North Alabama Sierra Club Group elections coming soon! Watch your mailbox for a postcard or come to our holiday potluck! See candidate bios below:
Contact: Anne Marie Choup
choup91@hotmail.com
Winter Potluck, December 7, 2023.
Please join us for our first Winter Holiday Potluck Party since the pandemic! Bring a favorite dish or drink to share, and we will provide cups, plates, bowls, and flatware (you are always welcome to bring your own re-usable items if you’d like!). At 6 we'll setup and have drinks and conversation. At 6:30 our special guest, Jesse Akozbek of Feral Foraging, will give a short talk: "Native Wild Food of North Alabama." Then we eat! Registration appreciated for planning purposes. This event takes place at the Madison Towne Centre Clubhouse, 301 Sunset Boulevard, Madison AL 35758. There is a small parking lot by the clubhouse, then plenty of street parking once the lot is full.
Signup Instructions: Let us know what you're bringing! Add your dish/drink at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iMWJibyZ44BX4rjcsG3wkV1O31oz6ZkAfZChGJkF9o0/edit?usp=sharing
Bring: a dish or drink to share!
Additional Directions: There is a small parking lot by the clubhouse, then plenty of street parking once the lot is full.
Cancellation Policy: severe weather cancels
Bios:
Anne Marie Choup: I have been a member of Sierra Club since 2018, having signed up immediately after enjoying a group hike organized by the North Alabama Group in Monte Sano State Park. I have spent a lot of time outside as a Peace Corps Volunteer (Cameroon, 1994-96) and as a Girl Scout Leader (North-Central Alabama Council, 2009-2018), and I currently take every opportunity to get some fresh air. From meals and breaks outdoors during the workweek, to hiking or camping on weekends, I believe that time spent outside is life-enhancing. There is no wrong way to be outdoorsy as long as you leave no trace!
Bob Locklear: Bob Locklear has been a Sierra Club member since 2018 and a lifelong hiker. Retired from a career in technology, he also sails and is a water monitor for Alabama Water Watch. Bob volunteers for Wild Alabama and in the community and is always walking the streets and trails of Huntsville and the surrounding area.
Jennifer Pinkley: Spending time outdoors has always been a huge part of my life. I've participated in many North Alabama Sierra Club hikes over the years, and many of the places I've visited through Sierra Club outings are still my favorite places to hike and camp. When I saw a notice in a recent newsletter asking for board volunteers, I decided to give back to an organization that has given me so much. I have extensive experience serving as a board member for conservation organizations, such as the Southeastern Cave Conservancy. Now more than ever I think it’s important to share the beautiful places in our region with others and work to protect them.
Martha Steele: I've been a Sierra Club member since 2016. The club is well known and has a strong national presence, but not in Alabama. Alabama has many natural wonders, yet we get little attention. I hope to help the local club's numbers grow. Alabama should be at the forefront of the national level concerns with our current state issues, but we have to find local people that want to make a difference. Growing the club also means having fun with meeting like-minded people and enjoying their company on hikes and at other events. My other goal is to help our local club coordinate with other local conservation groups. Even with small numbers we can have more impact when working with other groups.