MMC expands to Freeman

Author: Anthony Adragna

Members of the Middlebury Mountain Club (MMC) have relocated their supplies to a facility in the Freeman International Center after the space became available this summer in a move that combined their supplies with those of the Middlebury Outdoor Programs (MOP). Though a mold problem initially delayed the move, the use of Freeman will double student access to outdoor equipment and provide spatial relief to the College's outdoor-oriented organizations.

According to MMC President Caitlin Littlefield '07.5, the move was completed in early summer and gear from the two organizations has been combined.

"The status of that space is that we've moved in, but are still organizing and decorating it to make a functional and welcoming place," Outdoor Programs Director Derek Doucet said. "The outdoor programming space is limited to two rooms on the lowest level."

According to Doucet, the space became available when others vacated the area over the summer. "Outdoor programs merely moved into space recently vacated by some dinning services personnel," he said.

Groups moved equipment into the space only after College facilities personnel dealt with a mold problem. "The work that was done on the space was for mold abatement," Doucet said.

"There was apparently a mold problem in the two rooms we now occupy, and facilities management dealt with it over the summer. This was necessary whether we moved in or not. The space was not usable by anyone until it was dealt with."

Moving the equipment into the area cost the College nothing, Doucet said. "We moved in to the space as-is," he said. "No renovations of any kind were needed, which was great."

The MMC retains its original space in the Adirondack House and gains this additional new space in the move. "They will share equipment storage space with MOP as outlined above, and also have access to an outdoor resource center where they may meet to plan and debrief trips and look at our extensive collection of maps, guidebooks and instructional manuals," Doucet said. "No space has been taken from them at all."

Students will manage the space with jobs provided by the College. "I've hired four student workers who put in about 16 hours per week," Doucet said. "They check borrowed gear in and out, repair damaged items and in general manage the inventory. One of the frustrations the MMC expressed was that their old system of gear management, run entirely by volunteers, was unworkable. Nobody had the time to really stay on top of management and maintenance, and so equipment was lost or wore out far more quickly than is needed to. By hiring and training four student employees to handle these tasks, we alleviate these problems."

Doucet said the move will essentially double the amount of outdoor supplies available at any time on campus. "One of the great things that having this space allows us to do is move the MMC's equipment out of the Adirondack attic, combine it with the stock of equipment MOP has and offer all of it to the College community for borrow," he said. "Students may do so free of charge, as they've already done, and faculty and staff may do so for a nominal fee."

Middlebury Outdoor Programs reach students in two distinct manners. One way is through student-run organizations such as the MMC or Freeheelers, which focus on the recreational aspect of outdoor trips.The other manner involves MOP, which focuses on education in the trips they sponsor. MOP is not student-run, but staff members work in an advisory role to student groups.

Doucet said he has high hopes for expanding the outdoor program at the College in the coming years. "I look forward to expanding the Outdoor Resource center and collecting an archive of trip logs, journals and College outdoor programming photography and other memorabilia," he said. "I really want it to become a central part of the outdoor community here at Middlebury."