Thursday, February 18, 2010

Meat on a Stick Time!

What is that smell I smell?  Is that the visceral and distant calling of the wild upon my modern intellect, or is it simply the ancient practice of cooking meat over a campfire that brings the tendrils of feral game and burning wood to my flaring nostrils?


I am excited about camping and camping we will do next week.  Last year about this time the idea came to me to form a group to promote fellowship and inner development for young men who were buddies of my son, Nick Marshall and to honor his memory and I did, but this is the first chance we have had to exercise or execute an activity.
I called it the Baytown Hiking Fellowship and it is defined thusly on our website: 

"Fellowship is offered to qualifying men through referrals by members to both young and older in support of their efforts to pursue mental health and higher ideals through fellowship with other men while hiking and camping within the borders of Texas. As a general guideline, members are those who have demonstrated a desire to better themselves through hiking, camping, men’s fellowship, hard work, personal devotionals, self-improvement, sharing and mentoring and again, must come through a referral by an existing member".

This month we will make our way to Pedernales Falls State Park, close to Johnson City for our first fellowship.  It will consist of four days of camping, hiking, fellowship, and personal development.  I am also requiring each attendee to bring a skill to share.  My skill will be GPS orienteering and operation with geocaching as an objective.

Many of those attending have lost one or more parents, close friends, or sibling(s) and are in desperate need of a certain amount of healing and this is the real goal behind our fellowship. Some just need others around them who care about their future and we will supply this as well and then there is the very real need for all of us to simply get outside and rediscover our American pioneering spirit.

Over the last year, I’ve been scouring the area for sleeping bags, old tents, blankets – anything I could find to ready us for this day, as well as looking for sponsors.  It’s my goal that the fellowship will grow beyond me and become self-sufficient and by this I mean that it will not revolve around me, but develop those we mentor so they will carry this into their own maturity.
In our group we have an age range from as young as six to my age of fifty-seven.  We have two Dads with sons, a number of very stable adults, and quite a good number of twenty-something younger men - and all of us are very excited.  It’s a grand time for all concerned and we are beginning to amp up.Me?  I want to “do like Zog do” and hold meat over the fire, albeit on a stick instead of holding it in my hand and I want to do it in the company of those who are more used to holding a game controller, than a hiking pole.

Last week I inventoried my camping gear and it’s all setting beside my desk as I write this.  One of my nephews, Andy Tallant is coming by today to practice setting up his tent.  We plan to set it up, tear it down and then set it up again.  I’ll do the same with mine.

We are expecting the weather to be anywhere between 25 degrees F. to 60, so we are preparing for anything and everything and that is the luxury of Park camping over back-packing.  We can carry a lot of gear.  After all, our goal is not survival training, at least not at this juncture, but to get away from our routine and enjoy the outdoors, a roaring campfire and best of all – men who care enough about other men’s future to help them along.
*cartoon from The Far Side by Gary Larson

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

May your trip be exceedingly blessed!
sincerely. BT

Anonymous said...

Mr. Bert, I admire your diligence to answering of your calling.
Fred

Terry said...

I'm not able to make this trip Bert, but I do plan on "gearing" up for a future outting. I appreciate what you are doing to save this next generation. May God grant you all a safe and enjoyable camping experience.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for men such as yourself, as well as the others who are involved in this effort ! We all too often hear of the men in today's society who are labeled as "degenerates", who "prey on", and "take advantage of" our youth ! It's very refreshing to hear of activities, such as this, that will mentor and establish a healthy environment for these young men, that will serve to strenghten and encourage them as they journey through their lives in the future !!! Kudos & Blessings For Your God-given Vision !!! Brother Beau

Anonymous said...

Thank God for men such as yourself, as well as the others who are involved in this effort ! We all too often hear of the men in today's society who are labeled as "degenerates", who "prey on", and "take advantage of" our youth ! It's very refreshing to hear of activities, such as this, that will mentor and establish a healthy environment for these young men, that will serve to strenghten and encourage them as they journey through their lives in the future !!! Kudos & Blessings For Your God-given Vision !!! Brother Beau

Anonymous said...

Hey Bert - This is really great - Based on my getting a referral some other time, I'd love to be able to join you, but my presence will be in spirit this time. Peace, Steve

Anonymous said...

Looks like fun. i might try it...if i could ever get off the couch. JF

Anonymous said...

If my son,age 22, wanted to join,he would not be able to because we know no one in your organization? Kdmuck71

. . . . . said...

Seriously, you didn't even identify yourself. LOL I cannot at this time admit people I do not know.

Anonymous said...

Why would I have to identify myself to uncover that you discriminate against the general public? Kdmuck71@aol.com

. . . . . said...

I am not an organization. I am one person trying to make a difference in a few young men's life. You are simply an annoying anonymous person creating trouble. If you do indeed have a 22 year old son, I suggest you take control of your own life first, then there might be a future for your son. Until you identify yourself, you will be treated as a spammer.

Anonymous said...

This is a very worthwhile undertaking, Bert. Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another". Hence, we are all to do as you are doing. I really enjoyed those days I spent camping with my sons. BE

Anonymous said...

It will be awesome I'm gonna take down a bear with my bare hands! AT

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