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Mid Florida Milers Walking Club

Newsletter September-October, 2015

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Mid Florida Milers

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Here are some typical excuses for NOT exercising, and some possible comebacks. How about putting these to use this week? Call a friend or former MFM walker or talk to someone at work, in your neighborhood, at church. Invite them to join you and the Mid-Florida Milers for an upcoming walk that is close to where they live. If they give you one of these typical excuses, you’ll be prepared! Let’s all try to bring just ONE new walker to an event in the next month or two. Their health, and the health of Mid-Florida Milers depends on it!

Top 10 Reasons people WON’T come out and join our walks! 1. I have to work/babysit/do laundry/grocery shop on Saturday

morning.

You will feel energized for the rest of the day if you start out with an early morning walk.

2. Work drains all my energy. When I get home I just want to

relax.

We can walk any day of the week at a time that is convenient for you. Let’s make a date now to meet on….

3. I don’t want to miss my TV shows.

Then let’s get in a quick walk before 8:00. I’ll meet you at…

4. I already went to the gym so I’ve done my workout.

Walking in the fresh air is good for you, and we can catch up on what is happening with…

5. It’s raining/cold/hot and I don’t like getting

wet/chilled/sweaty.

No good comeback here…What would you say to your friend?

6. My neighborhood is not very walker-friendly; it is too close to busy streets or doesn’t have sidewalks.

Don’t worry. Our year-‘round walk at … is close to your house. I’ll meet you there at….

7. I hate walking alone.

That’s what friends (and Mid-Florida Milers) are for. Let’s get together on….. 8. My knees or my (fill in the blank) hurt too much.

Use it or lose it! Let’s just try for one short, slow circuit around…. 9. I don’t have a babysitter.

Kids and walks in parks go hand-in-hand. At MFM walks, we have plenty of walkers who will walk with you and your kids. 10. Walking is boring.

Oh, you never know what you might see on one of our Mid-Florida Milers walks and the conversations are always entertaining!

Membership has slowly declined over the past five years. We want to know why! Tell us: What improvements will help membership increase?

President’s Report by Rosemary Barna

Membership appears to be trickling downward. Our club seems to have lost a few members! Also, we don’t see many young people at our club walks. Wondering why? And what can we do to reverse this trend?

Mid Florida Milers Walking Club P. O. Box 4575, Winter Park, FL 32793-4575

[email protected] www.midfloridamilers.org

CLUB CONTACTS: President Rosemary Barna [email protected] Vice President Dave Piatt [email protected] Secretary Sharon Axelrod [email protected] Treasurer Sharon Predham [email protected] FVA Representative Gail Brooks [email protected] Trailmaster Mike Lanpher [email protected] Membership Peter Fournier [email protected] Publicity VOLUNTEER NEEDED Webmasters Dan and Nancy Barnett [email protected] Newsletter Manager Bill Paugh [email protected] Newsletter Editor Laurie McKee [email protected]


OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE MID FLORIDA MILERS

Oviedo Riverside Park Start Point

We enjoyed the tree lined streets and attractive homes in this section of Oviedo.

Even with the heat of summer in full force, the Mid-Florida Milers did not shy away from our events. The 4th of July Walk was in the last issue of the newsletter, and the Anniversary Event is elsewhere in this issue, so, let’s take a look at our other activities!

And, of course, we had volunteers at our checkpoint to provide water and candy.

On 18 July, we met at Oviedo Riverside Park to walk through the surrounding neighborhoods. The walk started and finished in the park.

On the 1st of August, we walked our Maitland YRE. As always, we started at the Walgreens store that has hosted our start box for quite some time.


OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE MID FLORIDA MILERS

Maitland is a very nice community in which to walk. If you have not walked this YRE, you owe to yourself to get out and try it.

As you can see, several of us got out, soaked up some sun, enjoyed each other’s company, and participated in a number of events this past couple of months.

We look forward to seeing you at our future events!

Find the two blue arrows hidden in this Newsletter! Laurie


In the last newsletter, we looked at 6 of the 13 new special programs that will begin in 2016 as listed in The American Wanderer, TAW. In this issue, we will consider the remaining 7 of these programs. In our next newsletter, we will cover those special programs that are ending in 2015. � The Lady Liberty program covers those walks that either go by or from which you can see a

Statue of Liberty. These can be sculptures or other replicas. They cannot be moving. Thus, a flag or a costumed person would not meet the program requirements. 15 sightings are needed to complete the program.

