Chairman's Column
By Roger Rowlett

It's been a very exciting quarter for the Club.

I am personally astounded at everything!

Among some of the developments (in no particular order):

• Tonya Sykes has accepted a Board draft to head the initiative to form a 501-c-3 Highpointers Foundation to raise money for a museum, signs and other issues. The 501-c-3 Foundation is the only practical way that the Club can pursue more ambitious goals. However implementing it has proven to be more complex than might be expected. I have great confidence that Tonya, who has 501-c-3 experience in South Carolina, will do a great job.
• Gene and Lillian Elliott have agree to create an index of the "Apex to Zenith" issues starting with Issue #1. This can be a formidable task for more than a thousand pages (is that possible!?!). Many thanks.
• Diane Winger has agreed to be the point person to get a Highpointers Club exhibit at the new American Mountaineering Center Museum opening this year in Golden, Colorado. This museum promises to be a world class effort (it is being backed by National Geographic). An exhibit here would be the first step toward getting the Highpointers Museum in Missouri. This is only in the very preliminary stages and there may not be room for us in the museum.
• Jean Trousdale has agreed to coordinate efforts to put together a posters of U.S. flags above the highpoints to be presented Sept. 11 to New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.
• Richard Birrer and Don Berens have agreed to make a compendium of the write ups of the first 100 50-state completers.
• John Mitchler and Jean Trousdale organized a campaign to establish a 25-state completer pin. In the contest there were 23 designs!
• Don Holmes agreed to head up the effort to coordinate the various award programs (Highpointer cum Laude, Vin Hoeman, and Frank Ashley).
• Jakk Longacre is doing well following his chemotherapy (although our favorite guru may not be quite as hairy).
• Susan Gore has organized a 90^th birthday party for Paul Zumwalt in Peroia. It will be held March 30. Paul's actual birthday is April 4.
• Ken Akerman organized an informal highpointers gathering on Picacho Peak in Arizona. I am planning a brunch in New York City on April 27 which is discussed elsewhere). The best thing about our club is the social aspect and the more gatherings we have the better!
• Dave Covill organized another great visitation day on Jerimoth Hill. 45 people attended. Many thanks to Chuck Bickes for greeting them in the rain.

The only sad news is that Barb Gurtler and Paul Zumwalt have decided to step down from the Board. Both are from Illinois and that will leave a regional hole in addition to other sadness. I have always appreciated Barb's level headedness and honesty. I could go on for days about what a loss Paul's leaving will mean.

I think we have a very good list of candidates for the Board. I personally am going to have a hard time having to make the choices.

This column is my fourth as Chairman and thus completes my first year. The Chairman serves on a year to year basis at the will of the Board. The position like all positions in the Club is voluntary. The Club has yet to spring for Chairman Condo in Aspen. In any event it's been very rewarding and educational year.

If the Board is willing, I would like to serve another year.