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User:DavidPickett/Sandbox1

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<David Pickett
Lakeland Village K-8 School
18730 Grand Ave.
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

LEUSD Technology Advisory Committee (DTAC)
Past BESTv, BES Webmaster
Past BES ERC & MAP Coordinator
Past LEUSD Safety Advisory Committee

E-Mail: pickett.public@verizon.net
http://www.lakelandvillageschool.org/
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I love working on Wikipedia articles and adding to its collection of knowledge. I find one glaring absence in Wikipedia, which is the LACK of Point of View and eyewitness accounts, which could greatly ADD to WIKIPEDIA if openly labeled as such in an article. How many people have BEEN THERE, and saw events occur, but don't have references or citations to back up their observations??

Also, A huge travesty occurred when Wikipedia decided to REMOVE all Elementary and Middle School Wikipedia pages, removing the history and information about those institutions which played a big part in their communities.

User workspaces

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User talk:DavidPickett
/Sandbox
User:DavidPickett/Userboxes
User:DavidPickett/Workspace

Wikipedia Involvement

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User Contributions

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List of my contributions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/DavidPickett)

PAST Webmaster for the following outside websites

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I was the orginal webmaster for Butterfield Elementary School (http://bes.leusd.k12.ca.us/) and wrote the orginal code from scratch HTML in about 1995-96 and updated regularly to new looks, etc.. It has now been taken off-line as the school is closed. During this time I purchased the original URL domain name www.butterfieldelementary.org. In about 2007 the district wanted a new, unified look, so I ported the old website information to match the look of the other district school sites with the district homepage at http://www.leusd.k12.ca.us/ I must say mine was the very best elementary site until the school was closed (see below). When Butterfield Elementary School was closed the students and staff were moved to join an existing middle school, formerly Lakeland Village Middle School, which then became Lakeland Village School K-8, my webmaster services were not wanted as they already had a middle school teacher held over who continued her duties with the school website. It continues as very active, but not at all in my sense of style for a school website. It can also be found at the domain name www.lakelandvillageschool.org, which I own. During this earlier period of time I also owned the domain URL, www.leusdreportcards.com as a shortcut to the then online version of teachers report card interface (which had a very long and complicated URL, which the district refused to do).

During this time (Aug. 2007) I also began to contribute to Wikipedia and wrote the original article for Butterfield Elementary School which received super high ratings in both Wikipedia:WikiProject California (a "B" rating which is in the top 1259 of 52,000 articles) and Wikipedia:WikiProject Schools (a "B" rating which is in the top 356 of over 50,800 articles!!) I've also created and made major contributions to many other articles (see below).

Butterfield Elementary School closed permanently after 28 years of service to the community in June 2010. Closing this particular school was a political decision made by the school district superintendent. Butterfield had always been an independently thinking entity, which became unacceptable to the district administration. The school board chose to close this school over several other older schools as there would be less outcry from the local community than from the other smaller and less efficient schools. The Butterfield community was less politically active and more fragmented that the other possible closures. I had outlined to the Board the ability to close up to 5 other schools by consolidation, which was not acceptable to the board. The $upposed $500,000 savings was lost in the first year by moving expenses and the $1,500,000 cost of conversion of the local middle school into a K-8 facility. DISCLAIMER:(Because of the unfiltered nature of blogs, any such site shall include a disclaimer that the district is not responsible for the content of the messages.per Board policy #AR 4040 Personnel Employee Use Of Technology)

I was also the original webmaster and wrote the original code for the unique and fantastic Ann Sullivan Preschool and Kindergarten, which my daughter Katie attended for several years (about 1994-97) through Kindergarten. It is found at http://www.annesullivanschool.com/ . About 5 years after my daughter left the school another parent took over the website. Although it has gone through several remakes (now on third version I believe) it continues to contain much of my original verbiage and layout.

Wikipedia Articles I created

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Major contributions

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Minor contributions

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Cleanups

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My lifeline and Interests

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My historical place in things

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This user has historical and practical knowledge
of particular events and places due to the following circumstances
1952 Born in Lancaster, California
1952 – 1956 Lived in Lancaster, California
1956 – 1963 Lived in Riverside, California
1958 – 1963 Attended Kindergarten – 5th grades at Pachappa School in Riverside
1963 – 1970 Lived in Boron, California
1963 – 1964 Attended 6th grade at Gephart School in Boron
1964 – 1970 Attended 7th – 12th grades at Boron Jr./Sr. High School
1970 – 1975 Lived in Ridgecrest, California
1970 – 1974 Attended the University of Redlands, in Redlands, California and earned BA in Business Administration/Economics
1974 – 1975 Attended the University of California, Riverside for education credential
1975 – 1983 Lived and taught elementary school in Needles, California
1983 – 1985 Lived in Redlands, California, worked as Dispatcher for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
1983 – 1986 God-daughter Chelie Watson born, lived, and died of complications from short bowel syndrome, at Loma Linda University Medical Center
1985 – 1986 Lived and taught elementary school at Eagle Mountain, California
1886 – Now Teaching elementary school in Lake Elsinore, California
1986 – 1987 Lived in Lake Elsinore, California
1987 – 1998 Lived in Sun City, California now part of Menifee, California
1990 Married Victoria Rose Steel (Newman-Neumann), Stepdaughter, age 8, Auriol Rose Louise Steel
1991 Daughter Catherine Rose Marie Pickett (Katie) born in Riverside, California
1996 – 1997 Attended Azusa Pacific University extension for Master's Degree in Education
1998 – Now Live in Canyon Lake, California
1999 – Now Looks like I've had a boring last ten years because nothing significant has changed except that my children have grown up!
2009 – 2010 The last year for Butterfield Elementary School as it was closed by the district
2010 – Now Work at Lakeland Village K-8 School
April 2010-– Earned my Amateur "HAM" radio license (Technician class)..I am now KJ6GRV, ..if I can ever figure out how to use my handheld radio...Yaesu FT-60R for Dummies! anyone?
2010 - 2016+ Been at Lakeland Village K-8 School, plans that Butterfield School may reopen by August 2015 for some students!!
2014 - Short-lived hope for return from exile. The school will be sold. Too high a cost to rebuild....
2017-- 2018 Last year of teaching, Eighth year at Lakeland Village School, 32nd year in Lake Elsinore, 41 years teaching overall.
June 2018 Beginning my retirement, and Vikky's also, going to England at the end of July to catch up with Vikky and her mother who went over in June.

My current and recent past activities

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School/work activities

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Well, I guess I haven't been doing EXACTLY nothing for the last 10 years...

  • BESTv Founder/Producer –(wrote the initial $25,000 grant)
  • BES School Webmaster –built and created http://bes.leusd.k12.ca.us/ in conjunction with the district's new

implementation of SchoolFusion, as well as all of the previous 3 iterations of Butterfield's websites (48,000 hits over the last 11 years)

  • BES Electronic Report Card Trainer/Mentor
  • MAP Testing Coordinator (Measures of Academic Progress- NWEA testing)
  • LEUSD Technology Advisory Committee (DTAC)
  • LEUSD Safety Advisory Committee

Non-school activities

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  • Wikipedia Editor – Creator or major contributor to several dozen Wikipedia articles
  • Lake Elsinore Citizen's Corps member
  • Canyon Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee
  • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Certification/ CPR/ AED/ First Aid – certified, Ham License- KJ6GRV

My travels

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This user has historical and practical knowledge
of particular events and places due to the following circumstances

- Has visited England, primarily London, as wife is property owner in Chelsea, for long periods, cumulatively more than 9 months
- Have visited England in 1982, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014- most trips 3-5 weeks
- Next to last trip to England- June–July 2012 for a full month, with wife and daughter Katie.
- Next to last trip to England- -July 2014 for 2 1/2 weeks, Vikky spent 3 weeks due to funeral of her sister-in-law.
- Last trip to England- -July 2014

