SUGARCREEK TWP, Armstrong County — You might not be able to tell just from a glance at Joyce Appel, but she is heavily involved in outdoor activities such as hiking and canoeing.

The longtime board member for the Butler Outdoor Club's love for the outdoors came from her childhood.

“I came from a hunting family,” Appel, 63, of Sugarcreek Township said.

She grew up in Sherrett, Armstrong County, where hunting was very important.

Even before she was old enough to hunt, her father took her out to the woods to show her what to do and how to shoot a gun. This way, she would be able to help as soon as she was able to hunt.

“It didn't matter to my dad that I was a girl,” Appel said. “I was constantly in the woods with him.”

She does not hunt as much as she used to these days. Usually, the only times she hunts is when her two sons come up from Florida to visit her.

She got more into other outdoors activities when she met her fiance, Paul Henry, in the early 1990s.

She joined the American Youth Hostels of Pittsburgh, now known as Hosteling International, at around the same time.

At the time, the AYH had an outdoors program that she was interested in.

Appel also was interested in the North Country Trail, which she had seen signs for but did not know much about. Someone at AYH told her to contact the Butler Outdoor Club to find out more about the trail.

“I've been involved in North Country Trail and Butler Outdoor Club ever since,” Appel said.

She said the goal of the club, which was founded in 1994, is to promote and encourage outdoor activities in the region.

“Promote and educate. If we can do something to where we can educate people on the outdoors, we do that also,” Appel said.

The club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Butler YMCA.

“I just thought, this is for me. It just took off right away. I think that was a void in my life,” Appel said.

Although she is a fan of many outdoors activities, Appel has a clear favorite.

“Canoeing is my preference,” Appel, who is the canoe chairman for the club, said.

She also enjoys kayaking, but said that activity doesn't give her the same feeling.

“There's just something about a canoe that, when you are out there, I feel so in tune with nature and feel like I'm out there in a time zone of years back,” Appel said.

In addition to being the canoe chairman, Appel has become sort of a de-facto head organizer for the club.

“It just happened. I just did it. I didn't ask,” Appel said.

She said she does not like to take much credit for her work because of the large amount of work that other club members do.

“We have great people in the club,” Appel said.

Besides her outdoors adventures with the Butler Outdoor Club, Appel has gone on her own unique trips. She has been to Africa three times, South and Central America twice, as well as Canada, Iceland, Greenland and other Scandinavian countries.

“Every trip has something so unique about it,” Appel said.

During her trips to Africa, Appel was fascinated by the wildlife. She said it was common to see a lion or a baboon wander through the campsite.

“We would just camp out with the wild animals,” Appel said.

She also hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro while in Africa.

Her trip to Iceland also was memorable to her. The trip was made up entirely of hikes. She said the terrain was very unique.

“You are going over very interesting lava fields,” Appel said. “The hikes are just unique and just different.”

She also was fascinated by the natural hot springs.

“You can't just go around the corner and hike on something like that,” Appel said.

During a South American tour, she hiked through the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.

Every year, Appel organizes a weeklong canoe trip to Canada. She involves several local outdoor clubs in the trips.

Although popular, the trips are not the easiest. Participants are split into groups of two. One person has to be able to carry the group's canoe and the other has to carry a pack with a week's worth of supplies for both people.“Those are very, very hard,” Appel said.Despite the difficulty, Appel finds the trips to be very serene. Gorgeous sunrises and sunsets are common.“They are my favorite canoe trips,” Appel said.In 1997, she helped start the annual Outdoor Extravaganza, which happens every Memorial Day weekend.She started it to be able to bring people from all over the region to enjoy the outdoors together.“This gives people a chance ... to get together and make new friends and do these things,” Appel said.The idea for the event came about when Appel and Butler Outdoor Club founder Bob Tait were hiking. Tait dropped the idea for a large gathering of people enjoying the outdoors. Appel said the idea took off from there.The event features a choice of daily activities, workshops and excursions in northwestern Butler County. Food and camping at Breakneck Campground is optional, but offered.In addition to her membership in numerous outdoor clubs, Appel is a member of the Sherrett United Methodist Church.“The church means a lot to me,” Appel said.She said what she learned attending church as a child has informed her in her life.“I just think you can't beat the values and the principles of the Bible that you're taught to live by,” Appel said. “To me, the whole world would be a better place to live in if people tried harder to live that way.”Appel is a retired elementary school teacher at the Armstrong School District.“I loved teaching,” Appel said.She said she tried to get her students to “stop and smell the roses,” in addition to regular schoolwork.In a lot of ways, Appel has dedicated her life to helping other people.“I love giving. I just love giving and sharing and trying to help people. I think that's important,” Appel said.She said she feels that is part of the reason she dedicates so much time to Butler Outdoor Club, Outdoor Extravaganza and other activities.“I take so much joy in taking people, leading people, out on a trip that they've never done and to see how happy and content they are taking my trip. It just makes you feel so good to provide that. And, I think, that's why I do it,” Appel said.<B>APPEL FILE</B><B>Name: </B>Joyce Appel<B>Age: </B>63<B>Address: </B>Sugarcreek Township, Armstrong County<B>Title: </B>Canoe chairman of the Butler Outdoor Club<B>Family: </B>Fiance, Paul Henry; two adult sons, Chris and Dustin<B>Education: </B>1969 graduate of Indiana (Pa.) University<B>Memberships:</B> North Country Trail Association, Keystone Trail Association, Armstrong Bike Trail, Explorers Club of Pittsburgh, Erie Outing Club, Allegheny Outdoor Club, Western Paddlesport Association, Sherrett United Methodist Church‘I just love giving. I just love giving and sharing and trying to help people. I think that's important.'<B>LIFE LESSONS</B>Joyce Appel, board member of the Butler County Outdoor Club, offers these ideas for improving the quality of life in Butler County• More support for parks• Emphasize tourism as a key economic growth factor.<B>IN THE COMMUNITY</B><B>Name: </B>Butler Outdoor Club<B>Address: </B>P.O. Box 321, Harrisville, PA 16038<B>Top official: </B>Steve Bickel, president<B>Members: </B>160<B>What it does:</B> Promotes outdoor education and outdoor activities in Western Pennsylvania<B>Contact: </B>www.butleroutdoorclub.org<B>Mission statement: </B>“These activities are geared for all levels and are designed to provide recreation and foster a better understanding and responsible use of the outdoors.”<B>BUSINESS INSIGHT</B>Joyce Appel, board member of the Butler Outdoor Club, offers these tips for being a success in a community group.• Educate people• Help people take time to relax and get away from stress• Spend time with family• Be kind and respectful to others• Teach children to enjoy God's natural wonders whenever they have the chance.