Outgoing Editor’s Comments
By Tom Todd
I've got mixed feelings as I hand over the WrapAround editor's keyboard
to Laurie Toupin after all these years. It has been over 5 years since the
first WrapAround that I edited in February 1998, 28 issues ago.
The WrapAround has changed through the years as the needs of the club
and the resources available changed. Early issues were only a few pages
which included the schedule, a couple of safety tips, the organizational
listing, meeting minutes, and possibly a story. Jim Pritchard, designed
the logo and started formatting it into a newsletter. Carol-Anne Eldridge
put it on a Mac, added the 'editor going over the waterfall' as she put it
on a home publishing system. Back then, it was essential to get the
WrapAround published as that was the only way anyone could get the
schedule.
The first issue I did included the usual stuff plus articles on Sue
Keroes' Wee Lassie boat, Skip Morris' painted gage restoration, a trip
report and photos of paddling the Upper Tookie with Tom Quarles, plans for
the Spring School, Paul Berry's Trip Report form, and the School Poster.
The next issues started including many more pictures, excursion
stories, tips from the River Rats, and we were off. The WrapAround started
to build in size as more people contributed articles and pictures, but the
key function was still distributing the paddling schedule. For a while the
cost of film developing started to break the bank as we tried to get
pictures of most of the active paddlers.
Now the WrapAround is making another transition. As technology
facilitated the publishing the WrapAround, it is also changed its role.
The first step in that change was when Phil Sego offered to build our
web site. This started attracting a large number of new members, causing
the printing run to skyrocket, blowing the WrapAround budget away. The web
site did manage to allow us to publish new trips without a full WrapAround
issue.
The next change was the email list and the growing percentage of
paddlers that were beginning to be on-line. The email list allowed us to
publish reminders and new trips on a weekly basis, allowing people to
learn about the new trips without having to go to the web site. The old
network of phone calls is now being replaced by the 'where are you
paddling' emails.
The last revolution, is the one that we are going through now.
Electronic cameras are appearing everywhere and the internet allows people
to store and share pictures, as well as providing a great source of
pictures for the WrapAround.
With 98% of our membership on-line, the focus of the WrapAround will
change. Oh yes, the schedule, chair's list, minutes, and the like will
still be published, but the focus on good stories, trip reports, places to
paddle, paddling tips, equipment reviews, poetry, and the like will become
more of the focus.
I hope you enjoyed those past issues. Interestingly, the most popular
story in the WrapAround was entitled "David & Laurie", about a paddling
romance and engagement-May98 …. The WrapAround is in good hands.
So now the WrapAround is going through another transition. Laurie will
get to define that role along with the help of all of you. I hope to read
more great expedition accounts, from all of you, as you support Laurie in
her new role. Laurie, best of luck and have fun with it.
New Editor's Comments
By Laurie Toupin
Welcome to the first Wrap Around of 2003! What I enjoy most about this
publication is the personal paddling stories. I love to read of the
different places people have paddled throughout the United States and
sometimes the world. So please feel free to email me with details from
your trips. Especially if there was some place that you thought was
particularly cool or maybe one that we should stay away from. It doesn’t
matter if you went by canoe or kayak or bathtub. If you went in the water,
it counts as a trip. It also doesn’t matter if it is a family trip, Class
I, II, III, IV or higher. We have members at all levels. Pictures are
always welcome as well.
Also, please email me with suggestions of what types of stories or
articles would you like to see included. I know we have the weekly emails
for updates on trips, equipment sales, and urgent notices. So what is
missing that you would like to see here?
This is your publication. Feel free to let me know what you what. We
hope to make it fun and informative at the same time--much like the AMC
Whitewater School. Which we hope everyone will volunteer to help out with
this coming April!
Lastly, I would like to extend a special thank you to Tom Todd who has
carried the reigns on this newsletter for so long. And who has generously
volunteered to put this one out for me while my husband and I travel to
Guatemala to pick up the newest member of the AMC Paddling family. She
won’t be taking lessons at the school this year, as she will still be
quite small. But we have high hopes for a quick learner. David already
bought her an infant life jacket and a helmet!!
See you on the River and in the next Wrap Around!!
Note:
This is an abridged version of the newsletter. The difference is that
this (publicly accesible) version does not have phone numbers and email
addresses. The PDF
version and the Word
version in the members' section has the Wraparound as mailed
with emails and phones. Additionally, all telephone numbers (the newsletter's contact page) will
be in the members' section. Your comments are welcome.
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