My family

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I was born in 1952 in Lancaster, California into a family with two older sisters. Sandra 11 years older than me and Carol 7 years older. We were PKs, that is Preacher's Kids. My father, Rev. Norvall Pickett was an American Baptist minister so we moved occasionally as he moved to new churches (He was pastor of American Baptist churches in Orange, Holtville, Lancaster, Riverside, Boron, Ridgecrest, Palmdale and Rubidoux). I had a stay-at-home mom (typical Preacher's Wife, with duties ascribed to such) until about the age of 7 when she went back to school and became a Registered Nurse (RN).In 1963 our family had 3 graduations. Sister Carol graduated from (old) Poly High in Riverside, Sister Sandra graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Redlands, and my mother Jean graduated from Riverside Community College with her Registered Nurse degree. Dad had parts in the Baccalaureate and Graduation Ceremonies for all three. In August my sister Carol was married in Riverside and Dad performed the ceremony. Our family (Mom, Dad and I) also moved to Boron that same summer. Sandy moved to Lancaster to teach elementary school and Carol moved to Downey with her new husband, leaving me as an only kid at home for the seven years until I went away to college. I attended a very small high school in Boron, California with a graduating class of about 65, graduating in 1970.

At college, the University of Redlands, I lived off campus with my older sister, Sandy. After graduating in 1974 with a BA in Business Administration/Economics, I went back to school at the University of California, Riverside for one year to earn my Teaching credential. I got my first teaching job in 1975 in Needles, California and stayed there for 8 years. I bought a house and lived there for 6 years. I also worked as a paid-call firefighter working up the ranks. Under the City of Needles I was offered the position of Fire Chief, but felt I lacked experience, so I became the Fire Captain. The County of San Bernardino took over the Fire Department and I was assigned the position of Engineer, then became a Leiutenant. I also worked part-time as a Concession Manager in the local theatre.

Leaving the desert in 1983, I moved back to be with my parents, who lived in Redlands. I took a job as a Sheriff's Department Dispatcher as well as working as a Realtor. My God-daughter, Chelie Watson was born during this time (May 7, 1983), suffering from short bowel syndrome. She lived for almost three years suffering through some 18 surgeries at Loma Linda University Medical Center where she spent almost her entire life. She died March 9, 1986. Along with her mother (my best friend's (Wayne Hardy's) wife, Melinda), we were present at the hospital almost daily through her entire life helping to care for her. She amassed over $1 million in hospital bills during that period of time. After 2 years I decided to return to teaching in 1985, taking a job in the "ghost town" of Eagle Mountain, California at a tiny school with a total population of 70 students and 4 regular classroom teachers.

After a year I decided to move back closer to my family in 1986 and took a teaching job in Lake Elsinore, California where, in 1989, I met my wife when she took a job at my school. My wife and I both received a Masters in Educational Technology from Azusa Pacific University in 1997. Dad, Norvall Jerome Pickett, passed away on April 1, 2000 at the age of 84, and mom, Jean Marie Bain Pickett, R.N., passed away on Dec. 13, 2009 at the age of 88. They had been married 59 years.

Married Life

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I was married in 1990 to Victoria (Vikky) Steel. She had an 8 year old daughter, Auriol, who became my step-daughter. We were married in South Lake Tahoe, California with my father, Norvall Pickett, officiating. My other best friend, Bill Anderson, was my best man. Vikky is from England, arriving in the US in 1989 on a one-year H1B visa. She is now a dual citizen with the United Kingdom holding US and EU passports. Her father is a retired sociology professor, Dr.Otto Newman, a Kindertransport survivor of the Holocaust lived in San Diego, California with his wife and Vikky's mother June. Otto passed away in November, 2015)

Vikky had graduated from the Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds, England with her English teaching degree after three years. She lived in the Bretton Hall mansion while attending. Several years later she attended Goldsmiths, University of London for three years and received her Bachelor of Education, Honors, then worked on her Master's degree for a year, leaving to live in America before completing it. She later received her Masters in Educational Technology from Azusa Pacific University in 1997.

She taught for about 20 years in England teaching everything from Preschoolers through High School age. She immigrated to California where she now has a California teaching credential and has taught 1st through 5th grades, and has also taught Extension classes for the San Diego State University. We both taught at a Visual and Performing Arts magnet elementary school from 1997-2010 until the school closed (see Butterfield Elementary above). Vikky still feels that “the Arts” not only enhance her educational program, but also leads to students' increased self esteem. She continues to put on costumed plays with her 1st grade kids each year. She has a great sense of humor, and is talented in many areas. She teaches at the same school as me (I?). We were both moved to the newly formed Lakeland Village School in the Summer of 2010.

We travel often to England, and like to visit Europe as often as possible. The entire family enjoys Renaissance reenactments. Vikky teaches several different classes about related subjects at the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (RPFS) every year. She continues to write monthly articles for the Greater Riverside Area Dickens (GRAD) group which has national and international readership, assists with the Riverside Dickens Festival in organizing and performing in "Pub Night" and organizing and directing the Dickens Festival Parade.

Auriol

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Auriol has grown to be a wonderful young lady. She was born in England in 1982. She has a wonderful Alto singing voice and an interest in Theatre and acting, participating in many school plays and musicals while in high school. She especially enjoyed playing Titania in the Shakespearean A Midsummer Night's Dream. While attending UCR, she was a member of the world-famous Young Americans singing group for 4 years, twice touring across America with the group. Below is a timeline of important events.

  • At the age of 7, in Aug., 1989, immigrated to the United States with her mother. She received her US citizenship in 1991 soon after her mother married David Pickett. She is a dual citizen with the United Kingdom holding US and EU passports. She skipped into 3rd grade.
  • At the age of 10 (July 1992) began 6th grade at Menifee Middle School.
  • At the age of 12 (Apr. 1994) developed an interest in the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (RPFS), joining The St. Cuthberts Guild at the faire and participating on her own for the year.
  • At the age of 13 (Aug. 1995) begins Paloma Valley High School for 9th grade (school's first year), and also performed with the Paloma Valley High School Players in A Christmas Carol (Nov. 1995).
  • At the age of 14 performed with the Paloma Valley High School Players in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown (Mar. 1996) and Grease (Nov. 1996).
  • At the age of 15 performed with the Paloma Valley High School Players in Hello, Dolly (May 1997) and You, the Jury (Nov. 1997) and 100 Years of Broadway (Jan. 1998). She also danced in The Nutcracker (Dec. 1997). Also begins classes at Mt. San Jacinto College, Menifee Campus for the summer of 1997. Begins her Senior year at Paloma Valley High School, skipping 11th grade.
  • At the age of 16 performed with the Paloma Valley High School Players in A Midsummer Night's Dream playing Titania (March 1998) and Bye, Bye, Birdie (May 1998). She was also accepted into the world famous Young Americans singing group (April 1998). For the next four years she traveled and performed with the group, while at the same time also earning college credits from Cypress College and the University of California, Riverside.
  • At the age of 16 she was able to graduate from high school in June 1998 after skipping 2nd and 11th grades. She then attended the University of California, Riverside where she received a Governor's Scholarship.
  • At the age of 20 she graduated with a BA degree in Theatre, then worked for 3 years as a full-time substitute at Paloma Valley High School in Menifee, California.
  • At the age of 23 she decided to go to law school. Taking the LSAT, she received an almost full scholarship to Western State University College of Law. She graduated on May 17, 2008 Cum Laude in the top 14 of her class, with her Juris Doctor degree, then passed the California BAR exam in February 2009.
  • At the age of 27, On May 15, 2009, she was notified that she had passed the California BAR, ostensibly the hardest BAR exam in the nation, so is now an official lawyer! Let the lawyer jokes begin! July 17, 2009 was Auriol's first appearance in court as a "REAL" lawyer!! She then worked for Bonetati, Sasaki, Kincaid & Nitschke, Inc. in Santa Ana, California. She now does Social Security Disability work for a firm in Colton, California.