� There are a lot of fountains to be found on our walks. So, the Make A Wish-Water Fountains

special program might be one in which you choose to participate. Drinking fountains, aerating fountains, lawn fountains, and waterfalls are not acceptable for the program. But that still leaves all those city and park fountains that we see while out on a volksmarch.

� We are celebrating the National Parks Centennial with a special program. Additionally, to help

us toward success with this program, the sponsoring club is allowing any walk that passes a national monument or a national memorial.

� Points of Reference is a program that could satisfy the intrepid walker. The idea is to walk in events that

occur in locales or are sponsored by clubs that are associated with a point of reference. It could be a compass point, or maybe a temperature reference. It could be size or distance. The possibilities are numerous. For instance, we are the Mid-Florida Milers. Thus, all our sanctioned walks should meet the criteria simply because we are Mid and not Top or Bottom, with Mid being the reference point. And, if an event meets more than one requirement, then each reference point counts to the necessary total of 15. It could be a good time to head to West Palm Beach or Key West. Maybe you could head up and do some YRE’s hosted by the First Coast Trail Forgers.

� If you walk in events that feature a street named, “State Street” then think about signing up for State

Street Sashay. This special program takes 10 events to qualify and events can be used multiple times.

� Many events go by a Post Office. Now, there is a special program for United States Post Offices. The events must go by an official Post Office building. The requirements include noting the zip code in your special program booklet.

� Treasure Hunt is a program highlighting minerals that become objects of beauty or end up benefiting

humankind. These can include gems, specialized minerals, medicinal minerals and minerals used in the building trade. Places related to the aforementioned items also qualify for the program.

Thirteen new Special Programs to debut in 2016! by Bill Paugh

HELP WANTED: The Mid-Florida Milers Walking Club is looking for a volunteer to fill the position of Publicity Coordinator

Please contact Mike Lanpher to discuss the details and responsibilities of this rewarding volunteer opportunity. See Club Contacts last page.


Mid-Florida Orlando Walks’ New Special Programs by Mike Lanpher Thanks to Dave Bundy and route monitors for this look at what our Orlando area MFM Walks contain for the new 2016 Special Programs! Please see the article in this and the previous Newsletter in which Bill Paugh describes the 2016 Special Programs. In December we will have the listing for all active Special Programs from 2013 to 2016, and in the January Newsletter will include a complete listing for all our MFM Walks. As a special highlight, see the next Newsletter for a separate list for the Walk the USA Street by Street Program! Go to ava.org/Events/Special Programs/Future Programs for details on how to obtain a book, and challenge yourself on these fun programs! (SbyS = Step by Step Walk Directions Sheet)

2015 Winter Park

11K. Street by Street (See SbyS sheet), Bridges (pending), Parks (Central, Ward, Dinky Dock), Water Fountains (Rollins Student Union and Central Park), Treasure Hunt (International Diamond Company), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM) (WALK will be new in 2016).

5K. Parks (Central, Dinky Dock), Fountains (Central Park), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet),

Celebration 1

10K. Bridges (At Front & Sycamore), Make a Wish Fountains (At Theater). Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Parks (Spring, Lakeside), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

5K. Make a Wish Fountains (at Theater), Bridges (at Sycamore), Parks (Lakeside Park), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Celebration 2

10K. Post Office (Market St), Water 2015 Fountains (Front St), Bridges (at Front St), Parks (Lakeside Park, Longmeadow Park), Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM). (WALK will be new in 2016).

5K. Bridges Front St/Sycamore), Make a Wish (Fountains -Front St.), Post Office (Market St), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Orlando North (Mark Street)

10K. Bridges (Lake Formosa). Parks (Loch Haven, Orwin Manor, Gaston Edwards), Make a Wish Fountains (Orwin Manor Park), Walk the USA, Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Statue of Liberty (Toward I-4 off Urban Trail on Orange Ave.), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

5K. Bridges (Lake Formosa). Parks (Loch Haven, Gaston Edwards), Path of Inventions (Orlando Science Center), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet), Statue of Liberty (towards I4 on Urban Trail & Orange Ave.), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Maitland 10K. Post Office (Maitland Ave), Bridges (pending), Parks (Lake Lily, Jackson, Quinn Strong, Homer Hough, Hill), Walk the USA, Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

