Archive for the ‘Alumni’ Category

Sanborn Alums in Action: Rediscovering the Great American Prairie Project

Thursday, May 9th, 2013

From Montana to Missouri on horseback, for grassland conservation

Tenacity. Persevarance.  Spirit. Unbridled adventure. A deep respect for the natural world and the lessons it teaches you: those of humbleness, responsibility, and connectedness.

These are the things that you carry with you after spending a summer (or 4) at Sanborn. As a camper for many summers, and then as an assistant counselor, I left Sanborn with a sense that things that at first glance seem undoable (climbing Mt. Princeton at dawn, taking 15 8 year olds on a backcountry expedition, cleaning the dining hall after 150 campers pass through its Sunday buffet) are achievable when they coincide with an equal dose of determination and fun.

It is impossible to drive down the dirt road in Florissant after a summer at High Trails without discovering an intense respect and appreciation for the vast beauty and explosive grandeur of the natural world. You gain this at Sunday Vespers, as you sit and watch the sky light up in flame and paint a snow flecked Pikes Peak delicate pinks and fierce reds. You gain it when you listen to the clash and crackle of Aspen leaves around you. You begin to develop an environmental ethic. My own includes a sense of responsibility to be a thoughtful and engaged steward of this land and earth.  To look at the world around me and inquire what my place is within it.

With this in mind, I have developed a project, along with my colleague Sebastian Tsocanos, that aims to put this ethic into action. We will traverse the North American Great Plains on horseback to increase public understanding and appreciation of a region that is absolutely pivotal to conservation efforts in North America. Through education and outreach, from both scientific and artistic perspectives, we will engage a wide audience in an investigation of the issues that affect this vitally important region. We will explore what our legacy as stewards of this land has been and what it might become, shaking hands with the landscape and the people who call it home.

We will produce a documentary film that will share the beauty of the landscape and the perspectives of the people we meet along the way. It will be used as an educational tool to promote greater local and national involvement in determining the future of an ecologically imperative region.  After we complete the ride, we will present our film at high schools, universities, and other groups, giving talks nationwide promoting conservation of this enormously important region and challenging communities to become involved in its story. In addition, we will exhibit our work at galleries around the country, combining art, conservation, community, and education to deepen ecological understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

Temperate grasslands are the least protected biome on earth, and our own are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our project aims to increase understanding of their fragile state and volatile future and contribute to the growing momentum of grasslands conservation today.

The project requires support–financial and otherwise. For the financial aspect, we have started a fundraising campaign with IndieGoGo, and hope you’ll contribute. You can learn more about our project and make a donation at our Indiegogo page. Please check out it out at: www.indiegogo.com/projects/rediscovering-the-great-american-prairie

Your contributions are so very appreciated, and we’ve arranged some great perks for donors, including photographic prints, and horseshoes thrown from the road!

Learn more about the project and follow us on the road at our website:www.RediscoverThePrairie.org

Please help us make it happen by passing our Indiegogo link on to family, friends, colleagues, and campers. Tweet about it, post it on your Facebook, talk to friends about it. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support and we can’t wait to share our stories with you from the road!

-Robin Walter, High Trails Camper 97,98,99, 2006; High Trails Staff 09-

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Posted in Alumni, Benefits of Summer Camp, Outdoor Education, Sanborn Western Camps, Uncategorized, alum event | No Comments »

Summer 2012: The 50th Summer of High Trails

Monday, April 9th, 2012

2012 is the 50th Anniversary of High Trails so it seems like a little trip down memory lane is appropriate. High Trails opened in 1962 with the lodge and four cabins: The Infirmary, Jumping Juniper, Gold Hut, and Kinnikinnik. Big Spring had been around for 14 years and a lot of the boys who attended Big Spring had sisters who were also interested in camp, so they were ready and willing to come to High Trails. In 1962, there were about 35 girls in each term.