In 2002 she met her boyfriend Jessiah Ruiz at a Renaissance Faire in Santa Barbara. Jessiah run a software development and consulting business called ETS Effective Technology Solutions. He is also a full-time professor for The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, where he is the lead faculty in Game Programming, teaching computer gaming, graphics and design. He is also a professor at Norco College in the City of Norco, California.

Auriol is also extremely talented costume designer and Cosplay reenactor. See her fabulous costumes at American Cosplay Paradise. She also has performed with an on-stage circus and Aerial Silks team at the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (RPFS) during this past year.

Catherine

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Catherine (Katie) was born in 1991. She is a dual citizen with the United Kingdom holding US and EU passports. She is a wonderful actress and singer (High Soprano), having had many lead and supporting roles in Musical theatre productions from the age of 6 through high school, as well as three theatre roles while at UCLA. She has performed as "Zuzu" in It's a Wonderful Life, then sang her way through the following musicals: as "Oliver" in Oliver!, flying with ZFX Flying as"Dorothy" in The Wizard of Oz, as "Grace Farrell" in Annie, and as the "Narrator" in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as well as many other minor parts. Her final high school role was a stunningly haunting performance as "Jellylorum" in a combined high school production of the stage show Cats, the Musical. See her complete theater resume below. Here is a partial timeline of major events in her life to date:

Outside of university she enjoys participating in the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (RPFS) every Spring for 7 weeks as a member of the Puritan Guild. Previously she spent time with the Guild of St. Cuthberts and the Monger's Guild. She has participated with the Faire for 21 years, since 1994, when she was 2 years old.

She has always been very active physically. At the age of 3 she began Gymnastics lessons. She could do perfect cartwheels at three years of age. However, when she was 6 she badly broke a bone in her foot doing a front handspring in gym. This injury was not properly diagnosed for a year. In fact, finally, a year to the day later she was finally placed in a cast. She promptly went through a cast a week for about 8 weeks, being so active that she actually broke them. She was finally put in a walking boot. She continued to re-injure the foot, being place back into a cast or walking boot at least yearly through middle school.

Swimming became an excellent exercise for her foot. During her middle school years (ages 9–12) Katie became an excellent swimmer joining the local MESA Swim team, where she received numerous medals in racing competitions. Wanting to do well in high school academics and preferring to continue her theatrical performances with Drama, she didn't continue in swimming (or the available high school water polo team), with its early morning and late evening practices. She did, however, take up Figure Skating taking weekly private lessons in Escondido, California. She competed in Skating and received several gold medals. She had advanced to "Freestyle level 3" by the end of high school. She continues to swim and ice skate when possible. She took up Juggling when she began to perform with her boyfriend as an acrobat and juggling duo while living in Reno. Her final stunt was juggling three knives while standing on her boyfriend's shoulders. She actually did this with a cast on her foot after rebreaking it once again during a performance.

My personal interests

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Current life

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We (my family) are constantly on the go. We average 40-50,000 miles a year on our cars. Vikky visits her mother at least once each week (her father passed away in November 2015). Vikky's parents both lived in the San Diego community of Pacific Beach on Mission Bay 75 miles away. Until 2009 my mother lived 45 miles away in Redlands, and after her passing I spend almost two years wrapping up the estate and house, cleaning out the garage and storage areas and geting rid of furniture with my sister Sandra who lives nearby, traveling there at least weekly. I purchased the property from my two sisters' part of the estate, then spend an intensive three months renovating the property to put it on the rental market. We travel to the Doctor in Riverside (45 miles), San Diego (70 miles), or San Marcos (55 miles). Our daughter, Katie, now attends Pepperdine University School of Law over 100 miles away. We usually travel to see her at her apartment near Venice weekly which is about 170 miles round-trip.

In the Spring (for 11 weeks, including the 7 week run of faire) my family (not me so much) likes to participate in the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (RPFS) each weekend (120 miles round trip each day) in Irwindale. I attend usually once per weekend, while Vikky goes and performs on stage both days.

I was diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus type 2 after our trip to England in July, 2011. I seem to have it under great control, with my A1C Levels at around normal. I seem to be in great health, except having a sore knee or toe once in a while (Gout!) and sore kidneys (doctors say I have a benign tumor which they want to leave alone) and some small kidney stones. Plans are emerging for Shoulder surgery in May 2016 for a torn rotator cuff and another tear in a muscle.

As I said, we are constantly on the go. I am sick of traffic and crowds, being busy, busy, busy. I think it may have something to do with my background (you know, being a Desert Rat!)... My wife, on the other hand, born and raised in London and living there for over 40 years, loves the city life and crowds, the cultural and social opportunities. She'd love to live in the middle of Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco.

I, on the other hand, yearn to get away from the hubbub of city life, although I've never lived in a "city" with a population of more than 50,000. Where I have worked (Lake Elsinore) and lived (Sun City and Canyon Lake) for the last 30 years of my life is a mix of suburban and rural. It must be a "Mid-life" Crisis even though I'm well past "mid-life"!

I'm afraid that if I wait too long to "escape" the hum-drum life I seem to have at the moment, my health will deteriorate to a point where I can't. Let's see, one more year to age 65. I need to work a few more years to pay off the second mortgage, then?? I think Vikky wants us to keep working until she is 70 and I'm 66. We really need to work until I'm 66 just to pay off the mortgages! We'll see!! (originally written in 2009, updated in Nov.2012, again Feb. 2016)

The Desert

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Over the past 40 years one of my favorite authors has been Louis L'Amour (Western adventure author) and for the past 20 years or so, Clive Cussler (Oceanic adventure author). I didn't see any connections between the two. Until now. Now maybe I do....

I'm a Desert Rat! Having been born and raised in California’s Mojave Desert, and having lived in various parts of it for over 25 years (Lancaster, Boron, Ridgecrest, Needles, Eagle Mountain), I have always loved the desert, its majestic vistas, the harsh terrain, its weather extremes, yes, even the heat!

The vast, open, desolate, endless views. The lone cloud in the sky casting a scarce shadow to momentarily cool the ground. The sharp, weathered, barren mountains; the cliffs, arroyos (dry washes), mesas, plateaus, and strangely eroded monuments.

Living in the desert one is constantly aware of the weather. The sudden storms that spring up, the wind, the lightning and thunderous downpours with their accompanying flash floods. During the summer the heat is ever present, the wind like a blast furnace driving the sand before it. Sometimes the sun is obscured by the volume of dust. You notice the dryness of the heat on the high Mojave Desert as well as the moist, sweaty, humid heat of the lower Colorado River desert areas.

During the winter months the desert weather brings biting cold, below zero at times, and even snow, sometimes feet thick. The distant views of the looming, snow-capped Sierra Nevada range in the distance all year round. The lenticular clouds formed by those mountain ranges that never reach and cool the burning summer sand.

The ever-present life, yes life, under the surface during the day, many times coming out only at night, or springing forth after a Summer thunderstorm. The wildflowers that wait until just the right amount of rainfall before blooming for a few glorious days. The strange adaptations to the harsh environment.

Isolation in many forms affects residents of desert areas. Isolation from medical care, fire and police services, mechanical supplies and services, isolation from cultural and educational opportunities, and the unavailability of easy communication in any form.

Living and traveling in the desert one needs to be self-sufficient in many ways, prepared for mechanical breakdowns and strandings, prepared to help others in need, prepared for medical emergencies like snakebites, broken bones, and heat stroke. Horrible accidents happening multiple hours away from any care. That's one reason I became a Firefighter and EMT.

In some ways the ocean is comparable. Vast, beautiful, isolated, harsh, an environment with strange adaptations, extreme weather, and other unknown dangers. In some ways traveling on the ocean is also comparable. The need to be self-sufficient, to be prepared, to be used to the emptiness, the isolation from medical care, services, and communications. To travel the seas one has to plan and prepare, to stockpile and organize, to be knowledgeable about servicing and repairing mechanical and electronic equipment; to be able to endure the isolation and loneliness.

