving as a Regional Contact, or on the Board of Directors, or on a working committee, or simply sharing your enthusiasm for the outdoors. Your participation and support make Women Outdoors the vibrant and welcoming community that it is.

Call to Action

We encourage all members to get involved, share ideas, and bring their unique strengths to the table. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or just starting out, there's a place for you in Women Outdoors and we encourage you to invite someone else to also join Women Outdoors. If there is an outdoor skill you are interested in learning and sharing, let us know as WO is dedicated to providing leadership training. Let's continue to inspire and uplift one another as we explore the great outdoors and natural wonders around us.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to Women Outdoors so that Women Outdoors can continue to expand our offerings and programming, please visit https://www.womenoutdoors.org/donate

If you are interested in joining the board of directors for WO email president@womenoutdoors.org

Thank you for being part of this amazing journey. Here's to another year of adventures, growth, and unforgettable memories!

Warmest regards,

Margaret Crowley, Women Outdoors President

Hello Members of Women Outdoors! 

It was nice meeting new friends and seeing old friends at The Gathering in August 2023. It was a great time where participants were able to select from new activities like a tubing trip, starting a night crawler (worm) farm or enjoying the night sights from a telescope, as well as offerings which have traditionally been available: songs around the campfire, paddling & paddling skill development, biking, hiking, birding, swimming, bike maintenance and repair, a wonderful talent show, silly skits, and more. Brava to Sandy Z, who organized registration, housing, food & schedule and to Becky F for managing the kitchen during the event; I think participants agree they both did an outstanding job on these large assignments and we appreciate their service. Thank you both! 

If you are interested in helping plan The Gathering 2024, please email us at gathering@womenoutdoors.org

The Board of Directors for Women Outdoors (WO) held our annual retreat October 27-29 and we were thrilled to welcome two new board members: Jennifer MacKenzie, Regional Contact for Connecticut, and Jennifer Hodges. The Board worked hard planning, elected officers, reviewed the annual budget and established champions for Board committees. The Board parted at the end of the retreat dedicated to two goals: welcoming & safety, with some exciting plans for the new year and beyond. 

The Board continues to focus on providing a safe space for women to gather and enjoy the outdoors. That safety includes three areas: (1) WO is committed to providing a welcoming environment so that whether someone is an expert or newer to being outdoors, all feel welcome, accepted and appreciated,  (2) WO is committed to welcoming all women regardless of age, class, ethnicity, race, health, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, physical size, education level, job and function, equipment/newness of their gear, personality traits, and other differences, and (3) WO is committed to providing safety: meaning the leader has some knowledge and experience (although not necessarily an expert), and is able and prepared to help someone newer to the activity to participate safely which, based on the event and current conditions, might include postponing for a more opportune time.

All positions in Women Outdoors are volunteer. Event leaders are volunteers and will continue to provide and have participants sign a release of liability for each event as is our current practice. Event leaders are the backbone of WO; if you are interested in becoming an event leader, please reach out to your Regional Contact (RCs and email address can be found on website).

The board left the retreat re-committed to growing and diversifying WO. If you know a woman who might be interested in joining WO, please share the information; this has proven to be one of the best ways to grow any organization. As you probably know, WO has a policy that a woman can participate in 3 activities to “try out” WO prior to joining.

We have a small but strong group working with Sandy Z on refreshing the WO website which Sandy Z lovingly created with help from others and has maintained for several years. Our Diversity Committee continues to meet monthly to discuss, research and plan. 

Some members of WO participate only in local events while other members participate in events offered by different regions or “national” events. WO has two significant “national” events currently planned: Craftsbury and White Mountains 4 Day Getaway. And Women Outdoors Online Fun Times (WOOF) events will be starting soon! 

Thank you for your trust and support. We look forward to an exciting new year in WO!

Margaret