2008 Woodie Awards
USA recreation opportunities abound
April Kelso
Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/29/07 Section: News
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Vanguard: What do you like most about your job?
Randy Hunter: What is there NOT to like about this job. I get to plan great trips around the Southeast, I get to go on these trips and see gorgeous landscapes and meet interesting people, and I get to exercise in and breathe clean fresh air. It's all good.
V: What kind of events do you have?
H: Right now, we are locked into primarily canoeing/kayaking, camping and hiking trips. We have had a tour of Mobile and a workshop on canoeing/kayaking and a workshop on camping. We hope to build on this with mountain biking, rock climbing and big trips [for example the Grand Canyon] in years to come. We are crawling now, hope to be walking when we open the new Rec. Center, and will be running after a year or two in our new home.
V: Why do you have these events?
H: We have these events because we believe that a well rounded student should not just be exposed to intellectual ideas but also the world and environment in which he/she lives. Our motto is "Life is not a spectator sport."
V: How much do the events cost?
H: As little as $10 [moonlight paddle on Mobile Bay] to $165 [six days in Florida at three different parks]. Average trip is around $45.
V: Are there classes for people to get acquainted with the equipment before the trip?
H: We have pre-trip meetings to discuss equipment, food, clothes, weather, etc. But, we do want to start offering more classes next semester to build interest in the outdoors.
V: Where do students find equipment? And how much does it cost?
H: We provide all equipment on these trips, so a student needs only to bring themselves. However, if they did buy it, well, the cost ranges on a sleeping bag from $20 to $500. Like an automobile, there is a whole world of prices out there.
V: How many accidents have there been?
H: About seven years ago I went on a trip with Outdoor Rec - before I started working here - and was swinging on a rope out into a creek. The rope wound around my arm when I let go and I "hung myself" for a few seconds and within 5 seconds my arm ballooned up to twice its size; it is still misshapen to this day. Other than that, we don't allow accidents on our trips.
Randy Hunter: What is there NOT to like about this job. I get to plan great trips around the Southeast, I get to go on these trips and see gorgeous landscapes and meet interesting people, and I get to exercise in and breathe clean fresh air. It's all good.
V: What kind of events do you have?
H: Right now, we are locked into primarily canoeing/kayaking, camping and hiking trips. We have had a tour of Mobile and a workshop on canoeing/kayaking and a workshop on camping. We hope to build on this with mountain biking, rock climbing and big trips [for example the Grand Canyon] in years to come. We are crawling now, hope to be walking when we open the new Rec. Center, and will be running after a year or two in our new home.
V: Why do you have these events?
H: We have these events because we believe that a well rounded student should not just be exposed to intellectual ideas but also the world and environment in which he/she lives. Our motto is "Life is not a spectator sport."
V: How much do the events cost?
H: As little as $10 [moonlight paddle on Mobile Bay] to $165 [six days in Florida at three different parks]. Average trip is around $45.
V: Are there classes for people to get acquainted with the equipment before the trip?
H: We have pre-trip meetings to discuss equipment, food, clothes, weather, etc. But, we do want to start offering more classes next semester to build interest in the outdoors.
V: Where do students find equipment? And how much does it cost?
H: We provide all equipment on these trips, so a student needs only to bring themselves. However, if they did buy it, well, the cost ranges on a sleeping bag from $20 to $500. Like an automobile, there is a whole world of prices out there.
V: How many accidents have there been?
H: About seven years ago I went on a trip with Outdoor Rec - before I started working here - and was swinging on a rope out into a creek. The rope wound around my arm when I let go and I "hung myself" for a few seconds and within 5 seconds my arm ballooned up to twice its size; it is still misshapen to this day. Other than that, we don't allow accidents on our trips.
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