HOOFPRINTS
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Wisconsin Hoofers Newsletter 2020-2021 • hoofers.org
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Hoofer Club Presidents 2020-21. From left to right: Riley A., Jack B., Hazel B., Christian G., Ansley L., Kendra L., Alec L.
Welcome to this special 90th Anniversary edition of HoofPrints! I’m Ansley Laev, the current Hoofer Council President, and I’m a senior studying Gender & Women’s Studies, Classics, and Italian. During this unprecedented and challenging time, I’ve had the privilege of leading our sixteen-person Hoofer Council. It’s been quite a journey, giving us all the more reason to reminisce and look back at the growth, creativity and community Hoofers has provided for nine decades. This year, Hoofer Council quickly adapted to accommodate the community’s “new normal”, while focusing on the importance of well-being and self-care. It was clear that Hoofers needed to get back to the basics as both students and community members increasingly craved personal connection and time outdoors. From virtual cribbage tournaments to socially-distant trail runs, it was the simple things that became crucial to provide: being active, breathing fresh air, and finding time to feel connected with the community. While this year was full of trial-and-error, Hoofers strong foundation has allowed us to continue to program and engage with the community. As a Council, we have focused on having meaningful conversations about race, accessibility, self-care, safety and varying experience in the outdoors. Above all, we’ve learned that being a Hoofer means being adaptable and resilient in any situation, while always making sure to find fun along the way. Here’s to another 90 years! Hoof On, Ansley Laev (she/her/hers) Hoofer Council President, 2020-21
WHO WE ARE: Council President Ansley Laev president@hoofers.org Vice President - Administration Annie Stimmel vpadmin@hoofers.org Vice President - Finance Matt Wilson vpfinance@hoofers.org Vice President - Information Systems Ashley Soukup vpinfosystems@hoofers.org Vice President - Marketing Michael McLaughlin vpmarketing@hoofers.org Officer - Alumni Outreach Will Husted alumnioutreach@hoofers.org Officer - Diversity and Inclusion Berit Thorson diversity@hoofers.org
IT’S NICE ON ICE Hoofer Mountaineering This February, the Hoofer Mountaineering Club hosted an ice climbing basics demonstration as a part of Winter Carnival 2021, featuring an eightfoot-tall ice block constructed by executive board members. At the event, students and community members learned how to swing an ice axe, put in ice screws, and use crampons. In fact, the last group went ice axe crazy and ended up knocking the whole block down! The Mountaineering Club was really excited to host a Winter Carnival event this year, as they typically only help with other club’s events. They look forward to hosting similar events in the future.
Officer - Education and Risk Management Laura Arneson educationrisk@hoofers.org Officer - Interior Design Ashtyn Duddleston interiordesign@hoofers.org Officer - Programs Isabel Peterson programs@hoofers.org Club President - Mountaineering Hazel Bastien mountaineering@hoofers.org Club President - Outing Alec Lowry outingpresident@hoofers.org Club President - Riding Kendra Lofthus ridingpresident@hoofers.org Club President (Commodore) - Sailing Jack Barnes commodore@hoofersailing.org Club President - Scuba Christian Gehri scuba@hoofers.org Club President - Ski & Snowboard Riley Achtemeier sns@hoofers.org
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HOOFER SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES Since its inception, Hoofers has become one of the largest and most active collegiate outdoor recreation programs in the country! Without the support of our alumni our success would not have been possible. Help us continue to make a difference at hoofers.org/give-back. If you have questions, please feel free to contact outdooruw@union.wisc.edu.
GORD-GEOUS ART AND THE OUTDOORS Hoofer Scuba Hoofer Scuba Club dove into the new academic year by hosting one of the most attended and longest running club traditions: Underwater Pumpkin Carving. Each October, as the leaves fall and the water temperature drops, members tackle the cold with enthusiasm, and squeeze in one final dive in Lake Mendota to carve some pumpkins. At the start of the event, participants break out their sharpies and draw their designs directly onto the gourds. Then, they cut the top off of their pumpkin, jump into the water and get to carving their masterpieces. Once every member is finished, a commemorative photo is taken and the club heads inside to Mendota Lodge where they enjoy hot cider and Halloween-themed treats.
Members were surely pleased that the last dive of the season was not only successful, but provided a seasonal porch decoration.
READING WITH PURPOSE Hoofer Ambassadors This February, Hoofer Ambassadors co-led their first book club for Black History Month with the UW–Madison BIPOC Coalition. Participants read select passages from the anthology, Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry by Camille T. Dungy, which explores Black folx’s relationship with nature across four centuries. After reading the selected poems, the group spent time discussing their findings, specifically, how the excerpts fit into a larger narrative that limits nature poetry to Anglo-American perspectives. Participants reflected on the importance of considering individuals’ varying backgrounds with nature, as it subsequently impacts experiences with the outdoors. Hoofer Ambassadors is grateful to everyone who attended. If you would like to be involved in future Hoofer Ambassadors events, please contact ambassadors@hoofers.org or follow @hoofer_ambassadors on Instagram.
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