Day 1574: The leadership team

Quest doesn't feel real until this night when all our friends are gathered together for the annual meeting of adult and student leaders.  Everyone is so happy to see each other.  There's lots of laughter, hugging, smiles.  Brigitte shared that she opened her pack lately and found....wait for it....last year's lunch!  Plus, a coil of rope and a trowel.  Fortunately, the bag was tied tightly so the smell was contained.

We start with introductions.  Name, years of service, grade, school, maybe a funny story.  The years are a badge of honor.  I'm sure I've written about this each year after this meeting, but tonight was different.

Tonight, Steve and I split the content.  He discussed the schedule and route, food, accidents, safety, discipline and behavior.  I took over and spoke about the composition of the roster.  A really complicated process with lots of challenges.  Kids with dietary needs are our major health concern this year.

Then, I told everyone about the progress on the book, my research into the publishing process and discovery of the need to cut words.  I thanked them for their contributions, for sitting for interviews and reviewing chapters and for liking the Facebook page.

But, the most important thing I spoke about was the future of Quest.  We will continue for one to five years, but no more, because that would make us 75 and 72.  That's enough.  We're planning to get Quest to 30, and then we'll see.  We are a bicoastal family now and we can't see our kids because we are doing this and musical.  Our thinking at this point is that musical will end before Quest, because they have plenty of volunteers while that is not the case for backpacking.

I expressed our concern over the lack of people stepping forward to lead, but not take over and that it would break my heart to see Quest end.  Well, my heart will be broken whenever we part from these dear people and the activity I love so much.

The touching, heartfelt parts came next.  Anna came to me with a question and a gift.  Can she please have her cellphone because her goats are expecting any day.  She needs it in case they go into labor and if something goes wrong, her mom will have to come pick her up.  That's a first. Love that girl.  And Shane, he melts my heart.  He's a hike group leader this year.  He's scared and excited and nostalgic.  He's already sad that this will probably be his last Quest.  His jobs with the forest service will be seasonal, from April to November, and that will close out Quest.  And he has plans to backpack all over the world.  With no strings on him, he can do anything and I know great adventures await him.

That's the reason for the book.  Even if Quest ends here in Fredonia, maybe it will live on somewhere else.

A Christmas ornament gift from Anna T.