And so I come to my latest interest….

Cruising yachts

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"Powerboating is one of the few activities in life that allows nearly unlimited personal freedom. You can pretty much get in your boat, head out on the water, and go...to wherever you wish, whenever you wish, as fast or slow as you wish, for as long as you wish...And all without asking anyone's permission."[1]

In 2009 I became interested in the subject of yachting (boating, cruising). At some future date I would like to purchase a cruising yacht of the recreational trawler variety with a raised, separate, pilothouse. These are slow cruisers capable of 7 – 10 knots. I consider those made by Nordhavn to be just about perfect, but far beyond my means to purchase. Hopefully I will someday be able to purchase a used trawler of some affordable make to meet my needs. My choice would be something between 40 and 55 ft. that can cruise open ocean passages (a passagemaker) like down the Mexican coast to the Panama Canal and the Caribbean, or up the coast to the Inside Passage of Canada, although it would not need to be able to cross oceans as a Nordhavn yacht can (but should be able to coastwise cruise, say San Diego to Vancouver).

I feel that if I had a boat to go work on and keep in "ship-shape" form, I would keep more active than at present. After work every day I am exhausted, but I think if I had a DREAM to pursue, it would liven me up and give me a future goal, instead of just "more of the same". In a boat "Everything" has to be in its place. There is no room for the clutter that seems to plague my life.

Even though my dream plans would be to sail in different parts of the world, it is now possible to ship yachts across oceans for those boats unable to make the journey themselves and/or to save wear and tear on them.

I love the idea of being able to go ANYWHERE in the world (near WATER!), even through the middle of America or Europe via river waterways. You can completely circumnavigate the East Coast of America using The Intercoastal Wateways, the Great Lakes and the major Rivers. I could stay as long as I wish, and have my home on my back (so to speak). I could enjoy the vistas, the weather, the people and cultures. Being self-sufficient. Being independent.

Unlimited opportunities

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I think the word is "Wanderlust". I have a folder of over 1200 Nordhavn and oceanic photos playing as my background on my computer. I just can't believe the absolutely amazingly beautiful scenes. What splendor! That is what I want to experience. That is where I want to be! The peace and quiet of such beautiful solitude. I've always had the hot, tropical island kind of dream. I visited Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands at the age of 15, and found that to be so appealing. But seeing the gorgeous pictures of the areas that appear to be Puget Sound, the Inside Passage and Alaska, I can't wait to be there myself.

Living at present in California, I would like to start locally with cruises to Baja California and up the coast to Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands, Monterey, San Francisco, Puget Sound and the Inside Passage to Alaska.

If my yacht was capable of cruising down the Pacific Coast to Panama I would like to transit the Panama canal to the Caribbean Sea. An extensive cruise of the Caribbean Islands and Central America, and the Northern coast of South America would follow.

Possibilities after that are Florida and the Intracoastal Waterway on the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Further cruising can take you to Nova Scotia and the Saint Lawrence Seaway which can lead to the Great Lakes and possibly finishing the Great Loop by taking advantage of the downstream currents on the Illinois River, Mississippi River, Tombigbee River and Black Warrior River to Mobile, Alabama. The Gulf Coast areas can then be explored.

Shipping the yacht to Europe on one of the many available transports makes possible the cruising the entire Mediterranean, European river waterways, as well as England, the French Atlantic coast, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries around the Baltic Sea.

Further shipping can open up Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.

The opportunities are endless, and it IS possible. We just have to decide to do it. We CAN explore the world.

Where did this crazy idea come from?

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Maybe it had its start back with the 1959-1962 TV show “Adventures in Paradise” and with Hayley Mills in the 1964 movie ”The Truth About Spring” which had influences on my imagination. Oh yeah, Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges was my favorite show during elementary school. It was mostly underwater exploits, which probably led me to get my NAUI diving certification during college. Maybe it was living in the middle of the desert that made me want to live in the middle of the ocean. During those hot desert summers we spent many vacations camping along the foggy, rugged central California Coast. Then in 1964 I went sailing at age 12 with my cousin Abby and Uncle Purl in a small daysailer on a little lake in Michigan. Their little 15-foot sailboat, called in Swahili “Twende” for “Let’s Go”, whetted my appetite. At age 15 in 1967, my family vacationed in Puerto Rico visiting my Uncle Purl and Aunt Martha who were short-term missionaries at a school there. We also visited the Virgin Islands. What beauty in these islands! My father, mother, uncle and I even got marooned for a short time on an island 5 miles off the shore from Ponce on an island called “Caja de Muertos” when the fishermen who took us there decided that everybody who went for the day couldn’t return due to rising seas and an approaching storm. To make a long story short, they returned at nightfall and picked the rest of us up as we battered our way back to the mainland in the small open fishing boat, all, even the fisherman, wearing diving goggles to see in the spray! That, and the worst sunburn of my life on my back from snorkeling all day! I soon thereafter read the book “Our Virgin Island” and decided that was the life! I still own a copy.

When my uncle returned to Michigan he decided to build a 44-foot Horstman Tri-Star trimaran and sail the islands as a ministry. He had, early in his career before becoming a university professor of religion, been a missionary to the Congo where both his daughters were born before WWII. Imagine building three 40+ foot hulls for his trimaran! But he was a builder, having built his own house and one for one of his daughters before embarking on the boat project. I even got to pound a few nails in those hulls.

I lived through my late high school and college years dreaming of sailing with him on his trimaran around the Caribbean during my summers, and learned as much as I could from reading during those years, even though I was still landlocked in the middle of the desert.

He did finish his boat and sailed it down the Mississippi, but his wife found it unlivable due to seasickness, and other health problems, so he left it moored in Mobile, Alabama, where I was fortunate to visit once. About the same time I was working as deep in the California desert as you can get, in Needles, and soon found the only boating there was on the Colorado River in speedboats. So for the nearly 20 years 1959 to 1976, boats were always there as an interest and dream or hope, but never acted upon. Having neither the money or inclination for such, I left the boating dream behind.

It didn’t really return for the next 20 years (1976 to 1996) until after my marriage to my wife, Vikky. In 1996 we visited Stratford upon Avon and saw the canal boats tied up along the river. I found the idea appealing again. I studied about canal cruising in England.In 1999 Vikky and I went sailing on San Diego Bay with friends from the cast of a play she was in on a 36 ft. Catalina. We found this very enjoyable. In 2001 and 2006 we visited the Mediterranean and the French and Spanish coasts. Again, I found the beauty indescribable. I again studied about canal cruising, this time in France. We also stayed near a marina in France and I thought that would be a great way to live. In January 2009, as I began to approach retirement age,the idea really began to take hold again that this could be a way to retire, to live on a boat and visit all those beautiful places and many others. Many people live only in a motorhome traveling the country, but this way was so much more, the opportunity to travel the world with my home.

So now it has been incubating again for the 16 years since 1996. Will it ever be fulfilled?

What do I want?

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After studying many boat designed and reading many magazines, articles, internet sites and the like, the idea takes form. I want a boat that is at least 40 feet long (now open to options down to 35 ft.), but not too long to handle solo. Most articles say anything over 50 feet is probably too big, but I have seen others do so up to around 55–60 feet.

I definitely want a pilothouse separate from the saloon area, so this generally limits the boats to trawler style. Some pilothouse models include the Galley in the pilothouse which is very nice. Fast is not needed or even wanted, especially due to the rising cost of fuel, so it appears a trawler is the way to go. A 1 to 3 miles per gallon efficiency is my goal.