5K: Post Office (Maitland Ave), Parks (Lake Lily, Jackson, Quinn Strong), Walk the USA, Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Orlando Downtown

10 K Bridges (SR 408 & I-4), Water Fountains (Lake Eola). Parks (Al Coith, Lake Eola,). Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

5K. Parks (Al Coith & Lake Eola), Fountains (Lake Eola), Bridges (SR 408). Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Orlando Lakes

10K. Treasure Hunt (Lake Emerald), Bridges (SR 408), Parks (Lake Eola, Lake Davis, Lake Cherokee, Greenwood Urban, Delaney, Al Coith), Make a Wish Fountains (Lake Eola), Street by Street (see SbyS sheet), Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

5K. Parks (Lake Eola, Greenwood Urban Wetlands, Lake Davis, Lake Cherokee, Delaney, Al Coith), Make a wish Fountains (Lake Eola), Bridges (SR 408). Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM, Centered’ Statue, Central Blvd), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

Lake Buena Vista

10K. Bridges (Buena Vista Blvd), Water Fountains (By Earl of Sandwich). Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM).

6K. Bridges (Buena Vista Blvd), Make a wish Fountains (By Earl of Sandwich). Point of Reference (Mid in MFM; Milers in MFM), Street by Street (See SbyS sheet).

How much does it cost to put on a Traditional Event? By Sharon Predham

Now that is a very interesting question, and one to which we should all know the answer! When the MFM Board decides to put on a Traditional Event at a certain location, Mike Lanpher, our Trailmaster, adds the event to our Club ESR (Event Sanction Request) Status Listing on the AVA website. After it has been approved by AVA, they send us a Sanction Fee bill for $30.00. If we have requested insurance, due to a co-sponsor or property owner requiring that we do, we will be billed an additional $10-$15. This is normally done about 60 days in advance of the event.

If the Volksmarch start point is located in a park (city, county, or state), there is usually a fee for renting a pavilion. This fee can range from $50 to $150. Sometimes we also have to make a deposit for potential damages, which may be more than the rental fee, but which is almost always returned, since we do not damage any property, and often return it cleaner than we found it. Several days before the event, Mike and Marcia Kepper, our club copiers, make a sufficient number of copies of the instructions for the expected number of walkers. We have an excellent discount at FedEx office, and this usually costs less than $5. On the morning of the event, Mike collects all the tables, chairs, banners, boxes, and anything else needed to put on a walk, from our storage locker ($50/month to rent divided by one regular Volksmarch per month = $50/walk). He also buys ice, water, candy, sandwich bags for rain protection, donuts (sometimes) and other sundries totaling maybe $8-$10 per walk. After the walk, we owe AVA $1.25 per credit walker, and mailing back the stamp costs $2.54.

Let’s take a look at a sample walk to see how this works. The Costs for a walk are $30+$10+$5+$2.50+$50, making the minimum expense $97.50 plus walker fees (no pavilion charges considered). If we have 50 paid Walkers at $3.00 each, that nets us $150.00. We pay AVA $1.25 each or $62.50, and keep a profit of $1.75 each or $87.50. Our profit of $87.50 less our expense of $97.50 leaves the club in the hole by $10.00!


AVA Associate Membership Being an Associate or Lifetime Member of the American Volkssport Association provides you with information via the newsletter, and also supports the AVA membership. MFM uses your AVA membership as part of the AVA’s Pathway to Excellence Program, so please tell us if you are an Associate or Lifetime Member by sending an email to the club secretary, Sharon Axelrod, at [email protected].

Standard T-Shirts come in Women’s, Men’s, and Youth sizes. Color is Butter Yellow, with club logo on front with Orlando, Florida below.

Download the order form from the MFM website or pick one up at a Walk.

Place your order at any walk or send payment to the Treasurer:

Sharon Predham 26807 River Watch Ct. Leesburg FL, 34748.

Mid-Florida Milers Walking Club

First Last

AVA / IVV “Walking since 1989”

Club Shirts and Name Tags Vice President’s Thoughts by Dave Piatt

Let me first thank the membership of MFM for electing me to the office of Vice President. I am very open to talking to any club members about ideas for new club activities or for changes you wish to see the club make.

I started walking with MFM in early 2011. Like many people my attendance was a little sporadic initially. As I got to know more people, I found myself coming for both the social aspect as well as the exercise. Getting involved with planning the Orlando Wetlands Walk for the AVA National Convention was when I first got my real understanding of how the MFM Walking Club fit into the whole organization and began to see how the organization ran.

