About Us
Monadnock Mushroomers Unlimited is an organization of amateur and beginning mycologists dedicated to the study of mushrooms in their natural habitat. Via regular forays and other informational events, we encourage public participation in the advancement of mycological knowledge in the region.
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Since inception in 1988, we have maintained the following goals for our
club:
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To collect, identify, and record mushrooms in the Monadnock region
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To sponsor and coordinate informational events for interested persons of all ages
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To further scientific knowledge about mushrooms through participation in regional and national mushroom organizations
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To advise the general public as to the vital role that fungi play in the maintenance of a healthy environment.
Officers
Tom Delaney - President
Lori Sousa - Vice President
Patrick Joyce - Treasurer
Trish Twining - Secretary
Directors at Large
Melany Kahn - Author
Noah Siegel - Chief Mycologist and Author
George Caughey - Mycologist, Toxicologist, and Author
Dr. Rick Van de Poll - Co-founder, Mycologist, Ecologist
Nate Marchessault - Webmaster
Club History
Monadnock Mushroom Club began, in concept, on a mushroom foray held by the Harris Center in 1982. Led by Rick Youst (Van de Poll), roughly 30 people searched for mushrooms at Mount Monadnock State Park. Following the event, Al David, a resident of Keene and prolific mushroom collector, suggested it would be great to hold walks like these on a regular basis. Fast forward five years when Dr. Van de Poll returns to the region, the two reconnect and again scheme about the idea of having more organized walks. Then, on May 18, 1988, the two, along with a few members of the NH Mycological Society and local area residents, officially convened the first meeting of the club and chose the name "Monadnock Mushroomers Unlimited".
In the early years, the club grew quickly, holding bi-weekly forays and collecting over 428 species of mushrooms, most of which were dried and vouchered at Antioch University where Dr. Van de Poll taught Mycology. In addition to field activities, Monadnock Mushroomers Unlimited (MMU) crafted and approved its first mission statement, which remains the same today.​​
The next decade of MMU's history saw many more accomplishments, holding an annual Mushroom Show from 1990 to 2000, co-hosting the North American Mycological Association - Northeast Mycological Federation's foray at Mount Ascutney in 1996, and self-publishing a cookbook, "Monadnock Mushroomers Cookery" in 1991.
One of the club's proudest moments was sponsoring scholarships to attend the Northeast Mycological Federation's foray, with the first recipient being Noah Siegel in 1997, which introduced Noah to the prospect of pursuing mycology as a professional career. Noah went on to be a world-renowned mycologist, publishing three regional guides to fungi in the western United States and traveling the world studying fungi. Noah has served as a long-time president of MMU, is currently the president of the Northeast Mycological Federation, and continues to serve on the Board of Directors for MMU to this day.
Monadnock Mushroomers did not elude the challenges of 2020, and as a result, there were no forays that year and limited forays in 2021. 2022 began with a new slate of officers, including Tom Delaney as President, Lori Sousa as Vice President, and Patrick Joyce as Treasurer. Aided by their board of directors Leo Goldberg and Gabriel Rabbioni, the club foray schedule was back at full force. In 2023, new leadership and talent were added to MMU board and officers, including author and member since childhood Melany Kahn joining the board of directors, longtime member Trish Twining joining as secretary, and George Caughey joining as toxicologist on the board of directors as well as foray chairperson.
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The club officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2024, where, due to legal reasons, the name was changed to "Monadnock Mushroom Club". In 2025, Dr. Rick Van de Poll returned as a director of the club, Monadnock Mushroom Club increased its virtual presence by creating a website, and is co-sponsoring North American Mycological Association's annual foray in Vermont.
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Finally, there have been many faces of the Monadnock Mushroomers over the years, and we have been honored to have had these avid mushroom enthusiasts in our midst. Most of them are no longer with us. Ben Allison, Al David, Pat Duprey, Pete Eichert, Babs Eldering, Leona Gordon, Mike Morrison, Reinhard & Olivia Loy, Bob & Mildred Jaynes, Alden Powers, Georgette Roberts, Margaret Sawyer, and Bert Wingerson are a few of the stalwart club members who made regular and abiding contributions to the club over the years. Without their support and steadfast volunteerism, the Monadnock Mushroomers would not the diverse and educational club it is today.
This is an abridged version of MMC's club history written by Dr. Rick Van de Poll and Tom Delaney. To read the complete history, click here.