Director's Cut

by Debbie Northcutt, Executive Director
Science-fiction author Robert A. Heinlein once wrote: "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

That is quite a list.  From time to time all of us will face problems that can't be addressed with a laptop and a cellphone. In a genuine emergency, having some basic manual skills could be the difference between surviving comfortably and being totally helpless. Wilderness Volunteers not only gives people a way to become stewards of their public lands, but also to learn new skills that might come in handy in other situations.

In this vein, we would like to invite you to sign up for the Wilderness First Aid course we are sponsoring April 17 - 20th outside Salt Lake City. We started out offering this course only to WV staff, but we realize that the skills learned are valuable to participants too. Everyone benefits from learning how to deal with illness and accidents.

The course content is provided by the Wilderness Medicine Institute, and includes lectures and hands-on practice in a friendly setting. The $175 fee includes the course content, camping space and food as well as transportation to and from the Salt Lake City airport. Come expand your skill set!