New York-North Jersey Chapter Handbook for Officers & Committee Chairs

HISTORY

        The AMC was founded in 1876 by college and university professors from the Boston area who enjoyed climbing in the White Mountains. Their purpose was to further their outdoor enjoyment and also to preserve the mountains as wilderness. Their efforts helped create the White Mountain National Forest.

        Prior to the mid-1970's, a prospective member needed two sponsors to join the AMC. Since then, membership is open to all and is actively promoted to outdoor-interested persons such as those who use the AMC Huts in the White Mountains.

CHAPTERS

        The Club is divided into Chapters; currently there are 12 individual Chapters that are grouped into five regions.

        The New York Chapter was the first "Chapter" recognized by the Club on November 20, 1912. In 1983 the Chapter name became New York-North Jersey Chapter to recognize the fact that a large number of members lived in the northern New Jersey portion of the New York City metropolitan area

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

        The Club is managed by a Board of Directors which is made up of 18 to 24 volunteer members and usually meets 4 or 5 times a year. The President and 6-8 Directors form the Executive Committee that meets monthly.

        Each region is represented on the Board by a Regional Director and one Regional Director, who is appointed by the President as Chair of the Chapters Committee and a Vice President, is also a member of the Executive Committee.

        Some Board members have a great deal of Chapter or Club experience; others may be selected for the board for the special skills (examples: fund-raising, organizational management, environmental law) which they bring to the Club.

        Chapters are encouraged to suggest Board candidates to the Nominating Committee. If you know of any Chapter members with impressive qualifications, please tell the Chapter Chair.

STAFF

        The Club employs a staff to administer the major Club operations. While most of the staff people work at AMC Headquarters at 5 Joy Street in Boston, some work at other AMC facilities, such as Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire and the Chapter office in New York City that is staffed by a Chapter Office Manager. For more information, see Chapter Office Manager. The staff people whom you are most likely to contact are (present job holders names are given to aid in recognition):

        The staff is responsible for the daily implementation and administration of the goals and policies set by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director is in overall charge.

        Among the jobs staff perform are:

• Managing the membership data base
• Publishing AMC Outdoors
• Development: membership drives and fund-raising
• Conservation: researching issues, representing AMC to government agencies, leading and coordinating volunteer efforts.
• Trails: organizing seasonal trail crews in the AMC territory and out west, training, handbooks, regional trails efforts
• Publications: books, trail guides, maps
• Facility management: (a few Club facilities are still volunteer-run)
• Education

CLUB-WIDE MEETINGS

        There are 3 Club-wide meetings a year which Chapter officers and committee chairs are encouraged to attend:

• Annual Meeting - January/February
• Spring Gathering - late April
• Fall Gathering - late October

        The Annual Meeting is held someplace in Massachusetts and concludes with a dinner featuring Club awards and recognitions.

        The chapters rotate as hosts for the Spring and Fall Gatherings (meetings) and usually choose a site in their area. These meetings include Club-wide committee meetings and an Open Forum where members may ask questions of Club officers, Board members and staff. Most of the committee meetings are open - anyone may sit in and listen and perhaps comment.

        The host chapter plans evening entertainment and outdoor activities for those with time off from meetings. Long term members sometimes refer to these meetings as "Town Meetings", which was their original name.

CLUB AND INTERCHAPTER COMMITTEES

        As a part of their jobs, the following Chapter officers and chairs are members of certain Club Committees:

        In addition, Chapter volunteers may serve on numerous Club-level committees, including:

• Board Conservation Programs Committee
• Board Education & Leadership Committee
• Board Finance Committee
• Board Nominating Committee
• Major Excursions Committee
• August Camp Committee
• Outdoor Leadership Development Committee
• Facilities Subcommittee

PUBLICATIONS

1. AMC OUTDOORS is the Club magazine sent to all members. Non-members may NOT purchase a subscription. It is published ten times a year with combined issues for January/February, and for July/August.

2. APPALACHIA JOURNAL is one of the oldest mountaineering journals in the country, published twice a year, members must subscribe to receive it. Subscriptions are available for non-members.

3. AMC GUIDES for trails and rivers. For a current list, see AMC OUTDOORS.

4. VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK is a booklet listing all members of Club level committees; all chapters' officers and committee chairs and staff. It also includes a copy of the Club By-Laws and Club Operating Rules, Policies and Procedures. The last half is an address and telephone directory of all volunteers listed in the beginning. It is updated annually and mailed to each person listed in the directory.

5. FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS is a guide to all the Club's full and self-service facilities and brochures describing the programs and workshops offered.

TRIPS

        It is important that Chapter activity committees not inadvertently authorize any outing which is considered a Club activity that requires approval by one of the Club's Excursions Committees.

1. Any trip lasting ten or more days and/or taking place more than 500 miles from any AMC chapter - Must be approved by the appropriate Chapter activity committee and the Major Excursions Committee.

2. Any non-canoe activity that lasts less than 10 days and has a destination within 500 miles of any AMC chapter, that the leader wants advertised as an Interchapter Excursion in AMC OUTDOORS - Must be approved by the appropriate Chapter activity committee and the Chapter's Interchapter Excursions Chair, who submits the trip notice to the Club Interchapter Excursions Chair for publication.

3. A canoe trip that lasts less than 10 days and has a destination within 500 miles of any AMC chapter, that the leader wants advertised as an Interchapter Canoe Excursion in AMC OUTDOORS - Must be approved by the Chapter Canoe & Kayak Committee and the Interchapter Canoe Committee, which submits the trip notice for publication.