Trackers Year in Review: 200924thDecember
Its true, there's a Trackers Family. One day it was just there. We get together over food we gather, land we love and stories that make us both laugh and cry. For anyone listening during this holiday season, here's a couple of the tales we lived this, the Fifth full year of Trackers.
Last Winter we moved upstairs. We admit, the first Scout Pit was, well, a concrete basement. It was placed in the right place in this Willamette Valley, next to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and convenient to parents, families and our grown-up students. Yet it was still a concrete basement. Now we reside in a well lit, high ceilinged room with wood floors and a real kitchen.
Spring brought a new newsletter format. Folks have told us they appreciate the regular and articulate communication. To us the simpler newsletters made way for fantastic conversation with our readers and community members.
Summer Camps rocked! It was probably the biggest and the best year for Trackers Summer Camps. Between Bend, the Bay Area and Portland we served over 1000 kids and their families. We're not saying we're perfect, we're just very proud of what we've accomplished. We honestly know what we gave to our community was heartfelt, caring and awesome. We believe Trackers 2009 camps set a gold standard in youth programs. We went far beyond nature education that only plays games augmented by canned curriculum; focusing on real adventures and real life learning, doing everything possible to make a week that was epic and wondrous for the kids we work with. Did I mention we're darn proud of our youth staff.
In Fall we moved into the Trackers Homestead Many say this is one of the most beautiful places they've ever visited. I agree, though I'm biased because I get to live there. With the homestead Trackers also took on 11 chickens, 3 goats and one dog (Wesley). Charlemagne the Rabbit also likes his new home (no more Scout Pit) yet wants everyone to know he's still "King of Trackers"; in spite of all the furred, feathered and scaled friends that have shown up.
This Winter...
We gained a wood shop and youth woodworking courses. We also refocused our Trackers Kids programs on our Houses & Guilds curriculum; think of it as an tool to build more community connections with like minded friends and families. Our Immersion program started on its new "term" system and its producing fantastic results.
The coming year is already looking to bring more awesome growth to Trackers…
Early Winter 2010 Tony (me) is true retiring from my role (thank goodness) and we're getting an awesome new executive director. Right now "who" is a secret but we will introduce her in an upcoming newsletter.
Summer 2010 Our first major family camp will bring together "everyone" possible at Trackers. That's when our Houses & Guilds curriculum will go into full swing; giving the families we work with a major role in directing the community of Trackers.
Fall 2010 We'll be introducing a 9-month Jungle-Marine Immersion program that takes place on the ocean and in Costa Rica. It will be all residential. Living in a beautiful house on a tropical bay with awesome surfing conditions is included.
Late Fall 2010 A 46-foot sailboat will become the flagship of our Portland Trackers boats. Its a Formosa 51, the same kind of sailboat used in the movie Captain Ron (with Kurt Russel and Martin Short).
2010-2011 We're looking for even more land to care for. This time around we'll be creating a community & wilderness retreat center. A Shire and Hobbiton for Trackers families, friends and programs to gather. Whether 2010 or 2011, we'll wait until we find the perfect place. If you know of a piece of wild land near even more wild land that needs some Portland hunter-gatherer love, then let us know. Oregon Coast or Cascade Range can apply.
A lot more is planned with not enough room list all of it. Plus, there will be those great opportunities we simply cannot predict while we embark on the great adventure of next year. We look forward to being surprised by this wonderful world and people we work with.
