Just a little update and a thank you.
For more years than I can remember I've been sponsoring an outdoor skills oriented club at the high school where I teach. One night on BPL long ago someone asked if anyone knew of any outdoor, youth oriented programs in need of gear. I responded about the club I sponsor, about how many of the kids in the club don't have access to gear or are stopped from doing trips for the lack of it.
Immediately the donations flowed in: enough basic gear to equip a handful of kids for 3 season local backpacking, as well as plenty of odds and ends to fill gaps in the gear of others.
A few years later, the club is still going and an entirely new batch of kids are taking the gear out. A group of ten went up the Sespe River just a few weeks ago.
I'm very fortunate to be able to work with these kids; I love their energy and I love being able to share my passion for the outdoors with them. Because of this club and their fellow members, many have taken their first-ever backpacking trips.
I wanted to put out a public thank you to all those that donated gear back in the day. The following pictures are of the first round of kids to benefit from these gear donations. All of it has remained in storage in my classroom to be used by future classes. I didn't post these pics years ago because rules about posting pics of current students are a bit strange…Everyone in these photos has long since graduated, though I keep in touch with them. Most are still getting out regularly.
Sorting donated gear during a lunch meeting
First club trip up the Sespe River
So once again, thanks to all of you that helped with this: Douglas Ide, Bill Law, Jack Elliot, Kevin Smith, Dan Durston, Danny Milks…
(If I'm spacing out and forgetting someone as aI write this, my apologies!)
Just wanted to let you all know the gear is still getting used and is greatly appreciated by my students.
