Birchleggings Club Annual Meeting and Fall Board Meeting Wrap-Up

The Birchleggings Club Annual Meeting and Fall Board Meeting was held on September 23, 2022, from 03:00-06:00pm at the Mosquito Brook Hut on the American Birkebeiner Trail. See link to YouTube Video below. 

 

In attendance were six of the nine board members, Andrew Wall the Development Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) and ABSF Board member Sue Scheer our grill master for our picnic, and seven new Birchleggers and spouses. 

 

Reports were made from our three working groups: Membership, Fundraising and Birkie Green, along with our Treasures report and plans for our activities at the Birkie Trail Run the next day and the upcoming American Birkebeiner 49^th Ski Race in February 2023.

 

Highlights from the meeting include Birchleggings Club Vice President, Bob Britz explaining the benefits of the “Birkie Bucks” Discount card that will be distributed to paid members and others at the price of $20, a real steal for a card worth upwards of $500.

 

Steve Carmazon, our Membership Chair and a 46-year Birkie finisher, encouraged all Birchleggers to consider being an active member and visit our website using the handy QR code shown here. 

 

Birkie Green continues to be a core principle of the ABSF and the Birchleggings Club is supporting the efforts to drive sustainability in four areas:

 

1.   Waste Reduction and the introduction of composting.

2.   Electrifying tools and machinery.

3.   Offsetting the Birkie’s carbon production using local offsets when possible.

4.   Committing to sustainably sourced swag whenever possible.

 

The Birchleggings Club supports these efforts with a unique project called Birkie Bib Bags (BBB). The collection of used and unused Birkie Bibs to be sewn into re-usable shopping bags. These bags will spread the Birkie Brand while serving a practical purpose. Bags will be sold for $10 with proceeds going to the Birkie Green Fund to help purchase an electric snowmobile for the American Birkebeiner filming of the lead male and female skiers. 

Also discussed were the upcoming events including the Birkie Trail Run, our annual participation in the Birkie Expo, and the Birchleggings Club post Birkie Breakfast the Sunday after Birkie Number 49.

After the meeting, we enjoyed a zero-waste picnic and some time to socialize with ourselves and the new members who joined our gathering with an interest in getting involved. Andrew Wall spoke to the group about the upcoming Telemark Village, the new roller ski trails, a possible World Cup race in 2024 for the 50^th Anniversary of the American Birkebeiner Ski Race. See YouTube Video below. 

 

The Birchleggings Club has big plans for the future, and we need new members and younger members to keep this rich “more than a purple bib” tradition alive and well.

 

 

Video of Annual Meeting:  https://youtu.be/8aEHJairUl0

 

Video of Andrew Wall Talk:  https://youtu.be/ID06JzoHQco

Birchleggings Club Summer 2022 Newsletter & Annual Meeting Update

Summer 2022 Newsletter 

 The Birchleggings Club Summer 2022 Newsletter is now available on our Birchleggers News Page on this website and at this link: Summer 2022 Newsletter.

 

Annual Meeting Update & Registration

 

The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Birchleggings Club will be held at the Mosquito Brook Hut on Friday, September 23, 2022, from 3:00-6:00pm. The agenda is as follows:

 

3:00-4:30pm Board Meeting - Meet the Board Members and welcome new board members. Bring your ideas and passion for what the BLC can accomplish. 

 4:30- 5:00pm Program - guest speaker Andrew Wall, Development Director for the ABSF “The Progress of Telemark Village and How the BLC Can Influence the Future of the Birkie” 

 

5:00-6:00pm Picnic - Brats, burgers, veggie burgers, salads, and beverages. We’ll also provide the music - Ed, JT and Dave, the jamming BLer musicians. Bring your own instrument and join in. 

 

End the picnic with a flying disc playshop with former Legends (70+) Frisbee World Champion, Paul, for some non-competitive flying fun at our favorite trail rest stop. RSVP for the Annual Meeting at this link: RSVP Birchleggings Club Annual Meeting. 

