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Schenectady Wintersports Club Northern New York Paddlers Mohawk Valley Hiking Club Newsletters October 2026 |
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For those who are not aware, I would like to open with a message from Jean Burton. Jean’s husband, Warren, has recently transitioned from home in Gallupville to Our Lady of Mercy Life Center Room 251 D 2 Mercycare Ln Guilderland NY 12084. As many know Warren has been an SWC member for decades; volunteering to host at the Clubhouse, entertain Thursday night bike rides from his home and a stint as Club President. Warren retired as a beloved 5th grade teacher from Schoharie Central School, volunteered with Scho-Wright (our local ambulance) and further shared his kindness to others as a volunteer with Joshua Project Schoharie County. On Sunday October 4 Jean is hosting an afternoon birthday celebration 2-4 for Warren at the Life Center where he now resides. This message will arrive too late, to most, for the celebration but Jean added that a card or note is always enjoyed by Warren. Our September quarterly meeting was a wonderful event with time to visit with those we haven’t seen in a while, enjoy the opportunity to paddle, eat good food and update everyone regarding work the Board is engaged in. I would like to share an item presented at the meeting, by director Bill Schaefer, which will have long reaching impact on our Club. Your Board and Officers are exploring alternate forms for the organization of our club and the election of officers. The identified problem is that we have, for many years, had elections where there have been no nominees. Replacements have been primarily recruited by those currently serving in a position. Since our club is now over 90 years since its founding, club members are now located throughout the northeast, not in Schenectady or even in the capital region. This leaves our current nomination and election process vulnerable to the election of unknown, out of area candidates with no interview process or competence requirement. The SWC is a complex organization and requires competent leadership ensure the Club’s future consistent with its history and founding principles. Over the next several months the leadership will investigate alternate organization methods used by other similar not for profits. Any member interested in providing input, ideas and expertise is welcome to help with this process. Our plan is to evaluate this during the fall and make a recommendation for Spring 2027 vote. Our goal is to have a board and officer selection process that provides competent leadership to operate the club, develop volunteers and future club leaders. Lastly, a very interesting article was forwarded to me by Jim Schaefer. His father, and our founder Vincent Schaefer, was self taught atmospheric scientist and researcher for General Electric. He developed the technique for cloud seeding and worked on a variety of projects which won him popular and professional accolades. Even his hobbies were more significant than most people’s vocations. The article, written by Tim Rowland, published in the Adirondack Life magazine highlighted the Saint James Window which Vincent created. This six foot round window is installed in St James Catholic Church in North Creek. The window appears to be of stained glass, but is actually thinly sliced cross sections of Adirondack stones arranged just so to celebrate biblical, mathematical, economic and geological history. I continue to feel fortunate to have become involved in SWC - just another one of Vince’s many creations.
Hope to see you soon.
Karen |
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Help Keep 90+ Years of Tradition Alive!
SWC isn't just about skiing, it's also about community. From the Slopes to the Socials, we've always been powered by members who pitch in and make it all happen. Join the fun by Volunteering.
We need ski trip leaders! Contact Rick Cobello. Michael Schaefer will provide Training. Contact Mike for more information.
Hosted Weekends: A long standing SWC tradition.
Members are encouraged to host as a way to get to know other members and to contribute to one of the long standing traditions of SWC. |
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Reminder: Room Rates for 2026-2027 Ski Season The SWC Board has set the standard room rates for the Waterbury clubhouse based on the number of adults in the room as follows: First person staying in the room $50
Second person (in same room) $45
Third - fifth person (in same room) $40
Dorm room third floor beds per person $40 Examples: 1. Room 11 sleeps up to 3 people - booking for 3 adults is charged as follows: $50 +45 + 40 = $135 per night 2. Room 13 sleeps up to 2 people - a booking for one adult is charged as $50 per night Rates are increasing based on several factors including capital expenditures, higher maintenance fees and costs in general increasing. We are also trying to achieve greater occupancy in rooms that sleep more than one person. |
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All Hands On Deck!
Member Team Weekend is October 15, 16, 17, & 18. Here’s your opportunity to strut your stuff. We need carpenters, electricians, window washers, painters, floor cleaners, window lubricators, picture hangers, weed whackers, and good story tellers.
Everyone is counting on us to make the Clubhouse ready for another great ski season. Come join the comradery of fellow members who make it possible for our unique asset, the Clubhouse at Waterbury Center, which makes SWC special.
Sign up on SWCWEB.org by using the link below. And bring another member with you! Register for Work Weekend HERE!
Just a sample of tasks at hand:
- Replace the decaying back door to the deck and install a new electronic deadbolt.
- Install a 12” valance between kitchen and dining room as a smoke barrier.
- Replace the furnace filters.
- Fix the open ground on the balcony outlets.
- Fix doorbell wiring.
- Desk corner wall insulation and trim.
- Rehang historical pictures in dining area.
- Paint Rooms 31 and 32.
- Poly new wood ceiling in entry.
- Lube aluminum storm window closures.
- Mop bedroom floor.
Looking forward to seeing a full house as many hands make the workload light.
Don |
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Presidents Week at the Clubhouse Mark Your Calendars! John and Ellen Bidell are once again hosting Presidents Weekend at the clubhouse. Join them Feb. 12 to 15 for a family-friendly weekend with activities for all ages. Menu and events will be published in a future newsletter article. Book early, as this is always a sold out event.
