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HISTORY OF RSOC

This not-for-profit organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has given the Raleigh area a way to get away from the normalcies of their lives and share fun activities with others that have the same interests since 1965.

The following is a description of the Club's history, which was published in 1983 on the Club's brochures. Barbara Moore wrote the text. Bob Webster designed the brochure.

North Carolina is indeed one of the finest States when it comes to outdoor activities. We have beautiful beaches, scenic mountains, and many fine rivers in between. Our natural resources for the outdoor enthusiast are truly bountiful, but when Doug Young moved to Raleigh in the mid-1960's, he was surprised at the lack of an organized outdoors club.

Doug moved to Raleigh from Minnesota and worked with the YMCA diving program. He saw what great resources North Carolina had to offer and how individuals enjoyed them. He had past experience in starting a skin diving and sky diving club, so he decided to organize an outdoors sports club. In 1965, Raleigh Ski and Outing Club was founded with the purpose of providing an opportunity for groups to pool their resources and together participate in activities. Travel could be made easier by carpooling and lodging cheapened by sharing. Group rates could be utilized and groups would provide an impetus to individual members.

RSOC was originally made up of 17 active family and single members. Meetings were once a month and held at the YMCA. Doug served as President and wrote the original constitution. It was decided that money from dues, which would be kept low, would be spent mostly on the newsletter and that activities would basically support themselves. In the late 1960's, a decision was made to remain a ski and outing club instead of becoming strictly a skiing club. At this time, the Club numbered about 30 active members. A portion of these left to form a separate club, which was only involved in skiing.

Original popular trips in the 1960's included family camping at Salter Path, hiking at Mt. Le Conte, skiing at Blowing Rock (then the only ski resort in North Carolina), sailing at Oriental, and biking at the Outer Banks. Experts were brought in to the monthly meetings to teach the members about various sports and activities.

Today the size of the membership has grown and the number of activities has increased, but the basic philosophy has remained the same. Trips that were popular in the beginning are still popular today.

That brochure also suggested that it takes these things to be a Club member: Determination, a strong stomach, hospitalization insurance, confidence, skill, agility, a spirit of adventure, and money! The same traits are also listed on RSOC's "Club Bulletin" in January, 1968. Even today, there is still a lot of truth to what the brochure claims and describes.

The following is chronological and interesting information about the Club's history published in a 1985 Club newsletter for RSOC's 20th Anniversary or presented at a Club meeting in 1995 for RSOC's 30th Anniversary. The 20th Anniversary information was written by RSOC President Sandra Griffin. The 30th Anniversary information was compiled and presented by RSOC President Paul Santrock with help from Lee Gardner.

Membership fees in 1965 were $6 and $10.

There were 17 members in 1965.

There were 40 to 60 members during the 1970's paying $8 or $12 membership fees.

There were 320 members in 1980 paying $10 or $14 membership fees.

There were 700 members in 1983 paying $13 or $17 membership fees.

There were 1287 members in 1986.

Membership fees in 1988 were $30 and $35.

There were 1287 members in 1992 paying $35 or $40 membership fees.

There were over 2000 members in the late 1990's.

There were over 800 members in 2004.

There were approximately 200 members in 2011

In 1969, the annual club budget was $680.

In 1995, the annual club budget was $60,000.

The Club's constitution was updated in 1980 and 1984 by Gary Munn.

The Club's corporation papers were written by RSOC's only honorary member, Chris Coley.

In 1969, RSOC was a founding member of the Southeastern Ski Association. This later became known as the Crescent Ski Council.

The original RSOC logo was "herring-bone tracks." This is the pattern left in the snow when, while wearing snow skis; you walk up a ski slope.

In 1978, the skier clad in shorts and knee socks, heading down a ski jump with a paddle, a racket, and some other sports devices on his person, was adopted.

There have been 37 Presidents. Paul Santrock was the 34st RSOC President and the first President to serve an additional term (9 years after his first 2 year term). Mary Ann Norwood was the 35th RSOC President and the longest serving President at 4 years.

The original Board of Directors was made up of the 5 Elected Officers.

In 1966, the Board of Directors was expanded to add a Newsletter Editor and a Publicity Director.

By the mid-1980's, the Board had expanded to 22 members. The additional members were the Skiing, Outings, and Internal Affairs Directors much as we know them today.

In 1991, the Community Service Director was added to the Board of Directors.

In 1999, the Day Trips Director and the Rafting Director were eliminated from the Board of Directors.

Carol Donovan wrote the first outings procedure guide in 1981.

Bob Webster wrote the first ski policy manual and designed a Club brochure in 1983.

Norm Kaplan ran the first trip to New England in 1975.

Joel Hoffman ran the first trip to Europe in 1992. The trip went to Zermatt.

Chuck Young ran the second trip to Europe in 1993, which was RSOC's most successful long distance ski trip yet. 83 people traveled to St. Anton, Austria, and Munich, Germany.

The first standard financial reports for coordinators to use were created in 1992. These have evolved into what we have today.

Elaine Greten developed standard trip reports and supporting information in 1992 (Microsoft Word*).

Chuck Young developed tremendously enhanced the trip reports and supporting information along with producing a fully automatic and comprehensive spreadsheet version (Microsoft Excel*) in 2000.

RSOC's colors are canary yellow and royal blue.

Beginning in 1981 RSOC's Newsletter, formerly the "Club Bulletin" (a single, typewritten sheet), evolved into something similar to we are accustomed to today. Tom Bolch was responsible for this.

RSOC's Newsletter finally evolved into exactly what we have these days in 1984. Cathie Donleycott was responsible for this.

The organizational meeting was held at the Raleigh Arts and Craft Center. Some Club meetings were also held there in 1968.

In 1966, the Club met at the YMCA in Raleigh.

In 1968, the Club met in the Public Service Company's auditorium.

In 1974, the Club met at several locations including the WRAL Studio auditorium.

In 1976, the Club met at the Tara East apartments.

In 1978, the Club met at the clubhouses of the Hunting Ridge and Orchards apartments.

In 1981, the Club met at the Howard Johnson's Inn and the VIP Lounge.

In the mid-1980's, the Club met at the Brownstone Inn.

In 1991, the Club met at the North Raleigh Hilton Inn.

In 1992, the Club met at the Mission Valley Inn.

In 1993, the Club met at the Raleigh Shriner's Clubhouse.

In 1997, the Club met at the McKimmon Center.

In 2002, the Club started meeting at the Brownstone Inn.

In 2005, the Club started meeting at the Embassy Suites Crabtree Valley.

In 2007, the Club started meeting at the Elks Lodge.

In 2013, the Club started meeting at REI in Cary, NC.

Because the Club has been around for so many years, there is a collection of active members whose longevity in the Club is admirable. Without a doubt, RSOC is a very important and special part of their lives. Here are the names of the members who have been researched to be active members (listed in the Club's directory) who joined the longest time ago: Mona Keech and Bobby Emory. They were recognized at a Club meeting in 2000. If you know them or happen to cross paths with them, be sure to congratulate them!

(*) Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are trademarks of Microsoft, Corp.