Bittersweet Season

Yesterday I had a day off to make up for the extra weekend days I have worked this month. We are at a point in the season where not everyone is working the same days, so yesterday everyone else worked. I used the day to work on a carpentry project that I have been putting off for months and, in essence, spent the day working between two projects PMOEC staff were dedicated to. Every break I took, I walked to the end of the barn where I was working and it was nice to see how hard the staff was working. They have gelled and are working incredibly efficiently; bike repair was going on to my left, to the right Tim lead a crew doing some insulation repairs to the footer of one of our dorms and, in the distance, I could hear the near constant hum of a chainsaw, indicating the ongoing process of chopping and splitting wood. Unfortunately, it is always this time of year that indicates that, while the staff is working incredibly well, the fall season is also winding down. We are preparing for our last two groups of the season, one of whom is our first group to be with us over Halloween in many years, and the other our first French Canadian group of the year. While looking forward to seeing the staff function at a high level through both of these visits, it is a bittersweet feeling; snow will definitely fly soon and another successful season will be behind us.

Come out on the 11th of November to our next Community Event; we will be hosting the Underground Railroad Experience at the 1812 Homestead. It is an amazing experience, being able to get a glimpse of the emotion of being a slave on the run in the North Country in 1850. We hope to see you there.

NYSOEA Weekend 2011

Leaving a family that is full of love for a weekend in a motel room does not create excitement. And yet, as the New York State Outdoor Education Association's Annual Conference in Callicoon, NY is drawing to an end, it clearly was a wonderful experience, despite the lack of family to spend time with.

I am a man who happily gave up my cell phone, but this weekend it would have come in handy. Buying a phone card and finding a pay phone- since the phone in my motel room has not worked since Irene- proved to be the most difficult part of the weekend. Everything else; workshops, commercial presentations, the exchanging of ideas, the development of an Environmental Literacy Plan and all of the extras proved to be inspiring. I am going home with many tweeks and additions to or current curriculum and can't wait to get back to work with so many fresh perspectives to bring back to PMOEC.

The lack of phone also permits me only to give you second hand emailed reports on the success of this weekend's Haunted Homestead back in Willsboro but Tim's report included the chill inspiring thought that "it really seemed to fit what I had
pictured in my [Tim's] head." What a great initial report. More to come on Haunted Homestead in next week's update. Until then.

Coming and Going

Weird title, I know. I just wanted to emphasize what has come to PMOEC this fall and what is going on today. This fall has been one of the best seasons I have had in my experience at Pok-O and the staff has been responsible for so much of that! I have been screaming this from the mountain tops and, more pertinent to the internet readers, the soon to be published 'Pok-O-Press, but I'll say it again- THE STAFF HAS BEEN GREAT! Groups have benifited from their knowledge and we have benifited from having such a comfortable community. And now, as we hit the home stretch of the fall season, they are preparing one of the most unique Haunted Homestead programs that I have seen. Its late notice, I know, but those of you in the Willsboro area should come out between 7-9 Friday for the scary stuff, 4-6 on Saturday for family activities and then again Saturday from 7-9 for the scary stuff.

This weekend, I will not be participating in the Haunted Homestead as this year's annual meeting of the New York State Outdoor Education Association begins today and runs through Sunday. I will be leaving in a few hours to attnd this years meeting and hope to give you an update (or two) from the meeting.

On that note, lets commit to this relationship- I will do my best to get more posts up and you will do your best to read them. Fortunately we are both doing our part today, but stick with me and keep an eye on the Pok-O community through this visual eye. See you soon.