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Hey! Thank you for reading my holiday letter. This letter is all about what I did over the past year but I would really like to know how you are doing and what you have been doing when you have a chance! E-mail, text message, facebook and phone all work as ways to reach me. US Mail still works too. It’s been two years since I wrote a holiday letter so it’s time to try again. This year I am going “paperless” to help save the environment and out of necessity as I am unable to print the letters or send the cards (you’ll see why as you read further). Using the web for the Christmas card and letter does have the advantage of adding hyperlinks to pictures and stories that might be of interest to you — look for the underline on a word and click there to see more. 2008 could be labeled “the year of travel”. In total, I will have travelled over 20,000 miles by the end of the year via train, plane, bus, car, raft, boat and foot across the US and Europe. The travelling is not quite over yet. As I write this, I am in Krakow, Poland about to celebrate Christmas with my mom. Click here to see pictures of my travels with Mom so far. Back to the beginning… January was a weekend trip to visit Mike Phan in DC, learned about the sport of fencing, staffed two weekends at our Sea Scout Booth at the Boat Show and participated in the annual Sea Scout training at Catoctin. February was another Sea Scout training in New Jersey plus the incredibly successful 3rd Annual Snowboard & Ski Days at Mystic Mountain. March saw a trip to Philmont Scout Reservation in Cimarron, New Mexico for the winter program of fun outdoor activities called Philbreak. April and May was spent working weekends on the second of four Hornaday projects - an invasive species project at Raccoon State Park. Plus a US Forest Service Chainsaw Training during a weekend in May that was incredible. June was when the “fun” really began! I learned a great deal about boating and sailing and completed most of the Able Scout requirements at the Navigation Underway (piloting) Course at Chesapeake Bay and Camp Able at Solomon's Island Navy Recreation Center in Maryland. The Order of the Arrow project called ArrowCorps5 was a big part of my summer. It started with the George Washington & Jefferson project for two days in June, then the Shasta-Trinity Project in California and ended with the Bridger-Teton Project in Wyoming. My pictures from these projects are here. The July Crew 306 Superactivity to the New River Gorge was awesome. A few extra days while in California for the Shasta Trinity project was spent visiting my life-long friend, Russell Coensgen. There was also some more sailing on the Chesapeake Bay again in August and hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail with two OA brothers from my 2006 Northern Tier Wilderness Voyage adventure. In between the activities, I’ve been attending a local community college (CCAC) with some success and some challenges. I also started one of the best jobs ever at Venture Outdoors. I’m doing things I love and get paid to do it! I was also able to attend a Penguins Stanley Cup Playoff game and helped present the flags at a Pirates baseball game with my Venturing Crew. September is when the “fun” began in earnest! I was selected to be on Short Term Staff for Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland. I flew to Europe on September 12 and that’s where I remain until December 30. I’ve been to Venice, France, London, Switzerland, Vienna and now Poland. We plan to stop in Paris before heading home by way of Heathrow airport. I won’t go into all the details – you can see the pictures on my website and read about some of the details on my blog. I will say this has been the most extraordinary trip of my life! I met some wonderful people and saw some amazing places. I even got to vote in my first presidential election with an absentee ballot. When I return from Europe, I head to the annual Sea Scout weekend at Catoctin. Then I help run the eight days of skiing at the Annual Snowboard & Ski Days and two Getaway Weekends. In April/May is an advanced Scout training course called Wood Badge. Summertime begins a new set of experiences beginning with the Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure at Florida Sea Base. I will be co-director of Camp Able and, if selected, I will participate in a Sea Scout Advanced Leadership Course (SEAL) course in Oregon in July. In August, I will head to Indiana for the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC). If work and time allows, I might also spend a week at Philmont and sail the Chesapeake with my friends from Ship 1942. Now that I’ve taken a semester off to travel, I’ll be taking a couple of more courses at CCAC for the Spring semester plus the EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) class. In the fall my plan is to begin attending Penn State, Erie so I can complete college and travel even more! I have two major goals left in Venturing and Sea Scouts before turning 21—to complete the Hornaday Award for Conservation and the Quartermaster Award. ENOUGH ABOUT ME… My Mom & Dad are doing well. My Grandpa is more active than ever with his dancing and partying at 86. Our stray dog, Queenie, was put to sleep last year after finding inoperable cancer. My other two dogs, Ranger and Crystal, keep us busy with walks and pulling dog hair off of everything. I have been truly blessed to have supportive family and friends that have allowed me so many life experiences. I am also blessed to have met so many people along the way who have enriched my life. THANK YOU! Best
wishes to you and your family for 2009! |
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