This was before backpacking, so for cabinside overnights the girls would hike to a spring tank on the property, and Nasty Ned or another guy would deliver their Baker tents (three sided green canvas contraptions which had ten foot wooden poles and weighed about 50 pounds—five people could sleep in one but they were not at all watertight), food, large heavy grills and number #10 cans for cooking (no cook kits then).

The whole camp went together by hired bus on off-camp trips and the regular bus drivers became part of the community. These included three or four day trips to Ashcroft near Aspen which included a visit to the sled dogs at Toklat. These included Yukon King, Sergeant Preston’s famous companion (for those of you under 70, “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” was a popular radio/TV show. Just so you know, I had to look it up on Google). Another “long” trip was to the Sand Dunes—the tents here were huge bus tents which weighed hundreds of pounds and had to be set up by the bus drivers. They slept about 25 and were stifling— everyone slept outside unless it was pouring rain.

The whole camp went to the River together (none of the rafts had bottoms and no one had a life jacket so Jaws could be pretty exciting) and to Cripple Creek to watch the melodrama. For in-camp program, everyone chose “Big Deals” and “Little Deals”–programs that met several times each term. There was a horseback riding Big Deal, a hiking Big Deal, a crafts Big Deal and even a dance Big Deal. And on Sunday, everyone wore tan and white, Laura’s favorite colors, had coffee cake for breakfast, and went to Sunday Rocks in the evening (we still have coffee cake and go to Sunday Rocks but the tan and white “uniform” is no longer.)

There were coed events with Big Spring and the advent of High Trails changed Big Spring in some profound ways. Probably the most significant change was that the boys started showering at least one a week. Status was also added to the roles of trash man, who got to pick up garbage at High Trails, and Assistant Counselors, who got to do dishes at High Trails on a rotating basis. Now, of course, the HT Assistant Counselors are girls and the girls do their own trash—but most of the boys still shower on Saturday before the coed event. This was also the beginning of the Camp Marriage Count (now at #66).

Ah, those were the good old days……

Enjoyed this journey down memory lane?  Get a monthly update (and often a giggle) by signing up for our Alum e-News.  To subscribe send an e-mail to jane@sanbornwesterncamps.com and write in the subject line, “Add Me to the Alum e-News”.  We won’t sell, distribute or otherwise try and use your email to buy stuff at the camp store.

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Posted in Alumni, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Education, High Trails Blog Project, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

The Happy Wanderer(s) — Jeff Joyce & Stacy Robinson

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

As much as Jeff and Stacey loved the four-a-week hoedowns at HTOEC, it was time to move along.

Since last fall, the two moved back east to Harrisonburg, Virginia. Stacey began working for the VA hospital as a case manager with a program called “Hand-in Hand.”

Jeff has been working “like a mad-man,” Stacey told me, launching a number of food trucks in northern Virginia. Jeff has three trucks ready to launch by St. Patrick’s Day.

“We just hired a General Manager who is creating the menu and spends his days making food for the first truck – drum roll please … its going to be a chili and mac-n-cheese truck!” Stacey said. “We eat our body weight in mac-n-cheese tasting all the different variations.”

Ahem … commence Chili Dance.

They hope to have 49 trucks (whoa!) over the course of the next few years. And even though it’s a lot of work, they’re excited to embark a creative endeavor.

So what else goes on in rural Harrisonburg? Well …

“Outside that, we have been training for the Shenandoah 100 miler!” Stacey said. “It’s a 100-mile mountain bike race that just very well may be the end of us. It’s in September, so we got some time to beef up and get ready.”

Oh yeah. Almost forgot.

Jeff and Stacey will be getting married on June 9! We shall keep you posted on the two’s big day.

Until then, hands up, chili chili.

(This is part two of a series entitled, “The Happy Wanderer,” which explores what interesting things our Sanborn alum are doing these days.)







