Gear Rooms and Other Bits | ODC Newsletter 11/28/22

Hello ODC friends! I hope you had a wonderful and scrumptious thanksgiving break. Trail mix is so so good (i feel basic for saying that to y’all. i am ashamed but also addicted) but it is too damn expensive. This week, write to your congressperson and ask them to crack down on Big Trail Mix. Thanks.

~mitch

 

 

ANNOUCEMENTS:

DEI and CLUB TOWN HALL!

  • The DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) committee is meeting at 6:30 pm on Monday, November 28th (biweekly!!) in 115 Cocke Hall! Please come if you are interested in hearing about or contributing to our efforts! We have recently decided to open our meetings to the general club body during the last 15-20 mins, so if you have any comments/concerns/questions that you want to share, feel free to show up unannounced at 7:10! We’d love to hear what you have to say (& this is a great way to get more involved with the club)!!

Classes are Over Lets Party!!

  • That’s right! ODC’s next party will be THIS FRIDAY the 2nd at 8pm at the Shrack (116 Washington Ave). Come in your most festive holiday attire! More details/hype to follow.

ODC Clothes Swap!

  • We will be having an outdoors club clothing swap next Sunday, 12/4 from 3-5 pm at the shred shack (116 Washington Ave)!! Swing by to drop off any clothes you wish to part ways with or look around for some well-loved clothes to adopt! Any leftover clothes will be donated.
  • Everyone is welcome, so join us even if you don’t have clothes to donate! We’re looking forward to this being a pleasant end of semester gathering where we can enjoy one another’s company while also promoting a good cause. Rumor has it if you bring a mug you may even receive some hot cocoa!

Office for Sustainability O-hill trails blog

Reusable Bag Drive

  • Bring reusable bags to the gear room to help out low-income community members who may be affected by Charlottesville’s new plastic bag tax! There’s a collection box in the gear room courtesy of UVA Sustainability. 

Wilderness First Aid Courses!

  • Our friends over at MEDIC SOLO are offering some WFA courses in cville soon! October 22-23, 2022(only two spots left); January 21-22, 2023; April 15-16, 2023 and June 10-11, 2023. ODC will reimburse the cost of WFA/WFR if you lead six trips outside the “golden hour”.
  • See www.solowfa.com for details and to register!

 

 

 

GEAR RESOURCES AND POLICY

Gear Room Schedule:

Mon: (11/28) 4:15 pm —> Ed Aten (434) 326-8868
Tues: 11:00 am —> Phillip Reeves (571) 332-3740
Weds: 11:30 am —> Mitch Lang (804) 955-8990
Thurs: 1:00 pm —> Will Lankford (202) 321-1197
Thurs: 7:00 pm —> Will Lankford (202) 321-1197
Fri: 12:00 pm —> Sophia Benmhend (202) 644-0304

If none of these times work for you, please email the officers outdoors-officers@virginia.edu at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a separate time to be let into the gear room. Please only do this if you really can’t make the gear room times, not just because you don’t feel like it or didn’t plan ahead.

This schedule will ideally be consistent throughout the semester, however, changes may occur. You may stop by the gear room to check out or return gear and be reimbursed at any of the times listed above.  Please text the officer leading the gear room if you will be late. Officers remain at the gear room only for as long as people are checking in/out gear (usually about 20-25 minutes). You may also purchase ODC t-shirts, hoo rags, patches, stickers, and more at the gear room!

BEFORE RETURNING GEAR REFER TO THE GEAR CLEANING DOC BELOW

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bUsjBA8Hy_MyyoLGIpkYciH3lTVKB-9fjO2ZfhXowdY/edit

If you return damaged, dirty, or incomplete gear, you will jeopardize your ability to check out gear in the future. It is your responsibility, not the officers, to return your gear in the condition you received it.

Please refer to our reimbursement policy here.

You can check our gear inventory here.

If you want to check out any water sports gear or a mountain bike, please email the officers at outdoors-officers@virginia.edu. They are stored at separate locations. We ask that you give at least 24 hours notice.

