What was your first experience with HIOBS?
My first Outward Bound experience was an invitational, 1 week sailing course on the coast of Maine. HIOBS founder and President Peter Willauer and VP George Armstrong had assembled a pulling boat full of administrators from youth organizations around New England. The mission was to educate and interest the participants in HIOBS with a first hand experience on the Maine coast. At the time, I was Operations Director at our Florida STEP base and they felt I would be a good addition to the watch as several folks were very interested in programs for youth at risk. It was a great experience and I stayed in close touch with several of the team members for many years beyond the course. During the course I was able to also play an assistant instructor role with HIOBS legends, Peals Wrobel, Bob Weiler, Bob Flight, and Peter Willauer.
How did you develop your love for the outdoors?
For a NYC kid, the great outdoors included playing stick ball at PS 200 in Queens, which was within a block of the apartment I grew up in. My sister married and purchased some property in the NY Catskills and I loved heading up-state to catch some fresh air and learn to sleep without police/fire or ambulance sirens buzzing all night. My love for outdoor education and hands on learning was nurtured during my college years especially at Unity College, where I graduated in the first class of Outdoor Education majors and was mentored by George Armstrong. George would soon be hired by Peter Willauer to run the Special Programs division of HIOBS. Within three months of his departure, George called me with a job offer to run logistics and base site operations of the STEP program near Fernandina Beach, Fl.
My challenges and responsibilities at STEP seemed to grow each year as the Special Programs division was rapidly growing at HIOBS. The school had considerable contracts at 5 bases in Florida, a developing base in Baltimore and Philly and thriving year-round wilderness programs in Maine, New Hampshire and the Florida Keys. HIOBS was considered one of the largest Outward Bound Schools in the global OB system. Over a 5 year period at STEP, I moved from logistics to course director and finished my last two years as program director. While at STEP I also instructed a 30 day course.
What is your favorite Outward Bound memory?
My favorite Outward Bound memories are of the young people who returned to the STEP base with their families to look around. They were so proud to show off the place and the people that had made such a positive impact in their lives. I have memories of the many folks I challenged to come do a course and who came back glowing with stories of renewal, new found strength and excitement to take on their world! I also remember my first 200 ft free hanging rappel, pushing back the line in the sand to trust, and the sweet memory of howling all the way down the vertical Ragged Jack feeling like there is nothing I cannot do!
What are you up to these days?
I’m back helping the HIOBS family promote our courses through outreach/recruiting and coordinating many of the HIOBS scholarship partnerships. Like many a Mainerrr, I wear a few other hats, managing some properties in Portland, coaching, and always figuring ways to fish, and enjoy the outdoor life. On the family side we are a 5 for 5 HIOBS family as mom, dad, and all three kiddos are HIOBS alums. My daughter Jess found a love of the sea on her HIOBS 14 day sail which promoted her to take a SEA course in her Jr. year at RWU and sail 3000 miles from Tahiti to Hawaii on a tall ship. Both boys enjoyed their courses and highlighted their HIOBS experiences in their college essays.