Membership

2023 Registration is open.   Membership lists are available below.

Members support the group with an annual payment of $10.00.  The WF Group will be donating membership payments (less operating costs) to the Washington Trails Association in 2023. 

To join our group please go to the following link: 2023 Registration Form and complete the registration form.

During the year, if you need to change your registration information click on the following linkUpdate 2023 Registration Form

Meet our leadership team:  Carol Kleps (ctkleps@gmail.com) is our communications lead.    Joanne Knittel (joanneg.knittel@gmail.com) will continue to maintain the website and publish the walking schedule and member lists. Lynn Colson (88lynnc@gmail.com) continues as record keeper of our finances, and Lee Cole (leecole75@hotmail.com) Lee will coordinate and organize special walks/events and trail stewardship when those activities resume.

Meetings:  Our most recent meeting was held on May 10, 2023 in the back yard of one of our members, Elaine Cress. Thanks to Elaine for hosting a much appreciated gathering.

2023 Annual Meeting – May 10, 2023

Click here for a copy of the meeting minutes:  WF Meeting Minutes – May 10 2023


Membership Lists:  Members may find the password protected copy of our Membership List here ->   WF Contact List 1_05_24    Password has been updated for 2024.  Contact Carol Kleps or Joanne Knittel if you need password help. The document will open in a new window. Using your web browser, go to File and select either Print, or Save as to keep a copy of the list.

If you are communicating with our members, please get a current copy of the emails so that everyone is included.

Email Lists: A password-protected document showing emails only for all members is available here  ->   WF Email List 1_05_24

A list of emails for the members who are Hikers – a subset of the full membership  –  is available here –>    WF Hiker Email List 1_05_24

Tips for using the email lists:  First download either the WF or Hiker email list.  Then enter the password to open the PDF document.  In the Adobe application, use the Edit function to Select all the list.  Then copy all the text (cntl C).

Next, open your email application and use the paste function (cntl V) to paste all text  into the   To: __________   input area of a new message.

If your email program limits the number of ids that are allowed you will have to break the list into two or more groups and send multiple emails:

     After opening the PDF file, highlight half the list, then copy (cntl C). Switch to your email app and paste (cntl V) into To: line.  After sending the email, copy the text of your email into a new email and repeat the process with the second half of the email ids.

 If you experience problems copying the list please let me know.  

How do I get on the Hiker list? 

If you would like to hike with the group, please read details on the Hiking Page and then edit your registration form to answer yes to the question, do you want to hike.  For new members, be sure to answer yes to the question on the registration form to indicate you would like to hike.


Our Email Policy

  1. Emails sent to the entire Walking Friends list should have WF: in the subject line so recipients will recognize the message as something from our group. 
  2. Do not send political, religious, or ideological messages of any kind.
  3. Members may share information considered of common interest, such as services and community events.  Emails about charitable requests or sales-related information should have WF: Recommendation at the beginning of the subject line.
  4. Exercise normal courtesy by not sending repeated messages and by proofreading first. If you are concerned about the appropriateness of a message, ask a leader for their advice or send the message to only those whom you believe are interested. 
  5. If a group email appears to violate these policies or offends you, please do remind the sender directly in a private email, phone call or on a walk. Do not hit “reply all” and send a heated message to all members.
  6. Contact information is for our group. Do not share the member information or the email list with nonmembers or anyone who may use it for sales or other purposes

Memorial Fund

Susan Dean will be turning over responsibilities for managing our memorial fund to Kari Copher.  Over the last twelve years, Susan has done a superb job with all aspects of managing the fund.  We are so grateful to her for her dedication to making the Memorial Fund such a worthwhile part of our organization.

Welcome Kari!  Thank you for your willingness to volunteer your time to manage the fund. We all know that we will continue to be in good hands.

This fund is used to recognize the loss of one of our members’ close relatives.   Anyone can contribute any amount at any time to the memorial fund.  Checks should be made out to Kari Copher (Walking Friends doesn’t have a bank account) and sent to her home address, which is available in the Membership List posted above.

When one of our members experiences a loss, Kari will send a contribution to the Whatcom Hospice Foundation on behalf of our Walking Friends Group.

Click here for a copy of the 2021-2022 Memorial Fund Annual Report: Walking Friends Memorial Fund – 2021-2022 Annual Report