Mountain Maids

Missouri Mountain Maids were organized in 1974 at the Annual Fall Rendezvous of the Missouri Trappers Association, as an Auxiliary to the Missouri Trappers Association. Immediately after organizing, we affiliated with the Conservation Federation of Missouri. Though one of the smaller affiliates, we have supported the Conservation Federation faithfully over the years. We provide at least one item for their fundraising silent auction each year. A few members have faithfully attended the annual convention each spring and taken part on the various committees. The Conservation Federation is a conglomerate of outdoor organizations. Interacting with these groups teaches you their interests and concerns, which are very much like those of the trappers. Each group wants to be able to use the area of Missouri that interests him/her whether for hiking, fishing, trapping, hunting, bird watching, camping, swimming/scuba diving, or whatever. Most of the time these areas are the same and it is necessary to respect each other's interests and be able to interact with them.

It is the intention of The Mountain Maids to provide an avenue of activities for  family members while the MTA members were involved in their meetings and activities.

We first became involved in food service, providing as a courtesy, a simple lunch on the premises that would not require the members to have to leave their fellowship and conversation. This mushroomed into providing the food service for the fur auctions and eventually providing the menu and serving the MTA Hog Roast at Fall Rendezvous (Of course, we no longer do the fur auctions.)

Mountain Maids have sponsored other activities at our Fall Meetings;

 Fur sewing workshops, Children's activities, fur/pelt demonstrations, the trapping portion of the Environmental Education Workshop of Becoming an Outdoor Woman (BOW).   

For fundraising other than food service, we have made quilts ,the first one in 1976, and numerous others through 1999. In 1991 we produced a Cookbook, copies of which are no longer available. Each year we have a fundraising activity with items that would interest our members or individuals with an interest in the outdoors. We also have a "white elephant" silent auction at Fall Rendezvous. This always creates good conversation as well as a few dollars.

Those funds have been used to benefit the trappers associations and conservation activities and conservation education. Over the years we have contributed generously to the National Trappers Association for projects and activities to maintain, preserve and defend trapping and related activities in the United States. We have contributed to various other states that have had to defend the right to use traps. Most importantly, we have contributed scholarships and monetary assistance to Environmental Educational Workshops that prepare schoolteachers to incorporate environmental education into the curriculum in their classrooms. To be effective Environmental Education must begin on the elementary school level.

Our most recent contribution were two Lewis & Clark traveling trunks for the Missouri Department of Conservation to be used in the educational program promoting the upcoming 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark expedition. The Missouri Trappers assisted us by donating two traps for these trunks.

Some ladies question our name, MISSOURI MOUNTAIN MAIDS saying they do not want to be a "maid". The name was chosen unanimously at the organizational meeting in 1974 as the feminine of MISSOURI MOUNTAIN MEN. Members feel the name is appropriate because our bylaws state we are to complement (enhance/fulfill) the activities of the MTA. A change has been discussed at least three times over the years, but the vote was always the same retain the original name, because it is our heritage.

Annual dues are $3.00.

Meetings are held twice a year in conjunction with Spring & Fall Rendezvous of the MTA.

For more Information Contact;

Lynn Miller

573-242-3319