Folks,
Eric Holman is running a Venture Scout Leader Program called Powder
Horn. Venture Scouts is a coed BSA program for young adults aged 14 to
21 and replaced the old BSA Explorer Program. Powder Horn is a National
Scout program to introduce new Venture Scout leaders to various
activities such as caving, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, mountain
biking, backpacking, shooting, bear and alligator wrestling, etc. It
runs for 6 days total over two weekends and includes a Friday, Saturday,
and Sunday. The intent is not to make experts out of these folks in a
particular activity but to introduce them to the activity and give them
an idea of what's involved, safety requirements, how to find competent
experts and resources to assist their programs, etc. It is an excellent
program and has been very successful.
They have asked if anyone is available to give four - one hour programs
on caving on Friday morning, Oct 3 at Bear Creek Scout Ranch near
Kerrville, Texas. They have a total of 60 people in the class mostly
from the central Texas area. I think they break up into 4 fifteen
person groups that run concurrently for presentations. This helps to
reduce the group size down to something manageable. They asked if I
would be available to make a presentation on caving on that Friday
morning but I'm tied up. They would like to have a powerpoint
presentation covering cave safety, ethics, cave conservation, and go
over the caving portion of the guide to safe scouting, etc. This would
probably include a gear show and tell, question and answer session, etc.
It is a good group of folks for a presentation as they are always an
interested and enthusiastic crowd. It's also a great way to find free
labor for your favorite cave conservation project. For example, Venture
Crew 410 out of San Antonio (of which Eric and I have been involved
with) has done an incredible amount of work at Deep and Punkin Preserve
including building all but one of the bunks in the cabin, helping clean
out the raccoon carp and reinsulated in the attic, building the east
trail from the cabin to Deep Cave and the trail from Punkin Cave to Deep
Cave, building the wildlife watering trough, and probably 70 percent of
the work on the new outhouse including pouring the concrete slab.
Scouts have also done a number of projects at Robber Baron Cave and
Bracken Bat Cave. The reputation of scouting has changed from being
part of the conservation problem to being a part of the solution and a
strong tool for protection, education, and conservation of caves.
Anyway, if you are interested and available to make a presentation, they
would be very appreciative. Please email me back directly if you can
help and I'll forward you Eric's contact information. Also, the ability
to speak good is not a requirement if you have lots of pretty pictures,
some cool equipment, and do lots of arm waiving.
Thanks,
Geary Schindel
210-479-2151 home
210-326-1576 cell
----- Original Message -----
From: Nathan Williams <mailto:[email protected]>
To: 'Geary Schindel' <mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 7:54 AM
Subject: Powder Horn and Caving
Geary,
Would you be available to come out Friday Oct 3 to Bear Creek to
discuss caving with the folks at Powder Horn.
We'd need you in the morning and you'd do 4 hour long sessions.
You could even do them at the Bear Creek cave if you wanted, but It
might be better to do a power point etc with photos.
Eric may have already chatted with you about this.
-Nathan
Nathan Williams
[email protected]
http://www.nehwilliams.com/
nehwilliams (skype - www.skype.com <http://www.skype.com/> )
210.757.4699 (phone)
210.275.6111 (cell)
512.366.9936 (fax)
