$5/year Membership Fee starts June 19 - info

As you may already know from a discussion posted by HikingMates Organizer Rich Kappas earlier today, the leadership has started a $5/year membership fee. All existing members have a free trial membership through June 19; any new members will have a 30-day free trial before a $5/year membership must be paid to continue to participate in events. If you do not wish to pay $5/year membership fee online, you can pay cash to an Event Host (Hike Leader) at an event and they will arrange for your membership to be registered online.
The membership fee is being instituted primarily to evenly spread the ever-increasing cost of using the Meetup.com platform among all of HikingMates members. It is expected that it will also help thin out the ranks of non-participating members and hopefully some of the "no-shows" who frequently sign up for hikes but do not show up, taking spaces from members, often newer members, who would attend but for there not being space available. Membership fees revenues will also be used to support HikingMates events like the Christmas party and to, hopefully, renew our social gatherings. Any surplus at the end of each year will go to support trail work by the organizations which maintain the trails in the preserves we use (ie, Adirondack Mountain Club, Catskill 3500 Club, Mohawk-Hudson Land Conservancy).
At your earliest convenience, please revisit your HikingMates bio to update your responses as the questions have been updated so we may better evaluate your experience and ability for hikes to keep everybody safe, happy and comfortable. You can access your HikingMates bio by (1) viewing your profile using the pull down menu in the upper righthand corner then, (2) clicking on "membership details" in Hiking Mates of the Capital Region and, (3) editing and updating your response to ALL of the questions.
Remember, hiking, as well as biking, kayaking and similar activities that HikingMates posts are inherently dangerous. By attending HikingMates events, you understand and agree that you are fully responsible for yourself and are participating at your own risk.
Thanks for your patience and help as we work to make our great group offer more wonderful events for many years to come.
HikingMates