February News

~ February 2021 ~

Greetings!

Your membership is valid through Dec. 31, 2021

Thanks for being one of the 485 memberships (785 members) new or renewed since Homecoming.

Message from our president . . .

Happy New Year Members! I know we're only a month into 2021, but things are starting to look up. Your Board is poised to get back to normal once we get the nod. It has been a quiet year, but events are under consideration. In fact, we are lining up our ski trips for 2022! See details and a survey down further in the newsletter. Stay with us.

Our Annual Meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, March 21 at 3:00 pm; join us via Zoom. Following the meeting Laurie Chandler will tell us about another of her solo-canoe trips. Meeting information and an agenda will be included in the March newsletter. Hope to see you there.

~ Mark

Report: Board/Member Meeting

January 17

Our first board meeting of the year was held on Sunday afternoon, January 17, via Zoom. 14 officers, directors and members-at-large attended the short meeting. Meeting minutes may be viewed HERE.

Mark Curtis

Cindy Foster

Annual Meeting - March 21

Our Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, March 21, via Zoom. The agenda will include elections of officers and directors for 2021. We have an opening for Vice President, and may be looking for a new director. If you would like to find out more about these positions, get in touch with Mark Curtis or Cindy Foster.

The business portion of the annual meeting will be followed by a presentation by member and author Laurie Chandler, who will tell us about her solo-canoe journey to Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Check out laurieachandler.com.

Complete information will be available in the March newsletter.

Mark Curtis

Cindy Foster

Saddleback is Open

How about a day trip to Saddleback Mountain? If you'd like to put together a day trip, get in touch with Cindy so she can send out notices for you.

-- cvoa.secretary@gmail.com or 829-6110

Ski Trips in 2022

Our ski trips are on the books! Once again, we are working with Ken Cutcliffe of Great Events & Escapes. Ken has been busy making reservations for lodging, the primary component of each package. Other details will be worked out in the next month or two, and we hope to have complete package information in the March newsletter.

January 22 to 29

Mike Parker, trip leader

February 26 to March 5

Bonnie Farrar, trip leader

March 5 to 12

Lee & Jon Goss, trip leaders

Click on logos for resort information.

Help Us Plan for 2022 - Survey

Please help us plan for 2022 by completing this survey

indicating your interest in our ski trips. Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE Ski Trip Interest SURVEY

Snow N Go Events - Easy Peasy!

Short Notice trips the year can still happen with appropriate social distancing and cautions, particularly outdoors. How simple it is to think ahead a couple of days, when the weather looks promising, and plan such an activity.

With 8 hours notice, or often less, Cindy will send your details out to the entire membership via an email message. Fun, easy, and even if it the turnout is small, worthwhile.

Keep this in mind as you think of friends and recreation!

Range News

During the winter, the range is plowed to the storage shed and to the rifle ranges.

And, the bathroom will be heated through the winter for member use; it will also keep up the AED batteries.

Diane Stone, Range Secretary

207-240-4752

Once in a while, the rifle and pistol ranges are plowed out, and you are welcome to use them most days. The exceptions are the days the Customs and Border Protection officers have reserved the range for qualifications. Currently, those are scheduled on March 2,3,8 and 11; the ranges will be plowed out on those dates, and will stay as such until the next big storms.

A Trap Shooting Rookie Writes . . .

This summer and fall, I began a new hobby. Trap Shooting. My wife Deb and I originally became CVOA members to take advantage of the great ski trips. We also joined the range and started using the range for rifle and pistol shooting a couple of years ago. I had wanted to try clay shooting sports and this summer I had the opportunity to get started. I joined Diane Stone’s Introduction to Trap class in late August. I borrowed a shot gun from Cindy Foster, who had taken the Women’s Introduction to Trap early in the summer. Diane was a great instructor and before long the class was busting clays left and right.

I followed up the class with a few Sunday morning shoots. Admittedly, I was a bit intimidated by the prospect of shooting trap as a rookie with the Sunday morning regulars, but I found the other shooters very welcoming and always willing to help. Diane and her husband Ray were always there to answer questions and guide a new shooter. My apprehension disappeared very quickly. In addition to Ray and Diane, the other club members are quick to assist and pitch in.

Like most everything at CVOA, volunteerism makes the program work. Before long I was picking up shells, helping with setup and take down, loading clays and scoring. The welcoming atmosphere was on display in October when we had a small group of our family visiting for the great mountain biking. We brought the group to the range to catch the tail-end of the Sunday morning trap shoot. In addition to Diane and Ray, other members jumped in and provided guidance and instruction for this group of rookie shooters. It was a great display of the welcoming atmosphere of CVOA.

Thank you again to Diane and Ray, who are the backbone of the CVOA Range. There were also many other club members who provided advice and were quick to share a conversation. I am looking forward to next season and plan to give Five Stand a try as my ability to bust clays improves.

~ Jeff Sanford