There are several MUSTS however:
A pilothouse with at least 1 side door; twin engines or a get-home wing engine; 2 staterooms (minimum); 2 heads as 4 people on a boat with only 1 head is unthinkable (this means 43' or better, probably); stabilization is necessary, for comfort sake (Active preferred, with Paravanes a bonus); a bow thruster is a must, especially for shorthanding; air conditioning is a must, especially if visiting anywhere south of California; good heating, but is usually the case; a swim platform or other easy access from dinghy.

PLUSES
Newer than 20 years, means 1989 or better; flying bridge with access from the pilothouse; a pilot's berth; fuel capacity of 1000 gallons for range; An engine room with stand up headroom, with access from an inside door, not through the salon sole or the cockpit; a watermaker; a washer and dryer (separately is better than combo); additional stern thruster; dinghy and liferaft included in price.

For all of these, especially the first few MUSTS, at least a 40 footer seems necessary. The problem is that a NEW 43 footer with all of these is at least $450,000 (North Pacific Yachts, still only 1 head!) to nearly double that with a Nordhavn 43 (2 heads!). While at one time our house had an equity of this, but now that we are paying for college, credit card bills, along with the devaluation of real estate, will I have anything left for a boat? Wife won't think of selling up everything and going as a live-aboard yet, which I would do in a second.

So, it looks like USED is the only way to go. I have found some used boats with all of these MUSTS for under $250,000, and several under $200,000, but most of these are 20–30 years old. I then just worry about the condition of these, as well as maintenance and upkeep for an older boat. So it is either cut back on expectations or do without. Right now it is Do Without.

Crazy?

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Wife thinks I'm crazy and that this is just a pipedream and current interest. But before this idea came along I was beginning to stagnate, content to just sit around the house. In fact I think I was beginning to get depressed. The thought of teaching another 8–10 years, then retiring and only traveling between our two places in Canyon Lake and London, really depressing. Wife wants us to work until all our bills, including house and second (for college and credit cards) are paid off. I would rather sell off, buy a boat and travel the world. We could get enough out of our house to pay expenses, buy a boat and retire to it. Our retirement income should be able to get us around cruising. Wife really doesn't want to go cruising. She says "What would I do all day shut up in boat?" She wants action and activity, cities and museums and art galleries, zoos and the general hubbub of city life. I'm beginning to get depressed again!

I, on the otherhand, have been busy, on the go, ever since getting married, raising two kids with EVER constant acivities; theatrical performances, singing lessons, swimming lessons, skating lessons, renaissance faires, visiting extended families (all of course MILES away). Driving Katie to and from school, even university, was weekly. This has, of course, been wonderful, raising our two daughters. I wouldn't have had it differently. Friends at work think we are crazy to be so busy. Now, as this phase is reaching an end, hopefully we can slow down. My health is GREAT, where will it be even 5 years from now?

I feel that owning and operating and living on a boat would keep ME sharp. Having to keep up with maintenance and boating skills will keep ME active and interested. I want to Travel, and enjoy the World. But just how will that be done?

What it all really comes down to is money. If we had the money to spare, I could have the boat I want. Since we don't, being only a lowly grade school teacher, even though I have over 34 years in teaching and 6 plus years of college education, I can't, and probably will never, have a boat. Technically, we have enough between our houses, but I will never see it. There is a beautiful 1986 51 foot Island Gypsy yacht in Dana Harbour right now for sale at $194,900 which I could probably get for $175,000. With taxes, et al, probably $200,000 on the nose. 3 Staterooms, 3(!) heads. Only missing A/C and Thruster. Even has stabilizers. I would love that boat. If I won a million dollar lottery tomorrow, I'd give half to my wife, and spend the other half on a boat for myself. The odds? Insurmountable.

The DREAM boat, if I had unlimited supply of money, still wouldn't be a superyacht, you know one of those over 100 footers with multiple crew waiting on my every desire. The single model I would choose, right now, if money were no object is a Nordhavn 76 ft. Aft-pilothouse model.[2] It is just at the upper limits of being able to handle without a crew. It would cost about $4 million, and you'd need about that much more in the bank to operate and maintain it for 10 years or so. So, barring a Multi-Million dollar Lottery ticket, this dream won't happen. If money were somewhere below that figure I'd still go for a Nordhavn. They seem to be great boats, and one can be bought for under $500,000 but you'd still need that double-sized cruising kitty.

There seems to be cheaper ways to get out on the water. Less expensive 32-38 footers, especially older boats, can be had for under $100,000. Southern California is not famous for its water getaways, with only the Channel Islands and Mexico close by. Baja's Gulf of California is one place a smaller boat might be able to reach. I think it might be better to own one up in the Northwest with Washington State's many areas for exploration, then on up into the Inside Passage towards Alaska. I think I could enjoy during that area for a long time, even though it is a colder climate than I would prefer. So that is a distinctly more affordable option...Have search engines set for older $50–80,000 32-38 footers!

References

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Visual and Performing Arts

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Our family is Theatre-holic. We've seen just about every Musical going (numerous times!), and many good dramas and other plays. Vikky, Katie, and Auriol have had many parts in the Theatre, with Auriol touring semi-professionally with the Young Americans, while Vikky and Katie have performed with other semi-professional groups as well as local school and community groups. I have helped behind the scenes on many shows and productions, in many areas.

My Involvement with Theatre

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I'm sure I got started in Pre-school or Kindergarten class Christmas shows at church, doing my part with a "rememberized" line or two, and then in 2nd or 3rd grade at Pachappa Elementary School in Riverside wrapped as a package in a Christmas play singing O Tannenbaum. That was about it until high school when I wandered in to see my first-year Latin teacher after school and got roped into "reading" a part "for someone who wasn't at rehearsal", and ended up being cast for that part as Christian in a one-act play of Cyrano de Bergerac, which was put on at our tiny school for one performance and in Bakersfield in a one-act play festival. I'm sure I was horrible in the part, but I did get to kiss the homecoming queen on-stage! That was my sum total experience with being in front of an audience, and one which I didn't want to repeat. Ever.

Fast forward to college, and I was working on campus in the Audio-Visual Dept. We were given the job of working with the theatre dept. in a production of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, a musical with a live orchestra,setting up video cameras so that the orchestra conductor (with the orchestra in the green room as there was no pit) could see on-stage, and those on stage could see the conductor via monitors built into tree pots. The music was piped into the auditorium. It was my job to make it all work with the show director. I really enjoyed this end of show business, spending most of my time in the control booth during the shows.

I also was taking University Choir which I did for 7 semesters. The University of Redlands 'University Choir' puts on a huge production every Christmas a call the Feast of Lights. I missed the first semester and its Feast of Lights, but attended and decided to take Choir for the next semester. I love the group of 120 singers and continued for the rest of my college years. Everyone had a job to do as part of the Feast of Lights and I helped out on the stage crew. For my last year I was the Stage Manager for the whole show, all 8 performances, with an total audience of about 10,000. This involved many complete changes to the stage as the show progressed with NO blackouts or curtains."You can do anything in direct sight of the entire audience if you do it slowly and with enough dignity" was the saying. I was also completely in charge of the entire chapel building (seating 1500) for my last year at University. I had keys to every nook and cranny, and loved to get up into attic, the pipe organ and the clock tower, along with a few 'guests' who shouldn't have been there.

Fast forward 24 years to 1997 and my 6 year old daughter Katie is cast as Zuzu in It's A Wonderful Life in the local high school. That was the start of my involvement as being a stage parent (read elsewhere about her broken toe and hypothermia!). My older step-daughter Auriol had been in several shows by this time in her high school in but I wasn't really involved in helping with them. Both Vikky and I became more involved in helping with shows thereafter, especially as we were then running our BESTv television recordings for our school, recording the theatre shows we did in those days. I continued for years afterwards helping especially with backstage, fly-rails, curtains, props, flying rigs, etc., helped build and paint sets, hang curtains and lights, and helped with sound, miking actors, and running the sound board. The most fun was helping with flying students in The Wizard of Oz, helping with flying bathtubs in Seusical, and pushing the Les Miserables barricades on stage, among many other fun experiences.