 

The annual meeting coincides with the Birkie Trail Run to encourage Birchleggers to spend the weekend running, hiking, or volunteering at the second largest ABSF event of the year. Please RSVP, so we know how many people to expect!

The Birchleggings Club Inc Annual Meeting and Election of Officers - September 23, 2022

The Birchleggings Club Inc annual meeting with election of Board of Directors is scheduled for Friday, Sep 23, 2022. Time: 3:00pm, Location: Mosquito Brook Hut.  All members are invited to attend.

 

Timetable for Annual Board of Directors Election

    Aug 19, 2022 Non-incumbent nominations for Board of Directors due (to Dave Balsiger)

    Aug 26, 2022 Ballots will be mailed / emailed to all members

    Sep 13, 2022 Deadline for returning ballots by mail / email

    Sep 23, 2022 Birchleggings Club Inc annual meeting

 

The Birchleggings Club has been incorporated as a 501(3)(c) since 2013.  The club holds an annual election of Board of Directors.  As per our Bylaws, Board members are elected to three-year terms, with one-third of the nine Board positions up for election each year. The Board terms of current Directors Steve Carmazon, Bob Britz, and Dave Balsiger will end this year. All three incumbent Board members are running for re-election. However, nominations of other Birchlegger members to run for our Board are welcome. We encourage nominations of other Birchlegger members. Or if you know a Birchlegger member whom you think would be an asset to our organization, encourage them to be nominated. 

 

Nomination process for non-incumbent members to be elected to the Board of Directors

 

Non-incumbent nominations for the Board of Directors can be e-mailed or mailed, but must be received by the Nominating Committee by Aug 19, 2020.  The nomination must include the names of the nominee and the nominator, both must be a member, and five (5) other club members. The 5 supporting members should e-mail a note of their support to Dave Balsiger. The current list of Birchleggings Club members is posted on our website – birchleggings.com.  

 

Send or call any questions to Dave Balsiger.  dbalsiger@aol.com

 

E-Mail the nominations to: Dave Balsiger   dbalsiger@aol.com

Or Mail to: Dave Balsiger   5703 Lincoln Rd, Oregon WI 53575   608-835-8410

 

Ballots will be mailed / emailed to all members on Aug 26. Ballots must be returned by Sep 13. 

 

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Note from Birchleggings Club President Paul Thompson:

 

We hope all of you are having a great summer and preparing for Birkie 49. Our club is doing a lot of projects, fund-raising and planning for the upcoming Annual Meeting on Sept. 23, 3-6 pm at our Mosquito Brook Hut, and we’d like to see you there. Whether you are wanting to be a BL Board member, pay your dues or just come because you’re going to the Trail Run the following day (Sept 24), we need more engaged members. Participation is what makes the Birkie great, and our club is the heart and soul of the Birkie. You will be receiving our Summer Newsletter in August with many more details, but for now consider these 2 actions:

 

1. Attend our annual meeting 9/23 (business, program and picnic) and volunteer for the Trail Run the next day.

2. Consider volunteering at Birkie Week 2023. For example, you might ski the Open Track event on Wednesday and then help out at the Expo and other events on your non-race day, or vice versa. Or volunteer at Wednesday’s Open Track and take a turn on your non-race day ringing our Birchlegger Bell at the trail split.

 

Thanks for considering being an ACTIVE Birchlegger and congratulations on reaching that lofty status.

 

Paul

All Birchlegger Lists Have Been Updated!

 

All the Birchlegger Lists have been updated, including Member List, 20-30-40 Award Skiers, Alpha Roster, Rank Roster, and Demographics!

Go to the Birchlegger Lists Menu Option for all the lists.

American Birkebeiner 2022 - Another Great Year!

