Dennis Miller
Congratulations to Doris Hatton, recipient of the Larry Ingalls Distinguished Service Award for 2016!
Doris joined The Mountaineers in 2006, and while she is a quiet person, her work speaks volumes about her dedication to her fellow Mountaineers.
Doris serves as Membership Chair, where she provides vital outreach, recruiting new members and getting them plugged into club activities. Doris’s reputation precedes her. Former Branch Chair Matt Vandal remembers, “At one meeting, I greeted a couple only to be told that they were there ‘to speak with Doris.’ It was a hectic night because a lot was going on, but she took the time to field their questions and guide them through the registration process.”
Doris has also been integral to putting on many of the Everett Branch's biggest events, like the Salmon Bake, Gear Grab & Potluck, and the Annual Banquet. Once again, Matt Vandal attests to her dedication, saying, “Like the roadies in the Jackson Brown song, she was always one of the first people to come and one of the last to leave at every one of these events.”
Matt shared some examples of Doris’s heroics:
- 2015 Gear Grab & Pot Luck: Doris realized there weren’t enough main dishes and left the dinner, went to Kentucky Fried Chicken, and returned with buckets of chicken to insure that people got enough to eat.
- 2015 Salmon Bake: Our event coordinator unexpectedly had to drop out, so Doris stepped in on short notice and spent the entire weekend running errands, buying food and supplies, and picking up bins full of cooking utensils and equipment from Vertical World. When I arrived at 10 am to help her - blissfully unaware of all the tasks required for the event - I breathed a sigh of relief. Doris had taken care of it. Then, despite having limited experience, she even stepped in to cook the salmon. It was delicious!
- 2016 Salmon Bake: Drawing on lessons learned from the year before, Doris planned and got the whole process started early. She reserved the facility at the Masonic Park during the summer. In the days before, she emailed people on an almost daily basis to make sure that all the food, equipment, and supplies were covered. After organizing an amazing dinner, she coordinated the clean-up. As I drove out, I saw Doris talking with the Park Host about next year’s Salmon Bake. My thought at the time was that we are very lucky to have such a dedicated and energetic volunteer leader in charge of this iconic event.
Doris also serves as instructor for our Introduction to Hiking class, teaching students how to sign up for hikes on the website. As a hike leader, she’s led 25 activities since 2008. Most significantly, she led hikes in 10 hikes in 2015.
Whether it's hiking, event planning, or welcoming new members, Doris is an incredible asset to the Everette Branch.