As Katie finished high school I became less involved, helping last as asst. sound director and board operator in the local 2007 Canyon Lake Community Theatre performances of Gypsy.

Theatre
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  • Producer, BES Talent Shows
  • Stage Fly Captain (Fly gallery master/operator) – volunteer – Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
  • Theatrical Stagecraft Builder/ Spotlight Operator/ Stage Crew – volunteer– Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
  • Theatrical Organizations Involvement – Butterfield Elementary VAPA Productions – Temescal Canyon High School Spotlight Players – Riverside Children’s Theatre – Canyon Lake Community Theatre and Performing Arts Association – Theatre Royale Productions – Ophelia Theatre Group
Audio
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  • Audio Engineer/ Sound Technician/ Board Operator/ Microphone Technician– Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
Video/ Television
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  • BESTv (Butterfield Elementary School Television) Grant author ($26,000) @ Butterfield Elementary Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Magnet School
  • BESTv – Producer/ Director/ Videographer/ Editor – producing videos of Elementary and Community Theatre shows and events
  • BES K-Band/Q-band Satellite receiver operations (1994 – 1999)
  • Produced BES “Cable in the Classroom” monthly guides (1994 – 1999)
A/V background
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Starting back in 1962 in the 4th I was given the opportunity to learn how to thread and run a movie projector. Unfortunately the training was on a day my dad was taking me to a Dodgers game and I didn't get to learn and then to help out. When the opportunity again arose, this time in 10th grade to be TA (Teacher's Assistant) as an Audio-Visual Aide for the Jr. High Science teacher who ran the Dept. for the entire 7-12th grade school, I jumped at the chance. I soon learned how to use all the equipment, projectors, overheads and recorders the school had, and to be out of class helping other teachers with the equipment.

At the end of that year the 1968 Senior class, together with the local US BORAX Corp. donated a video camera and recording system to the school. I was in the right place at the right time. This was a state of the art Sony Portapak which was a BW portable system with a camera and separate battery operated 1/2 in. tape reel-to-reel video recorder. We also received a AC-powered reel-to-reel recorder. There were 3 students trained in the system.

We became the in-house video team which attended and recorded all football and basketball games and school track meets, as well as baseball and wrestling, at home or away. We usually traveled on the team bus, or sometime by district automobile to away games. We were so helpful to the teams that we even lettered in football and basketball. The most exciting game ever was the CIF Southern Section Small-schools football championship of 1969.

This also carried over into university where I got a job working in the audio-visual department, doing the same sorts of things. The college had a larger setup of video, using 1 in. reel-to-reel tapes and had a switcher and two B/W cameras. My senior year (1973–74) the school experimented with the first university extension using video as a format for off-campus students. For this pilot project we went to a studio downtown and got to use real COLOR cameras to record a professor's lecture. WOW! The university didn't follow through at that time.

Fast forward to 1982 when consumer video cameras became available. I bought my first personal video camera and recorder, which were separate components. This used the newly introduced VHS tape format. I took this to Europe when I visited my friend Bill Anderson who was in the service in Germany in 1982.

Fast forward to Butterfield Elementary School where I had just finished a Master's Degree in Educational Technology and I had written Butterfield's first website. I had always like the idea of having a Video Studio to record student performances and possibly have some kind of school news channel. In 1998 I wrote a 5-year $26,000 SB1510 State Grant to purchase 3 3-CCD DV Sony videocameras, switchers, a S-VHS recorder, monitors, lights, tripods, dollies, editing equipment and software, etc. We created BESTv, our school TV studio which was capable of live 3-way switching and video overlay and inserts. The primary purpose was to record student writing and reader's theatre type activities. We also used it to record our yearly school plays as a fund-raiser.The best thing was that we were able to record the majority of Katie's elementary school plays using the equipment. We continued to use the system for years until 2010 when the school was closed. We oversaw the transition to DVD distribution instead of VHS tapes. Although we moved the equipment to the new school, Lakeland Village, there was no room to operate it and it had become mostly outdated with the nationwide transition to HDTV.

My Family's Theatre Involvement (1995 - 2010)

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Auriol's Shows
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NAME OF SHOW IMPORTANT ROLES THEATRICAL GROUP LOCATION DATE
Into the Woods Snow White Temecula Valley Players Temecula Valley Playhouse July 1999
Bye, Bye Birdie ensemble Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA May 1998
A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Mar. 1998
10 Years of Broadway Solo and Ensembles Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Jan. 1998
The Nutcracker Ballet Ensemble ....Ballet & Dance.... Menifee, CA Dec. 1997
You, the Jury Ensemble Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Nov. 1997
Hello, Dolly Ensemble Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA May 1997
Grease Pink Ladies Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Nov. 1996
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown Ensemble Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Mar. 1996
A Christmas Carol Ensemble Paloma Valley Players Menifee, CA Nov. 1995
Katie's Shows
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NAME OF SHOW IMPORTANT ROLES THEATRICAL GROUP LOCATION DATE
Twelfth Night Captain Shakespeare at UCLA University of California,
Los Angeles		 May 2010
Galathea Ensemble Shakespeare at UCLA University of California,
Los Angeles		 May 2009
Into the Woods Chorus Hooligan Theatre Company University of California,
Los Angeles		 March 2009
CATS the Musical Jellylorum (supporting lead) Spotlight Players
Temescal Canyon High		 Lake Elsinore, CA May/June 2007
Playing for Time Esther (orchestra)/ Mother Spotlight Players
Temescal Canyon High		 Lake Elsinore, CA February 2007
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Sarah Kine (bride) Ophelia Theatre Group
Community Theatre Group		 Lake Elsinore, CA Jan./Feb. 2007
Private Professional Concert Sole Performer (12 pieces) Chelsea Arts Club
Members Only		 London, England July 2006
Anything Goes Charity (Angel)
Lead Tap dancers		 Spotlight Players
Temescal Canyon High		 Lake Elsinore, CA May 2006
Les Misérables Scissor Woman &
‘Turning’ girl (soloist)		 Theatre Royale
Community Theatre Group		 Lake Elsinore, CA August 2005
Seussical, the Musical Jungle Cat - chorus/dancer Spotlight Players
Temescal Canyon High		 Lake Elsinore, CA March 2005
Summer Showcase (Soloist) Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts London, England August 2004
Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat		 Narrator (Lead) Riverside Children’s Theatre
Community Youth Theatre		 Riverside, CA March 2004
Annie Grace (Female Lead) Riverside Children’s Theatre
Community Youth Theatre		 Riverside, CA Dec. 2003
Snow White Lead Gypsies
(choral and dance group)		 Riverside Children’s Theatre
Community Youth Theatre		 Riverside, CA March 2003
The Music Man Lead Chorus TCHS Spotlight Players
K-12 Collaboration		 Lake Elsinore, CA May, 2002
A Doll's House Emmy Helmer (child) Performance Riverside
(Off-Broadway series)
Riverside Community College		 Riverside, CA Nov. 2001
The Wizard of Oz Dorothy (Lead) Butterfield VAPA School
K-12 Collaboration		 Lake Elsinore, CA June 2001
Oliver! Oliver (Lead) Butterfield VAPA School
K-12 Collaboration		 Lake Elsinore, CA June 2000
Peter Pan Twin 1 (Lost Boy) Butterfield VAPA School Performers Lake Elsinore, CA June 1999
To Richard Rodgers with Love Children’s cameo choral appearances The Young Americans Long Beach, CA May 1999
South Pacific Mikona
(Emile DeBeque’s child)		 Canyon Lake Players
Community Theatre		 Canyon Lake, CA Sept. 1998
Once in a Lullaby Children’s cameo choral appearances
CD & TV show pilot		 The Young Americans Cypress, CA June 1998
Aladdin Ruby Butterfield VAPA School Performers Lake Elsinore, CA June 1998
It’s a Wonderful Life Zuzu (child) Elsinore High Players Lake Elsinore, CA Dec. 1997
First Role-age 6
Vikky's Shows
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NAME OF SHOW IMPORTANT ROLES THEATRICAL GROUP LOCATION DATE
Murder at the Vicarage Miss Marple (lead) Riverside Community Players Riverside, CA Mar.- April 2002
A Doll’s House Anne-Marie (Nanny) Performance Riverside (Off-Broadway series)
Riverside Community College		 Riverside, CA Nov. 2001
Into the Woods Granny Temecula Valley Players Temecula, CA July 1999

Theatre shows seen recently

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Royalty and famous encounters

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On December 15, 1997 we attended The Nutcracker Ballet attended by HRH Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz of Austria) and Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V. They stopped and talked to Katie (age 6 at the time) and allowed a picture to be taken with them.

