[at-l] Fw: Gathering Questions

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@aol.com)]

In a message dated 10/13/2005 7:19:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
hudsom@us.ibm.com writes:

1) Does  this reflect some difficulty in ALDHA's relationship with Dartmouth
or with  the DOC?
As I heard someone say at the Gathering, ALDHA  is a very small fish in
Dartmouth's growing pond. We also pay very little  for the services we  get,
so I think that moves us down in the list of  priorities. That said I'm not
aware of any difficulties with Dartmouth that  would be a show-stopper, but
I'll also need to hear the Gathering  Coordinator's report.



It seems to me that the key in ALDHA's relationship with Dartmouth is the  
DOC.  If that relationship is severed then why would Dartmouth even  consider 
ALDHA's presence?  The question that was raised in my mind  regarding ALDHA and 
the DOC was the depth of that relationship seemed to not  extend beyond the 
DOC assistant director.  Perhaps a meeting with the  Director of DOC as well as 
the staff or members of DOC would firm up the  relationship and make ALDHA's 
presence a welcome one.  
 
One way of doing this would be to extend to the DOC "guest privileges" at  
ALDHA workshops and presentations.  This would be educational for the  students 
and perhaps even have the effect of encouraging future membership in  ALDHA.  
Other professional groups do this to bring students (who usually  have limited 
resources) into relationship.  We (ALDHA) often look for  benefits from the 
college but this would be a way of providing a benefit  to the college.  Also, 
this might be a way of mitigating ill effects  from boorish AT hikers who 
acted profanely during hikes in previous years while  guests of DOC or other 
houses at Dartmouth.  
 
Are there ALDHA members who reside in the New  
Hampshire/Vermont/Massachusetts area that could develop close ties to DOC?   Perhaps some members of the 
Board of Trustees of Dartmouth (surely there are  hikers among them) could be 
invited to hike and/or attend The Gathering and  perhaps even speak at the 
opening ceremony (a welcome speech, etc.) that would  enlighten and strengthen the 
ties.
 
Skylander