Gear is due one week from when it is checked out unless renewed by an officer at a gear room. Keeping gear past its due date is a UVA Honor Offense. Club trips have priority access to gear.

Directions: Map to Gear Room

Start at Echols Dorm

Go right on McCormick

Turn right on Alderman Rd

Take a left on Leake Drive

Walk to the end of the road. There are several buildings and parking on either side.

Pass a picnic table on the right. Keep going!

Walk straight to the first big maintenance building directly ahead. Walk behind the building on the left side. Walk up the stairs

End: Knock on the door.

 

 

TRIP RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Leading Trips:

To become a trip leader, thoroughly read the Trip Leader Manual (resources page of the website) and send the officers an email (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) letting them you know you have done so. They will then activate you on the website! Alternatively, come to a Trip Leader Workshop, lead by the officers several times each semester and posted on the website.

As a reminder, climbing, caving, mountain biking, and whitewater trips have special rules to lead! To learn more about types of trips and to become an approved trip leader for the sports listed above, feel free to contact the club’s Sport Advisors.

    • Climbing:
      • Eliza (Ejs4zb@virginia.edu)
      • Joseph (jca5cu@virginia.edu)
    • Caving
      • Renee (rle6juc@virginia.edu)
    • Biking
      • Phillip (pfr3yq@virginia.edu)
    • Hiking/Backpacking
      • Grace (gag4jaz@virginia.edu)
      • Ed (eba4ksx@virginia.edu)
    • Whitewater Sports
      • Mitch (mcl2hxw@virginia.edu)

If you have questions about how to lead trips, take some time to read through the Leaders Manual and Leading Trips pages under Resources on the club website.

Want to lead a trip for an under-represented group in the outdoors? Lead an Affinity Trip! See the link for details and guidelines.

Absences:

Please be aware that if you are joined on a trip, and you do not show up, or you drop out at the last minute, you are depriving another member of a spot on that trip.

No-shows and last-minute absences not only hurt trip attendance, but they also make logistics more complicated.

If a member is reported for two absences, trip leaders are permitted to take this into account when moving people off wait lists.

Sexual Harassment and Equity Reporting:

Outdoors at UVA is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. If you feel you or another have experienced sexual or gender-based violence or misconduct at the hands of another club member, you can report the misconduct here.

If you feel you or another have experienced harassment based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. at the hands of another club member, you can report the misconduct here.

Outdoors at UVA’s Sexual Misconduct policy can be found on our Resources webpage and is linked here. Our policy for harassment and discrimination is here.

 

 

ADVENTURE OF THE WEEEEEEK!!!

Thanks to everyone who submitted for Adventure of the Week!! We received many, but there can be only one. This weeks AOTW comes from Victor and Sophia’s beginner climbing trip at Great Falls!

(from Sophia): Yesterday’s trip was a lovely beginner climber jaunt to Great Falls. In addition to climbing we watched the kayakers, basked in the sun, and collected shells. Sophia enjoyed this trip because she was able to climb on granite for the second time, catch up with new and old friends, and because Tiffany shared her Nutella with everyone.

(Instructions)

Each week we’ll feature a different adventure that happened within the previous 7 days. To be featured, send us (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) a couple of pictures of you and your pals adventurin’ and a little blurb about what you did!

We’re reallllllllly stoked to see what y’all get up to – but please. Do not take pictures of people without their consent. And don’t submit them to us without their consent. Don’t be a creep and a weirdo.

Who will be the next ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK?!?! we await your submissions!

 

 

OTHER JAWN.

Social Media:

FB: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/OutdoorsAtUVA/)

Insta: (https://www.instagram.com/uvaoutdoors/)

GroupMe: (https://groupme.com/join_group/68250538/0HmzE2tL)

Email Social Chair Shay Utzinger (smu5dv@virginia.edu) with any trip pictures to be featured on the club Instagram!!!!!