The two areas that are of most importance to me is increasing our membership and getting more of our members involved in planning or putting on walks. All organizations need to continue to recruit new members. While we have a good membership, I know there are a lot of others out there who would really enjoy getting involved in our walks. If you have thoughts on how to increase the membership, let me or one of the other officers of MFM know how you think we can make the MFM a stronger organization.

Volunteering to help the club put on one of our regular walks, or even volunteering to help at the Walk Around Florida, is a great way to meet different people and a way to understand how the club really operates. As we slowly begin to move into the cooler Fall walking season, it would be a good time to volunteer to help out on one of our walks. It is easy to do, and we can really use help, so that we can continue to offer interesting walks for you!

It helps folks to have a nametag!

For “togetherness” and safety, place an order for a nametag with a pre-payment of $7.00.

Order yours with a prepayment of $12.00.

Nametags have a very strong magnetic clasp to protect clothing.


TrailMaster Topics: By Mike Lanpher [email protected] It is time now to develop our plan for events in 2016. Since we start sanctioning events in October, we would like YOUR input on locations and start points for walk routes of interest. Should we try a bike event? Should we try a swim event? Woods? Outside of Orlando (like Davenport on September 19)? How about combined events with other clubs? Just drop me a note or call to discuss. The January thru March events will be sanctioned in September and October.

YRE update: The route monitors for Winter Park and Celebration #2 are preparing new routes for 2016, and we sanctioned those as traditional walk events (Volkspeak for a one-time event versus a Year Round Walk) in November and December. We look forward to updating Lake Buena Vista later in 2016 as Disney Spring is completed, and tweaking two of the Orlando walks. In South Florida, the Lake Worth YRE is being replaced by a route in Boca Raton just south of Lake Worth (and we are looking for volunteers to test it in September/early October).

We are lucky to have Sharon Axelrod continue as Secretary and that Dave Piatt volunteered for Vice President. Both already have supported the club and will be assets.

Walking Locations for 2016 Members, please give your input!

Here it is the 1st of September, and we need your thoughts on walk locations. It’s great if we get new places that can support a walk. Some of these I know of, but we always look for new venues. Send an email to [email protected] and/or [email protected] with your suggestions for locations and start points.

In memory of Bob Lazzell Longtime club member and ardent Volkssporter Bob Lazzell passed away and was laid to rest in Bushnell’s Florida National Cemetery in August. Bob’s active lifestyle and passion for walking was evident to the clubs he joined. He managed the Brooksville Walk for many years, regularly walked FVA events, and attended many MFM events. Read his Bio at

http://tinyurl.com/poulz5m

MFM Milestones* Congratulations!

Name City Events Distance Lou Albrecht Avon Park 50

Betty Brown Lakeland 100 Cathy Metherell Orlando 100 Sharon Axelrod Orlando 150 500 David Bundy Orlando 17,000 Jan Van Vlack The Villages 20,000

*The American Wanderer, Aug-Sept 2015

FVA Web Site (www.WalkFlorida.org) contains the Milestones for all Florida Walkers for the last 48 months.


Find the two blue arrows hidden in this Newsletter! Laurie


Mid-Florida Milers Annual Member Walk, Luncheon, and Meeting

What better way to celebrate the club anniversary

than to have a beautiful walk, a tasty luncheon,

and a meeting complete with the election of new officers, reports about the state of our club,

and, best of all, raffled gifts!

Our volunteers at the start and finish tables enjoyed the shaded comfort of the patio adjacent to the restaurant. While the checkpoint volunteers sat themselves up on a shaded block that even featured a friendly feline.

The 26th annual meeting of the Mid-Florida Milers was held on August 15, 2015, at 310 Lakeside Restaurant, across from beautiful Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. The meeting followed a traditional walk through picturesque Colonial Town, which luckily provided shaded streets on a very warm Orlando morning. Walkers who stayed to eat had choices from a brunch or lunch menu providing the delicious 310 Lakeside meals which bring us back so often. There were 32 participants for our walk and 30 members attended the lunch and the meeting.

by Sharon Axelrod and Bill Paugh

The participants left the restaurant and made a partial loop around Lake Eola before venturing into some of the beautiful neighborhoods that surround Downtown Orlando.


Naturally, the best part of our anniversary festivities is the chance to dine, converse, and laugh with our fellow Mid-Florida Milers.

