Thursday, February 15, 2007


A Unique Classroom
Many of you know that when Joy worked with the adventure program at Westminster college, her colleague, Steve Montgomery, was asked by the college to develop a graduate program in adventure education. Francois and Steve taught graduate students and CCO staff in this program for the last couple of years until Westminster closed the program. Ever since, we have been looking for a new partnering institution to accredit the program. Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU) has expressed interest in partnering with the CCO to re-open the graduate program. CCO staff are excited about this as are students we met at the Wilderness Education Association conference last week. WJU is currently reviewing our proposal. Check out the website that Joy designed for the program http://web.mac.com/outdoorleadership. We should know in a month or two if we have the green light from WJU and look forward to start teaching this summer.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Francois and Steve Nystrom taught a Wilderness First Responder recertification class for CCO staff a few weeks ago. We spent three days together at Ligonier Camp brushing up on our backcountry medical skills. With 16 spring break trips going out next month, the course was a good review for situations we'd rather not find ourselves in but ones we need to be prepared for. Francois has been teaching these courses for CCO staff and students through SOLO, a school for wilderness medicine and rescue (www.soloschools.com).
Here's a video from our time together.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Our new "ER"

OLT folks (Outdoor Leadership Team of the CCO) often get teased for the abundant use of acronyms. It's true we like to abbreviate ("I need to get my WFR and ITC before LDW so I can be a WEA NSP CI!")
Anyway, our ER (Equipment Room), pending board approval, will soon be housed in this big barn. Many thanks to a wonderful family who loves to support the work of the OLT, we will have a clean, dry, spacious and free place to store our gear all in one place. It is also a quiet place where staff and students can spend a day or two packing, preparing, and getting aquainted before trips, as well as drying out, unpacking and having space for reflection on the experience they just had.
In the 20+ years the CCO has owned equipment for adventure activities, God has always provided a place at little to no cost for the ER. As we move out of Cabot, PA, we are thankful for the last family who generously gave their space and smiles. And, we celebrate the provision of a new place with limitless potential for transforming college students!