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Is there membership interest in coordinating some cross country ski activities? The response to this question might create an email list that could receive weekly or “ occasional “ news of ski conditions, places to ski, or simple no obligation “meet up” events where skiers could share some time on a trail. If this idea is of any interest to you the reader please call Will Seyse at 518 369-4254 or email him at wseyse@nycap.rr.com
As this is just a possibility at this point your call or email could vary from a “ yes please put me on the list” to a “ if you are going to try something like that I think you should include such & such…”. Let’s discuss this a little to flesh out the idea to decide its purpose and value.
A lot of cross country skiing is done close to home for a short period of time and may not lend itself to a larger group effort. Spontaneity often takes precedence over an event planned days or weeks in advance. Think snow, and think of contacting me.
Will Seyse 518-369-4254 wseyse@nycap.rr.com |
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Grindelwald, Switzerland Sunday River, Maine Telluride, Colorado - spaces available See Ski Trips for more information.
We need ski trip leaders! Contact Rick Cobello. Michael Schaefer will provide Training. Contact Mike for more information.
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Click here for SWC Members Guide to Multi-Resort Passes for 2026-2027 Season
To purchase IKON and EPIC passes, click here |
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Purchasing Very Cool SWC Stuff |
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Back in July a member of Stio’s corporate sales team reached out to SWC about building a mutually beneficial relationship. Seems they found SWC’s mission of promoting outdoor activities, especially skiing, attractive for promoting their brand. The purpose of this article is to describe how that might look and to solicit SWC member opinions so that the SWC board can decide if and how to move ahead with a Stio-SWC relationship.
Stio, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the brand, is an independent outdoor clothing brand headquartered in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Like many high-end outdoor clothing brands, they design their clothing in the US, source high performance fabrics and coatings in the US but cut and assemble the clothes internationally to keep labor costs down. Stio is very much in the growth phase, having previously been distributed in the US West; they now have a dedicated store in downtown Stowe and are available in a few local specialty shops.
As a specialty brand, traditional mass marketing is not cost-efficient for Stio. They also are not big enough to invest in sponsoring premier athletes such as Head’s relationship with Lyndsey Vonn or Adidas’s with Mikaela Shiffrin. Stio historically relied upon word-of-mouth and a team of local mountain athletes to drive awareness. That has expanded to include influencer programs to drive awareness and sales via social media.
Stio has also begun to pursue group sales both overall and in targeted efforts designed to put the brand on influential outdoor athletes such as ski instructors. They have a relationship with Vermont Adaptive Sports for example. This is how they are interested in partnering with SWC.
What would a Stio-SWC relationship look like?
This is where I and the SWC board very much need your input because there are many options. I’ll list a few of the obvious ones below:
SWC-logo Stio clothing: SWC currently sells modestly priced fleeces, t-shirts and caps on the SWC web store. We would replace these with Stio products embossed or embroidered with the SWC logo. These would likely be more expensive but also of higher quality than the current offerings. If sufficient interest, we could expand our offering to include more SWC-branded Stio clothing.
SWC bulk order of Stio clothing with or without the SWC logo: We have access to literally ever item in the Stio catalog that is in-stock. We would post a catalog and order form on our website for SWC members to choose from. We may even be able to pass on a small discount to members. The downside is that all sales would have to be paid in full before ordering and all sales would be final with no returns.
An SWC member discount at the Stio Stowe store: This would be simplest for SWC but it would not allow for any co-branding on clothing. A 15% discount has already been offered.
Next steps: If you are interested in any of the above options or have other ideas, please reach out the SWC Activities VP, Bill Romania via email at billromania@gmail.com. |
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You asked and we delivered.
The Schenectady Wintersports Club has officially opened a merchandise store for members. Please take a look. There are 15 items to start. Your feed back is critical for expanding the store. Ordering instructions are on the SWC webpage. You can pick up the items in Ballston Spa or have them delivered for an addition charge.
Any suggestions or items for consideration, please contact Rick Cobello |
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Click here for NNYP Race Results
For information on canoe and kayak races across NYS visit NYPRA.ORG
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President's Column
I had the pleasure of meeting a new group of trail maintainers in September when I was introduced to the Old Maid’s Trail in Rotterdam. Situated off Schermerhorn Road the trail is located within the Plotter Kill Preserve and is a picturesque trail offering wooded paths and waterfalls. Neglected for decades, I was invited to join the crew (thanks Mike) as a NYS certified Sawyer, to clear large fallen trees. The crew made substantial progress with another work day planned to complete clearing and return the Old Maid’s Trail to the list of family friendly hikes in the Rotterdam area. Mike is leading another club hike on October 18 to Good Luck Lake and Cliffs in Arietta NY. This 3 mile hike promises to be a beautiful opportunity to enjoy the out of doors at a colorful time of the year. Don’t forget…..you’ll pass apple orchards and farm stands on the way home. As you fill in your calendar don’t forget to save the early morning of November 26 for a hike and breakfast at Christman’s Sanctuary in Duanesburg NY. This hike will reward you with waterfalls and breakfast as we celebrate the gathering that started Mohawk Valley Hiking Club in 1929 and continue this tradition for the 96th year….apparently one year it didn’t happen. See you there.
Bill |
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For a printable version of this Newsletter click here Click here for SWC Members Guide to Multi-Resort Passes for 2026-2027 Season |
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