The other day I was in a video to help spread the word about BEYOND LIMITS and was asked why am I a member. I think it’s hard to sum up in 30 seconds why I’m a member of BL so I thought I’d write a blog post to elaborate.
A couple years ago I lost my job. After a few hard months of trying to put my life back together I decided to go back to school. That’s when I met Dr. J.
She took me under her wing and has been my mentor for the past two years. She’s not your typical professor. She worries when you don’t show up to class, she’s quick to give you feedback and she puts up with all my idiosyncrasies.
I’m not just her student, I’m also her work study, which makes me like a sidekick. Last summer I volunteered to help create a website and a TV commercial for BEYOND LIMITS. Since then I’ve been by her side helping her with BL’s web stuff and any graphic arts ideas she has.
I got my start with BL because I like solving problems. I’m all about technical details and getting things to work. Many of the folks I’ve worked with throughout my career are big picture. It’s easy to come up with a concept, but the devil is in the details. My job is to provide answers.
There are so many pieces to the Appalachian Trail Adventure and since its inception I’ve had the privilege of keeping track of all the logistical bits. There have been moments where I’ve been overwhelmed with data, but Dr. J has been there to keep me on course.
I’d like to give you some altruistic explanation as to why I’m a member of BL, but there really isn’t one for me. If I had to nail down the root cause of my involvement, it would have to be curiosity.
Planning something like the ATA pulls you in so many different directions, there’s not a dull moment. It takes a lot for something to interest me and hold my attention and I attribute my continued curiosity to all of the facets of this journey.
Most folks join the military or seek God when they feel compelled to be part of something bigger than themselves: I just want to say “I did that.” Being part of BL gives me a sense of accomplishment, something I haven’t had in a while.
There are plenty of reasons to join BEYOND LIMITS and for me it’s the possibility to learn something new every day.