On July 16, 2003, we attended a Royal Command Performance of My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane which was attended by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, along with several of her children.

On June 25, 2012, we attended a Royal Command performance of Julius Caesar in Stratford Upon Avon where we sat directly behind Prince Charles and Camilla, along with Steven Spielburg and his party.

On July 6, 2012 we attended One Man, Two Guvnors at the National Theatre where Katie sat next to Timothy Dalton, his son, and Pierce Brosnan. (Daniel Craig was also present).

On July 10, 2012 Katie and Vikky attended Timon of Athens in the Royal National Theatre, Olivier, where Katie "ran into" Rupert Grint, twice.

Professional Theatre

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London Theatre 2011

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  • Chicken Soup with Barley -at the Royal Court Theatre
  • Much Ado About Nothing -at the Globe Theatre
  • The Emperor and the Gallean -at the National Theatre
  • Legally Blonde -at the Savoy Theatre
  • War Horse -at the New London Theare
  • One Man, Two Guvnors -at the National Theatre

La Mirada Theatre 2011

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  • The Marvelous Wonderettes, La Mirada (May. 25, 2011)
  • Noises Off, La Mirada (Oct. 5, 2011)
  • Life Could Be a Dream, La Mirada Theatre (Nov. 13, 2011)

London Theatre 2012

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  • Dicken's Women - Miriam Margolyes- Arts Depot, Finchley (6/24/12)
  • Comedy of Errors -RSC Theatre, in Stratford Upon Avon. Attended by Prince Charles and Camilla, and Steven Spielberg, all in two rows directly in front of us.(6/25/12)
  • Julius Caesar -at the Roundhouse, RSC Theatre, London (6/27/12)
  • The Last of the Haussmans - National Theatre, Lyttelton, (6/29/12)
  • Antigone - National Theatre Oliver, London (7/4/12)
  • One Man, Two Guvnors-Katie sat next to Timothy Dalton, his son, and Pierce Brosnan. (Daniel Craig?), National Theatre (7/6/12)
  • Timon of Athens -seen by Vikky and Katie at the Royal National Theatre,Olivier. London (7/10/12)
  • Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre, London (7/14/12)

La Mirada Theatre 2012

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  • The 39 Steps, La Mirada (Jan. 27, 2012)
  • Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby, La Mirada (May, 2012)

National Theatre Live

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Movies seen recently (in theatres)

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Year 2007 2008 2009
Bridge to Terabithia What Happens in Vegas (Katie attended Premiere in Westwood) Up
Blades of Glory You Don't Mess with the Zohan The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Shrek the Third Kung Fu Panda Star Trek(2009) -Three times
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End in England Wall-E Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian July 11, 2009
Evan Almighty Hancock Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) July 15, 2009 -Three times
Ratatouille Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa The Taking of Pelham 123 August 26, 2009
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Bedtime Stories Avatar
Hairspray Twilight Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)
The Simpsons Movie Yes Man Inglourious Basterds
Valkyrie
Year 2010 2011 2012
Toy Story 3 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides -June 29, 2011 Redlands, CA The Dark Knight Rises
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol The Hunger Games on plane
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Cars 2 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Shrek Forever After Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Skyfall-Nov. 12, 2012
How to Train Your Dragon Rise of the Planet of the Apes Pirates Band of Misfits
The King's Speech Puss in Boots Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1-8-12) Redlands
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Hugo Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) (Jan. 12, 2012) Escondido
The Adventures of Tintin
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel- on plane
The Ides of March -Oct. 12, 2011 San Marcos, CA

Favorite movies (all-time)

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Category Movie name Movie name Movie name Movie name
Locations: The Carpetbaggers (Boron) Convoy (Needles) Tough Guys (Eagle Mountain)
Locations: Erin Brockovich (Boron) Brainwaves
(Mom was extra)Loma Linda VA Hospital
Western: Mackenna's Gold John Wayne Movies (all)
SciFi: Star Trek films (all) Star Wars films (all) Enemy Mine
Fantasy: Harry Potter (film series) all The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
Military/War: The Final Countdown Top Gun
Family/Kids: Shirley Temple films Haley Mills movies Pippi Longstocking (all)
Animation: Disney Musicals (1990+)
Scary: The Shining Fortress
Comedy: The Gods Must Be Crazy (1, 2 and 3)
Sports: Bend It Like Beckham
Romance: Overboard (of course) Our Virgin Island
Historical:
Other: Whale Rider

Favorite Television Series (all-time)

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Category TV series TV series TV series TV series
OLD shows: CHiPs Adam 12 Emergency! Without a Trace
OLD shows:
Crime: CSI (all variations) Bones
More crime: Cold Case NCIS Numb3rs
Law/Legal: Law & Order (all) Boston Legal
Medical: Grey's Anatomy House
Private Eye: Magnum P.I.
Travel: California's Gold Rick Steves Huell
Science Fiction: Doctor Who (new version)
Science: Mythbusters
Cooking: Gordon Ramsey (any) Top Chef Last Restaurant Standing
Reality: Project Runway
News: The Ed Show The Rachel Maddow Show BBC World News The Last Word
Networks: MSNBC BBC America CBS
Comedy: The Daily Show The Colbert Report
Childrens: Ramona (1988 TV series)
Adventure: Adventures in Paradise (TV series)
Animated:
Historical:

Quotes

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"How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean."
Sir Arthur C. Clarke

"For whilst money spent can be re-earned, time cannot and as the clock of life is wound but once, I for one,intend to try and make every second a winner and I invite you to come with me and do likewise."
Anonymous

"I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are."
Milton Berle

"Dreams make the impossible possible, dedication makes the possible probable, and work makes the probable happen." Jim Trefethan, The Cruising Life: A Commonsense guide for the Would-Be Voyager

"I'd rather be sorry for something I've done than for something that I didn't do."
Kris Kristofferson, "I'd Rather Be Sorry"

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
Thomas Jefferson

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"
Benjamin Franklin

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."
Cicero, 55 BC

"It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."
Henry Ford

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsel or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands of those who feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you. May posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."
Samuel Adams

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime"
Mark Twain

"For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze."
Richard Bode

“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be...Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before.”
Eric Fromm

"Those that dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous folk for they may act upon their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible."
T. E. Lawrence

"ANY boat is better than NO boat, but SOME special boat is better than just ANY.
DP

  1. ^ Armstrong, Bob. "Getting Started in Powerboating", 3rd Ed. International Marine/McGraw-Hill.2005
  2. ^ http://www.nordhavn.com/models/76/

My Curriculum Vitae

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EDUCATION / DEGREES

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Degrees

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  • Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California; -Master of Arts Degree in Educational Technology
  • University of California, Riverside, California; -Elementary Credential Program
  • University of Redlands, Redlands, California; -Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business/Economics

California Teaching Credentials

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  • Clear Life Standard Elementary Educational Credential
  • Clear Supplementary Authorization in Computer Technology
  • Cross Cultural, Language and Academic Development Certificate (CLAD)

CURRENT DISTRICT/ SCHOOL POSITIONS

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Lake Elsinore Unified School District (LEUSD)

