Lookin' for something worthwhile to do while enjoying your hobby?

[Staci Matheis]

Last night, at Mark's (MOFish) invitation, I attended a meeting of the Canoe Guides here in St. Louis. They are a part of the area Boy Scouts and I assume that every region has a similar group........



These guys spend a coupla-three weekends every year taking scouts and other youngsters out canoeing, fishing and boating! Both as instructional for Merit Badges and just simply to share their love of the outdoors!



The group I was with last night has 2 special projects in store this year: First, they are going to construct a floating fish cleaning station at the lake the Boy Scouts use.



Second, those who have boats are taking kids from a school for the blind out in the lake to go fishin'!!!! WOW!! Ain't that great!!!! That REALLY touches my heart!



There were, I'd guess, about 40 guys at the meeting last night....... Everyone from the young, strong and healthy (like Mark) to withered, old men like me! They had one, common goal: Help others to enjoy their favorite sport!



I don't know right at this point how much assistance I'll be able to give - Mark, I'm even a bigger kluts with a hammer than you are - but it is my intention to make myself available when they need a helping hand with an extra canoe or someone to stick a worm on a hook for a kid!



THANKS for the introduction, Mark!



me!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Please let me expand on one of my comments just a bit......



A few years ago, I did some volunteer work on the Suicide Hotline...... Before we were allowed to go anywhere near the phones, we had to complete some pretty extensive training........ One exercise in that training was that we were teamed up in two's. One person would keep their eyes closed while the other lead. You could only touch each other with one hand at a time; the leader held their arm in a stiff "L" at their side so that the "blind" person could sense every move they made. We lead each other up the back stairs of the building, through the hallways and back down to the ground floor. All the while, introducing the "blind" person to objects along the way to touch, feel and sense....... When we got back, we switched so that we could each experience both sides of the relationship......



I can't begin to tell you just how difficult this all was........ Being the "sighted" person was rough enough....... But being the "blind" partner........ You are VULNERABLE....... So very vulnerable....... You must put complete trust in the other person........ Someone you may or may not know....... Someone you may or may not even like.......



Mark, put me down to help out that weekend.



God bless!

me!



P.S. On the lighter side........ My partner was Lisa H.; mid-20's and one of the sweetest women you'd ever want to meet! While I was leading her, she broke the "one-hand-only" rule........ With her free hand, she reached out and rubbed the top of my noggin......... She explained why she had violated the directive: "I've never touched a bald man's head before!"

 

[Mark Hofman]

Scott:



I'm really glad you came to the planning meeting and that we could meet face-to-face. Thanks for the enthusiasm and interest.



The last time we took the blind scout troop out, the youngster in our boat had to "feel" everything, including the mixture setting on the outboard motor! Two years ago, we took a troop of deaf scouts out, and the year before that it was a group of scouts with autism and other developmental disabilities.



It really is a privilege to take these special people out on our lake and give them the experience of catching a fish. Our last deaf scout even out-fished the two Guides!



Anyway, I'm really glad you took my invitation seriously and came, and I'm looking forward to "guiding" you around the lake on Saturday this spring. The Canoe Guides are as much a fun-loving group as everyone on this board. Too bad all of us "Nitro heads" are so scattered around the country! Try to imagine two or three Rally's per year! That's what the Canoe Guides are like.



Mark