The Explorers Club Washington, D.C. Group (ECWG) is proud to welcome several new members. Student members and sisters Rachel Manyak SM 05 and Susanna Manyak SM 05, Cara Biega FN 05, Fernando Vega FN 05, Curt Chaloner FCN 05, Michael Behar MN 06, Michael Barrett MN 06, Anne Giesecke FCN 06 and Frank Volpe MN 06.

Returning to our area we welcome back Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt FN 00, who recently edited a new book,” Scientific Evidence for Musculoskeletal, Bariatric and Sports Nutrition”. Explorers preparing for an expedition can use the information presented in this medical text to optimize their peak performance and improve their overall metabolism. Also joining our chapter from the New York area we welcome Steven Kaffen MN 94.

We have a very special announcement that two of our most active and esteemed members are celebrating their 50 year Golden Anniversary as Explorers Club members, Bill Littlewood FE 56 and Al Raithel Jr. FE 56.
Speakers during the first quarter of 2006 included: Nancy Donnelly FN 05 on January 21, “Adventures in Documentary Film Making”. Nancy is a National Geographic TV & Film documentary producer focusing on explorers and scientists doing field research. Katie Catapano SM 04 on February 18, “The Elephant vs. the Pink throated Twin spot: Competition for Survival in the Sands Forests of Mozambique and South Africa”. Katie completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Dartmouth College and has conducted geochemistry research in Africa and Antarctica. She is currently a medical student at George Washington School of Medicine. On March 7, Don Gerson FE 78 gave a slide show and talk entitled “Photo Journey Through Death Valley”. “Because of more than usual rain this past year the flowers were impressive”. Don is an excellent photographer who has traveled extensively in the Western United States. The lunch was held at the private Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired club (DACOR). The Dacor Bacon House, built in the classical Federal style, has graced the Washington D.C. scene for over 165 years. The restored house is filled with seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century furnishings, art, books and diplomatic memorabilia collected over 75 years.

The Explorers Club Washington Group continued its vigorous support of The Explorers Club Annual Dinner on March 18th. Thirty ECWG members attended with sixty five of their guests joining them for this great event.
Our ECWG, Exploration and Field Research Grants Program headed up by Polly Penhale FN 91, Markie Hunsiker FN 98 and Joan Gardner FN 03 is hosting our April 15th dinner at the Cosmos Club. Speakers will be two past ECWG grant recipients. James Calderwood Jr. SM 04 “Volunteer Medical Care in Peru and Guatemala” where he collected important data on health care issues. Then Elizabeth Waraksa who is PH.D. student in Egyptian art and archeology, her talk is entitled “Female Figurines from the Mut Precinct: Evidence of Ritual Use”.

Our grants program was established to encourage young men and women to add to the body of knowledge of the earth, its people and the universe. Initiated in 1997, 46 awards gave been made so far totaling $65,300. Grants are available to graduate students enrolled in a college or university under the supervision of a qualified scientist or educator in our geographic region. This past season we had 27 applicants apply for grants.

ECWG members In The News include Dr. William Halliday FN 68 who in February 2006 completed a 12 year inventory of caves from the 1919 lava flow in Kilauea Caldera, HI. Bill and his team located and inventoried more than 200 caves in this flow.