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32 years in the LEUSD; 41 Years teaching overall, all in grades 2/3 (as of 2017-18)

  • Lakeland Village K–8 School (LVS) – Classroom Teacher – Grade 2
LVS – 8 years (2010 – 2018) (new K–8 Program)
June 2018 Retired

Previous Positions

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  • BES – 19 years (1990 – 2010) (campus closed & moved to LVS)
  • RRC – 1 year (1994 – 1995) (for alternate ‘D’ track)
  • JHE – 4 years (1986 – 1990) (original assignment in LEUSD)
Previous Districts
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  • Eagle Mountain School – 1 year (1985 – 1986) Desert Center Unified School District
  • D Street School – 8 years (1975 – 1983) Needles Unified School District

Current School Projects

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  • LEUSD District Technology Advisory Committee (DTAC)--Founding member – BES representative -Current LVS representative
  • LVS Infinite Campus – Report Card Trainer/ Teacher Coach
  • LVS School Map Designer – voluntary assignment
  • LVS Friday Treats Coordinator – voluntary assignment

CURRENT INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

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Community Contributions

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  • City of Canyon Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee – Sworn Disaster Worker
  • City of Lake Elsinore Citizen Corps – Sworn Volunteer
  • Community Emergency Response Team – CERT/ CPR/ AED/ First Aid – certified
  • Amateur Radio Operator (HAM) – Technician-class license –WJ6GRV -Yaesu FT-60R 5W Dual Band VHF-UHF Handheld Radio

Internet

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  • Wikipedia article creator and/or major contributor:
Since Aug. 2007 – 2000+ edits – 52 subjects-
  • Lake Elsinore Unified School District– Major contributor
  • Lakeland Village School – Author/Creator
  • Butterfield Elementary School – Author/Creator
(2009-2011) Highly Rated articles:
  • “B-Rated” in the top 300/36,000 school articles (nationwide)
  • “B-Rated” in the top 1400/34,000 California-related articles

Hobbies

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  • Travel
  • Genealogy
  • Photography
  • Coin Collecting
  • Theatre enthusiast
  • Boating enthusiast (no boat!)
  • Computers/ Technology//Early Adopter
  • Wikipedia/ Wikipedia Commons contributor
  • Renaissance Faire reenactments – 18 years
  • Dickens Faire reenactments – 2 years

Past Hobbies

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  • Bicycling
  • Motorcyling
  • 4WD Off-Roading
  • Hiking/ Camping/ Skiing
  • Rock/ Old Bottle collecting
  • NAUI Licensed SCUBA diver

World Travel

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North America

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  • 48 of 50 States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)
  • 2 US Territories (Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)
  • Canada (6 Canadian Provinces)
  • Mexico (7 Mexican States)

Europe

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Frequent visits
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  • United Kingdom (England, Scotland,and Wales)-Have visited England in 1982, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012 Last trip to England – June–July 2012 for a full month, with wife and daughter Katie- (usually 3–5 weeks per visit)
Several visits
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  • France (5+)
  • Germany (3)
  • Italy (3)
  • Austria (3)
  • Switzerland (3)
Single visits
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  • Spain
  • Belgium
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
  • Ireland (flight layover only)
  • Denmark (waters only)
Principalities and micro-states
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  • Monaco, Liechtenstein, Vatican City

PAST EXPERIENCE, ACTIVITIES, AND ACHIEVEMENTS

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PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

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  • Sheriff Radio/911 Dispatcher – full-time, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Dept.
  • Fire Department Dispatcher – part-time (p/t), San Bernardino City Fire Dept.
  • Fire Officer:
– Fire Captain
– paid-call, Needles Fire Department
– Engineer
– paid-call, San Bernardino County Fire Dept.(st.31)
– Fire Lieutenant
– paid-call, San Bernardino County Fire Dept.(st.31)
– Fire Firefighter
– paid-call, San Bernardino County Fire Dept.(st.9)
– Firefighter
– paid-call, Riverside County Fire Dept.(sta.10)
  • Training:
– Emergency Medical Technician (EMT I)
– Firefighter I State Certification
– Hazardous Materials Handling
– Rescue and Extrication
– Fire Investigation
– Defensive Driving
  • Ambulance Driver/ Attendant (part-time)
– Desert Ambulance Company – Emergency Medical Technician (EMT I)
  • Theatre Concession Operations (part-time)
– General Manager

PAST SCHOOL PROJECTS – (* indicates current interest, but no opportunity)

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Safety

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  • LEUSD Safety Committee – Site representative
– Butterfield Elementary School (BES) Safety Coordinator
  • BES Disaster Preparedness Committee – Chairman
– Designated BES Disaster Plan – Operations Chief
– Incident Commander/ 3rd in line
– Disaster Evacuation Planning
– Evacuation Map Design/Production

Computers

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Technology
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  • BES Technology Committee Chairman / Technology Plan author
  • BES Technology Site Support Specialist/ Teacher Coach
  • BES Computer Lab – planning/ setup/ operations – 34 Apple eMac laboratory
Webmaster
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  • BES Website
– original website creator/webmaster (1995-2010)– over 48,000 hits in 15 year history
– “Best LEUSD Elementary Website” (2009)
  • Anne Sullivan Nursery School and Kindergarten Website
– original website creator/webmaster (1995 – 2005)
  • LEUSD School Fusion Website Transition Committee (new website migration)
Report Cards
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  • LEUSD Electronic Report Card (ERC) Implementation Committee/ Beta-tester
  • BES Electronic Report Card (ERC) Site Coordinator/ Trainer
  • LEUSD Infinite Campus – new Report Card Implementation (2010)
Testing
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  • BES Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Testing Coordinator/ Proctor

VAPA – Video – Audio

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Video/ Television
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  • BESTv (Butterfield Elementary School Television) Grant author ($50,000) @ Butterfield Elementary Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Magnet School
  • BESTv – Producer/ Director/ Videographer/ Editor – producing videos of Elementary and Community Theatre shows and events
  • BES K-Band/Q-band Satellite receiver operations (1994 – 1999)
  • Produced BES “Cable in the Classroom” monthly guides (1994 – 1999)
Audio
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  • Audio Engineer/ Sound Technician/ Board Operator/ Microphone Technician
– Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
Theatre
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  • Producer, BES Talent Shows
  • Stage Fly Captain (Fly gallery master/operator) – volunteer
– Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
  • Theatrical Stagecraft Builder/ Spotlight Operator/ Stage Crew – volunteer
– Community, High School, and Elementary Theatre and shows
  • Theatrical Organizations Involvement
– Butterfield Elementary VAPA Productions
– Temescal Canyon High School Spotlight Players
– Riverside Children’s Theatre
– Canyon Lake Community Theatre and Performing Arts Association
– Theatre Royale Productions
– Ophelia Theatre Group

Leadership Positions

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  • Site Representative – Lake Elsinore Teacher’s Association
  • President – Needles Teacher’s Association (1980–82)
  • Vice-President – Needles Teacher’s Association (1978–80)
  • Treasurer – Needles Teacher’s Association (1976–78)
  • Contract Negotiating Team member – Needles Teacher’s Association
  • Paloma Valley High School Organizing Committee- Discipline subcommittee
  • BES Historian – now included on the BES Wikipedia website, as the only repository of Butterfield’s memory – voluntary assignment

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES

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  • Sunday School Superintendant – First So. Baptist Church, Mohave Valley, AZ
  • Church Board of Trustees – First So. Baptist Church, Mohave Valley, AZ
  • Remodel/Building planner– First Baptist Church, Ridgecrest, CA
  • Sunday School Teacher – Calvary Baptist Church, Redlands, CA
  • Baja California Mission – Building Projects (3 summers)
  • Church Camp Asst. Director/ Counselor – Thousand Pines Baptist Camp, CA
  • Church Camp Counselor – Fraiser Park Baptist Camp, CA
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