editor’s note
At a young age, my grandfather opened my eyes to the excitement of the outdoor
adventure. While sitting under a majestic white oak, shadowed by its heavy branches
full of acorns, my grandfather whittled and carved. i watched his rough hands work
patiently, He would gaze over his wire-rimmed glasses and pipe, smile and continue
with no words spoken. i waited anxiously as he carved a gift that would change my
life forever. He worked each whittle as it would be his last, carving delicately into the
tender cane. Occasionally, he would pause and hold the
“cane stick.” Soon the beauty of its origin would unfold and
i would become the proud recipient of my first cane fishing
pole. With tears in his eyes, i hugged him and hurried to
make my “first cast.”
my grassroots, of a traditional outdoor family experience,
was fostered in pond to lake fishing. Freshwater fishing was
a great way of life for my family…my Dad, grandmother
and i would fish every chance we could. The three of us
would load up and motor to Lake Jordan, located in elmore
County, Alabama. The power of genetics blessed my family
with height (on my Dad’s side), so the small aluminum bass
boat was a challenge in itself. Through those youthful years,
i discovered my passion and listened to call of the outdoor
adventure.
Though experiencing many challenges; parents and grandparents passing, divorce, professional changes, economic
adjustment, two children, my heart has never lost the
passion for the outdoors. As i faced each challenge, i
discovered that three areas of my life were constant and
kept my focus on my vision…prayer, passion and pursuit.
perseverance and sacrifice, to create an outdoor educational adventure for women, and families, empowered my
mission With determination, and a tiny window of opportunity, my daughter and i took the risk. Through the s