Ann Gerckens
Program Title:
- New Zealand
- Risk Management for Volunteer Organizations
- Section Hiking the Appalachian & Pacific Crest Trails
Description:
- A slide illustrated reminiscence of three weeks spent canoeing and backpacking in New Zealand
- As far as law is concerned, there is no difference between leading a trip as a volunteer, a paid employee or even a friend who said, ”Hey! Let’s go hiking this weekend”. But most workshops on the subject of Trip Leadership and Risk Management are based on the assumption that leaders are all paid employees. So lets talk about the reality we face as volunteers for local, non-profit organizations. We’ll talk a lot about “before the trip” but also include some information about “if IT hits the fan”.
Ann Gerckens does want to state that she is not a lawyer, nor does she play one on tv. She’s just a volunteer trip leader with a lot of leading experience who has done a lot of reading and been to quite a few workshops on the subject of Risk Management.
Biography:
Ann Gerckens has been a leader for Columbus Outdoor Pursuits since 1980. In addition to leading backpacking, bicycling, and whitewater boating trips, she has 17 years experience as an instructor in backpacking, rafting and trip leadership.
Her Presentation Experience includes: the 2000 International Conference on Outdoor Recreation Education (ICORE), ALDHA Gatherings,, various libraries & community organizations, 1993-present
Certified as a Wilderness First Responder and in Swiftwater Rescue, Ann has also attended an Outward Bound course for educators, and several Wilderness Risk Managers Conferences She holds a BFA in Drawing and Painting from The Ohio State University.
She is currently employed by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits as their Office Manager, (one of only two full time paid positions) for tasks that include teachingLeadership Training Classes, and editing the COP Trip Leaders Manual.
She has section hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and is currently hacking away at the Pacific Crest Trail. Other past adventures include backpacking in Colorado and New Zealand, canoeing the Whanganui in New Zealand and the Current River in Missouri, plus weekends rafting the Youghiogheny, New and Gauley Rivers (plus numerous other rivers with commercial outfitters). Her next big adventure will be Peru in 2009, both backpacking and rafting.
Attached photo is Ann guiding Lower Keeneys on the New River, West Virginia. Photo by Leisuretime Photos of Fayetteville WV.
