2015 Winter Newsletter

"Winter, a lingering season,
is a time to gather golden moments,
embark upon a sentimental journey,
and enjoy every idle hour".

--John Boswell

In this edition

Letter from Landon
End of year Donation
New GOTC Council members
This holiday season and beyond, make your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile, and GOTC will receive a small donation at no cost to you!
Remember Rendezvous dates
Special Thanks to Bill Mayer

Hello Treeples!

Season's Greetings Treeples!

With 2015 winding down and the holiday season upon us. Remember all donations to the GOTC are tax-deductible. Also if you make purchases on Amazon, using our Amazon Smile account, a 1% contribution to the GOTC, at no extra cost to you!

Recently we added 4 new Council members to the GOTC. Help us welcome Mark Jakobs, Curt Andrews, Leonard Fisher, and Richard Mumford. Their bios are below in the newsletter!

A new climber map feature has been added to the GOTC website. The hope is to unite climbers by marking their locations on a map. If you would like to see the map or add yourself, visit the link here!

Last, I would like to thank everyone who helped in 2015. Lots of projects with the GOTC are underway, and we all do this in our spare time, from the board and council and general membership, to all tree climbers. The organization wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your help and advice. Thank you! And let’s keep growing in 2016!

- Landon “Yeti” Smith, President

Cincinnati, OH, USA

Facebook

Website

Contact

Instagram

Google Plus

Twitter

YouTube

We are quickly approaching the end of 2015!

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the
GOTC/Global Organization of Tree Climbers.

GOTC is a US 501(c)3
tax-exempt organization.

Donated funds are used to help the GOTC fulfill its mission of promoting and expanding the safe practice of recreational tree climbing, and increasing the appreciation and connection between people and trees, forest, and nature. Your donations help us maintain and improve our website, print and distribute educational materials, spread the awareness of recreational tree climbing both electronically and in person, and more. Please click on the link to donate. Thank you!

Donate

Or you can also help us by choosing to shop at AmazonSmile.

Thank you! and Happy Holidays!

Global Organization of Tree Climbers Inc

GOTC new Council Members

Congratulations and
welcome to the GOTC team!

Welcome Mark Jakobs, Curt Andrews, Leonard Fisher & Richard Mumford.

Please take a moment to read their Bio's and send them your own "welcome" through our Facebook page. Thanks!

Mark Jakobs from Amsterdam has been a professional adventure educator all his adult life and has guided and trained groups and individuals in climbing, rafting, kayaking, canyoning, skiing, camping, hiking and more, in Europe, the US, Chile, Australia and New Zealand. Ever since the 2-day tree climbing course with Peter Jenkins and as classmate of Harv and Abe, tree climbing has become a wonderful extra activity to facilitate and train in, especially in a flat little country like the Netherlands. Read more at www.thetreeclimbingcompany.com

Curt Andrews is a tree climbing facilitator who started climbing as a professional arborist in 1996. He has recently established Treetop Explorer, LLC, in an effort to make RTC more accessible to people in SE Wisconsin. One of his main focusses is integrating the climbing experience with educational curriculum. Curt also works as a facilitator at House in the Wood youth camp and Riveredge Nature Center, both in SE Wisconsin. Curt holds a Bachelors of Science in Urban Forestry degree, and has dedicated his career to the study and care of trees. He has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1997, providing pruning, climbing, plant health care training and support to landscape professionals for the past 14 years. Curt is excited to join the GOTC Council and be an active member in the organization.

Leonard "Woody" Fisher is a retired engineer living in northern California. He likes to climb knobcone pines in the Sebastopol area, and ponderosas when visiting “Ponderosa” in Colorado. He originally didn’t see the attraction of tree climbing until the first time he actually ascended. Then he was hooked. Befitting his engineering background, Woody considers himself a very slow, methodical climber, who likes to ascend to an interesting vantage point, and then linger.

Richard Mumford. His bio is pending, he has been one busy tree climber and inventor of climbing systems. Please check back for our next Newsletter to read Richard's bio.

A big shout out, thank you, merci beaucoup, to Bill “Wild Bill” Maher. For some time, Bill has been donating copies of his great instructional book, “Getting Rigged”, to the GOTC to help us fundraise. We estimate he has donated close to $500 in books and mailing costs. Thanks Wild Bill. You’re the best.

Coming Rendezvous

Sept. 29 - Oct. 2, 2016
Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center Atlanta, Georgia, USA

June 19th - 26th, 2017
Northern Vosges Alsace - France

Grove of the Month

Several times a year, we publish a newsletter section called "Grove of the Month". You are part of a great international community of tree climbers who are interested in what you're doing, so let everyone know!

Write a short article on what your grove, school, or climbing organization is up to, send it here along with a few pictures, and we'll share it. If your article gets published we will send you a copy of Abe Winters book, "Hanging out with Shaddy Characters".

Requirements: 500 to 700 words approx. You can send pictures or videos. Deadline for the next Winter Newsletter edition: February 18th, 2016.

Special thanks to all the people that made this Newsletter possible.

Copyright © 2015 Global Organization of Tree Climbers. All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you subscribed on our website or through membership, or otherwise expressed a desire to receive our newsletter & news about recreational tree climbing. Contact us
unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences