3rd Annual Outdoor Festival a Big Success!

The Berkshire Chapter's annual Outdoor Festival at Noble View on Saturday, September 15, was a great success, with more than 150 attending.

Highlights of the event included:

• Guided hikes on Noble View trails 
• History and future of Noble View talk by Frank Evans, Noble View Chairperson
• Interactive poi dancing demonstration by Jo Sarnelli of Small Planet Dancers
• Beginner ukulele lessons
• Music by the AEIOUkuleles during lunch
• Chicken and veggie burger BBQ 
• Light Backpacking Display by Grace Ferrante providing tips and answers to backpacking questions!
• Music by Dave Hausman & friends 
• Silent Auction 
• Raptor Presentation by Erin O’Connell from Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut with two screech owls and a red-tailed hawk!

Congratulations to Jan Alicia Nettler, Berkshire Chapter Chair from 2015-2017, who received the AMC Volunteer Award from Faith Salter, Director of Volunteer Relations for the AMC.

Thanks to all those who helped to make the event a success:

• Martin Mahoney and Jan Nettler who helped out in ways too numerous to mention!
• Kathy Martin -- hike coordination and leading
• Heather Wyman -- kids programs, poi dancing and was a ukulele musician
• Jo Sarnelli of Small Planet Dancers poi dancing
• Grace Ferrante -- Light Backpacking display
• Brant Cheikes -- Fix-a-Flat table.
• Erin O'Connell -- Raptor presentation
• Andrea Minoff and Tricia O’Neill -- registration table
• Chris Reyling and Bill Fogel -- park lot attendants
• Music was provided by Joe and the AEIOUkueles and Dave Hausman and Friends. Joe also gave a ukulele lesson.
• Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue -- equipment and dogs were a great addition
• Lunch buffet table set up help -- David and Lisa O’Leary, Helen Symons, Dona Burdick, and Diane Jones and more
• Frank Evans and friends  who cooked for the BBQ
• Bob Cherdack spoke about conservation to the group
• Laura Stinnette helped with signage and promotion, flowers, and anything that she thought should be done!
• And all who set up for the day and cleaned up afterward
• A special thanks to Frank Evans and Nate Cherniak for taking care of Noble View and making it the wonderful treasure that it is!