 

Birchleggings Booth - Friday, February 25, 2022

Another American Birkebeiner is in the books! What a great year with sunny days and excellent conditions for the new Open Track option on Wednesday, the Kortelopet on Friday, and the Birkie on Saturday. Our Birchleggings Booth was well attended, and we were able to raise lots of money and have Birchleggers sign up for committees. Thanks to all that worked shifts at the booth!

Steve Carmazon & Edward Eroe at the Birchleggings Booth

Cheryl Hiltibran's quilt with the bibs from her 41 Birkie Races was the big hit and attracted a number of visitors.

Paul Thompson, Birchleggings President

Paul Thompson & Edward Eroe

Paul Thompson, Mindy Ahler, and Edward Eroe went to the start on Saturday to ring the Birchleggings Club Bell, which is located where the Classic and Skate Trails split. It was very well received and a wonderful experience for skiers. We were only able to stay through Wave 2 Skate and Classic, so next year we will need to look at some shifts to cover all the waves, although getting to the bell is a bit challenging. Paul gave a nice speech about the bell, and you can watch it on the YouTube Video below. A special thanks to Dick Enz and Jim Tenorio from concept to reality on the Birchleggings Bell!

Dick Enz & Jim Tenorio

 For additional photographs from Birkie 2022, go to the Photographs Menu on this website.

We hope to be back to normal next year and have our Awards Breakfast where we can all connect again!

December 2022 Update Letter from the President!

Download the Letter in PDF Format with Active Links: December 2022 Update Letter from the President!

Birchleggings Club Supports Birkie Green!

 

The Birchleggings Club is committed to the Birkie Green initiative. The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation community, the care for the Birkie trail and the health of winter itself are all essential elements of that commitment. See our Birkie Green Page on the menu or at this link:

https://www.birchleggings.com/p/birkie-green.html

New Birchlegger Awards for 20, 30, and 40 Year Finishers!

The new Birchleggings Club Awards have been completed and will be ready for those receiving awards in 2022!

The new awards were requested by the board of directors. Working with Louise Droessler, Birkie Enterprises Retail Manager, the board relayed their desire for a crystal-look award that would grow progressively larger from 20 to 30 to 40 years. Louise worked with Apple Awards of Hayward and these designs were approved by the board after some input. Thanks to board member, Jim Tenorio for his assistance in coordinating these beautiful new awards. Note: Bob Bennett's name on the award was used for showing how the name plate would look.

New Birchleggings Logo and Banners!

We have a new Birchleggings Logo and Banner to use. A big thanks to the following on both projects!

Logo:

Kate Barido, Marketing and Communications Director at ABSF, initiated the design revisions for our logo. Jim Tenorio provided about 20 idea sketches to assist in the development. The creation of the working design files was done by Blair Flickinger, ABSF Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Each of several renditions made by Blair were reviewed by Gale Otterholt, Jim Tenorio, and Paul Thompson of Birchleggings Club before going to the club board of directors for final approval.

 

 

 

Banner:

Using the existing Birchleggings Club banner as a starting point, Jim Tenorio updated the design with the new club logo and a fresh photo of the newly-stained Mosquito Brook Hut. The wording on the banner was also updated with input from the club board of directors and from Kate Barido at the ABSF. The new banners will be used for the Birchleggings Club booth at the Birkie Expo and will be displayed on the Mosquito Brook Hut during the Birkie-week races. We have both small and large versions.

Thank You to Gale Otterholt!

A huge thanks to Gale Otterholt, who has served as the President of the Birchleggings Club since 2012. Gale stepped down at the January 14, 2022, board meeting but will remain on the board through September 2024. Paul Thompson was elected the new president, and he will be joined by Bob Britz, as Vice President, Jim Tenorio, as Secretary, and Dave Balsiger, as our continuing Treasurer.

Gale has served as the President since the club was incorporated and has been the guiding force through a number of exciting new projects for the club, as well as serving as the liaison with the American Birkebeiner Foundation! Thank you, Gale!