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Posted in Alumni, Colorado Outdoor Education Center, High Trails Outdoor Education Center, Professional Development, The Happy Wanderer | No Comments »

The Happy Wanderer — Falcon Craft-Rubio

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

(This is part one of a series entitled, “The Happy Wanderer,” which explores what interesting things our Sanborn alum are doing these days.)

Our fellow Big Spring Warrior, HTOEC teacher, and Art Barn extraordinaire, Falcon Craft-Rubio, headed back to Texas this winter and began an interesting creative company with his family called Bexar Goods Co..
Check out this video where, yes indeed, that’s Falcon hammering away:
I was able to get a hold of this busy bee recently, and he gave me some good perspective on not only his business model, but how Sanborn helped pave the way:

David: This is such an interesting creative field to move into–how excited are you about everything that’s going on? How has this changed things for you?
Falcon: Its an exciting new adventure. It’s been a learning experience. I’ve had a lot of fun designing and becoming more familiar with hand-crafted goods.  We all have enjoyed each step of starting Bexar Goods Co.
D: So how did the whole Bexar operation begin? Out of a dream? Out of the BS craft shop?
F: Bexar Goods was inspired by rugged classic designs . The initial idea was to start with a quality made wallet or bag.  Then expanding on that idea of well made durable products. Bexar Goods is different from a lot because of the quality and promise of our products. We are not a trend based company. Bexar Goods started to create products we wanted to use ourselves. For the active, rugged and adventurous man.
D: What’s been your role thus far, and has this been an entirely new thing for you, and/or what’s been a challenge in starting a whole company?
F: Bexar Goods Co is a collaborative operation along with Christian Craft (brother) and Guy Rubio (cousin).  We equally have had input and creative leadership on each of our diverse products.   Creatively we had no outside help, it was all in the family. We first started with the concept and mission.  Then we created our makers mark that prompted our product and website design. Each Bexar Goods design is an overall group effort to insure that the vision is executed to meet our standards.  What’s great about Bexar Goods is that we build off of each other. I might have an idea for a new product and both Christian and Guy will build on it to make it better.  I work specifically as the one of the craftsman, stitching our carry goods.  As well as designing new products.
D: Where did the name “Bexar” (pronounced “bear”, correct?) come from? And how did it all begin, basically?
F: Its the county we live in. Also has multiple meanings and true to the origin, Bear, Bare, and Bexar. Natural, raw and where we are from.
D: Are there any ideas/skills/dreams that came from Sanborn? Or was this something you started to dream up before you came/in the off months of camp?
F: Sanborn Western Camps is an inspiring place itself and teaches a lot of self discovery and encourages people, young and old to grow and learn about the outdoors. Bexar Goods is a company based on these same principles. We don’t have limitations, we are free to grow in any which way we desire.
D: What makes your company different from anything else out there? (product-wise, materials, vision/mission)
F: Bexar Goods Co. is quality hand-made products that instills the ideas of proud local products that a lot of the bigger corporations claim but not necessarily execute correctly.  Bexar Goods promises each product is individualistic, and built to be handed to the next generation.  The materials we use are of the highest quality and bought locally in America.
D: Would your product outlast a 5-day horse trip/a summer at camp / hail, lightening, hellstorm-proof?
F: Well only if Claude approves. Flashy might put our products to the test.
D: Where do you see yourselves at the end of 2012?
F: We would like to continue making the highest quality products and striving to improve and being well-respected.
D: Do you all make Ella-size (Ryan & Ashley’s) baby tote bags/baby bjorns (Christmas idea)?
F: She can have anything she wants.
D: Anything you would like all your campers (fans) to know?
F: I Zigga Zumba.
D: Any other thoughts on Bexar for now?
F: We wanted to thank Sanborn for supporting our small family business and for being that special place where people can continue to learn and exceed expectations. Thank you for everything , Falcon Craft-Rubio.

Posted in Alumni, High Trails Outdoor Education Center, Professional Development, Sanborn Western Camps, The Happy Wanderer, Video | No Comments »