Spring Picnic And Member Meeting
Nice weather with temperatures in the 80’s and light breezes set the stage for a pleasant Spring Picnic on Friday, March 28, at Catalina State Park. Once again, Missy Rodey and her team did a great job of planning and organizing the event. Everyone was treated to club-provided tasty chicken - complemented by salads, desserts, and side dishes from over 90 attendees.
The Gear Gift and Grab, which is a sale of member-donated hiking equipment and clothing, was once again a success with the $120 of proceeds going into the club’s treasury.
The Member Meeting portion of the event was conducted by President Ken Wong with a focus on election of new Board members and recognition of key club members.
Election
Elected to the Board was the slate presented by Nominating Committee Chair and immediate past President Ruth Caldwell:
- Tom Stafford: Vice President
- Nancy Reed: Treasurer
- Dianna Wilson: Associate Chief Guide
Returning Board members are:
- Dale Leman: moving from Vice President to President
- Lynda Green: in the second of two years as Secretary
- Terry Hughes: moving from Associate Chief Guide to Senior Chief Guide
Outgoing Board members are:
- Ken Wong: President
- Arlene Daigle: Treasurer
- Marc Humphrey: Senior Chief Guide
Congratulations to the new Board members, and a big thank you to those who are leaving the Board.
Recognition – Trailblazers: Bruce Landeck & Arlene Daigle
Each Spring we honor very, very special members of the club with perhaps the highest distinction we give to anyone, and that is the designation as a Trailblazer. This award was initiated in 2016 by then Vice President Randy Park, and to date 17 members have received the honor of having been named SaddleBrooke Hiking Club “Trailblazers”. The criteria for this award are as follows:
- For meritorious service above and beyond simply being a member of the hiking club
- For performing duties greater than expected, and
- For exhibiting leadership that we all admire
Two members joined this elite group of contributors to the success of our club, and they are Bruce Landeck and Arlene Daigle. Their lists of contributions are extensive.
Here is a list of what Bruce Landeck has done for the club:
- Board President, 2022-2023
- Board Vice President, 2021-2022
- Guide: Local & Club Trips
- January 2021 to December 2024
- Coordinator, Club’s February 2023 Program
- Featured Robert Stieve, Editor, Arizona Highways Magazine
- Venue: DesertView Performing Arts Center, largest-ever club program attendance
- Legal Consultant for SBHC
- Leader, Bylaws Revision Team, 2022
- Primary author of current wording for the “Member Unconditional Release of Liabilities”, with a major benefit of eliminating trail sign-in sheets for members.
- Chair, 2024 SBHC Board Nominating Committee
- Frequent Contributor of Articles to Newsletters
- Regular Attendee and Contributor at Board Meetings
Bruce Landeck - Trailblazer
And here is a list of what Arlene Daigle has done for the club:
- Board Treasurer, 4 years, 2021-2025
- Served 2 terms of 2 years each (under 4 different Presidents)
- The Financial Review of the club’s financial practices in 2023 covering Arlene’s 1st 2 years as Treasurer were summarized with the words, “No Issues”, which is the seal of approval for a financial review.
- Trip Committee
- Member since May 2021
- Vice-Chair: April 2024 to March 2025
- Chair: April 2025
- Trip Leader, Palm Springs February 2025 trip
- Online Payments Committee, 2023
- Member of team that implemented online member dues payment capabilities in club’s WordPress website.This was a major transformation of how we conduct business in the club, and it has been a positive change.
- ClubExpress Implementation, 2023/2024
- Provided technical assistance with transition from WordPress website to ClubExpress
- Volunteer Recognition Party Co-coordinator, 2024
- Annual HOA2 Recreation & Activities Fair: Member of SBHC team
Arlene Daigle - Trailblazer
Congratulations to Bruce and Arlene on being designated “Trailblazers” for the club. This is a well-deserved honor!!! Their names are now engraved on the plaque hanging in the HOA1 Clubhouse.
Recognition – Catalina Hills Drive Cleanup Project: Walt Shields
Bill Leightenheimer, founder of the club, initiated the Catalina Hills Drive Cleanup Project in March of 2007, with 2025 marking the 18th year that the club has been providing resources for the effort.
Bill was the coordinator of the project up until January of 2017 when Walt Shields took over as only the second person to ever lead this initiative. Walt has announced that he is stepping down after 8 years, passing the torch to Lori Anderson who leads her first cleanup on April 14.
The club thanks Walt for his professional leadership and welcomes Lori as new coordinator.
Gift Card Drawing
Always popular at club picnics is the gift card drawing. Ten $25 cards for REI were given out, with the following lucky members’ names drawn out of a bin containing all 95 registrants’ names: Wendy Berns, Ruth Caldwell, Donna Civitella, Lynda Green, Bruce Landeck, Louanne Meade, Missy Rodey, Walt Shields, Tom Stafford, and Cindy Streich. Congratulations to each of you!
Next Picnic
The next picnic is set for October 17, 2025, at Catalina State Park. Mark your calendars!