Along with the walk and the meal, there was business to handle. This year, two Board of Director positions were up for the 2-year term renewal: Vice President and Secretary. Votes from the members were unanimous for Dave Piatt for Vice President and Sharon Axelrod for Secretary.

Above: Dave Piatt, Vice President; Rosemary Barna, President; Sharon Predham, Treasurer; and Sharon Axelrod, Secretary.

And let’s remember the man who sets up the walks, maps them out, and gets them sanctioned! – our Trailmaster, Mike Lanpher.


Sharon Axelrod, Secretary, receives the AVA Certificate of Service Award from Rosemary Barna, President.

Sharon Predham, Treasurer, and Pete Fournier, Vice President turned Membership Coordinator, receive the AVA Bronze Certificate of Service Award from Rosemary Barna, President.

Joan Lanpher and Letty Zook receive the AVA Gold Certificate of Service Award from Rosemary Barna, President.

Rosemary Barna, President, receives the AVA Meritorious Services Award from Pete Fournier, Vice-President.

Gail Brooks and Jackie Walichuk receive the AVA Silver Certificate of Service Award from Rosemary Barna, President.

Mike Lanpher, Trailmaster receives the AVA Bronze Certificate of Service from Rosemary Barna, President.


Other highlights of the meeting: Volunteers: One of the challenges MFM continually faces is the fulfillment of volunteer opportunities.

9 Fortunately, the position of Member Coordinator has been accepted by Pete Fournier (Thank you, Pete!). 9 Unfortunately, the position of Publicity Coordinator is still open and urgently needs to be filled. Please email Mike

Lanpher ([email protected]) for information and details on how you may assist the club through this volunteer opportunity.

9 MFM has identified the need to have one or two more individuals as certified Trailmasters to ensure there is always coverage in this position. Please talk to Mike Lanpher to find out what you need to do to have the opportunity to become an “authorized Trailmaster”.

WAF: Remember this year’s Walk Around Florida is sponsored by the Mid-Florida Milers and will be held in Gainesville from October 23 to 25. NOW is the time to make your hotel reservations and submit your registration form. This is the 25th Anniversary of WAF! So, as a special treat, participants may register to receive an award for walking 25K from Friday through Saturday. Events for the weekend include four walks, two lunches, a Swamp party, and the traditional Saturday night dinner. And as always, many volunteer opportunities are available for your participation!

Half Marathon: Ever since our dear friend Letty Zook so successfully participated in the Disney Run/Walk Half Marathon, the Board of Directors has talked about finding a Half Marathon that we could sponsor as a walk. Well, we now have a chance through our member Neil Paulson! Neil is the Race Director for the Orlando Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K to be held in Baldwin Park on November 15th. Please see the Meeting Minutes for more details!

Fun: The meeting came to an end with a Drawing from the names of members who renewed prior to 7/1/2015. Three prizes of $25 gift cards were available. Congratulations to the lucky winners: Jill Lewis, Robert McBride, and Bob Zook! The complete minutes are posted for review on our website, www.midfloridamilers.org.

Walk Around Florida Silver Jubilee – 25 years of Fun!

Hosted by Happy Wanderers, Mid-Florida Milers, and Suncoast Sandpipers

October 23-25 Well, the TIME is here: Reserve your room! Milers received an email in August providing info on the room situation. Call the Lodge at 352-375-2400 or at 800-843-8735. (www.lodgeatgainesville.com) Ask for the Walk Around Florida rate. Walks are scheduled for a state preserve, historic town, a large development with its own trails, and the famous University of Florida. After visiting the “SWAMP” at UF on Friday afternoon, you can enjoy the Swamp Party at The Lodge at Gainesville before walking to one of many restaurants within a kilometer. Saturday’s three events include Paynes Prairie Preserve providing 6/10/15 km trails in one of our older State Parks. Next is a short drive to the shaded and a stroll through the historic town of Micanopy settled in 1821.

Sunday morning walks are in Kanapaha Park (5K) and through parts of the Haile Plantation (10K) that was started in the late 1970s and provides nice trails through the development of 10,000 residents. Party, social, lunches, a great T-shirt award, and walks! All add up to a perfect weekend!

See you in Gainesville!

If you walk 25 km Friday & Saturday and are pre-registered (by checking the form’s Jubilee Joust Award block), a special award will be bestowed at the Saturday dinner.

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