Open Sky Team – January 2009

Posted by: admin on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

New Beginnings

Ellen Shinkle (Apr. 06) is Open Sky’s new field director.  Ellen was among the first set of original guides back in 2006 and began in this new role after having served as Assistant Field Director since July and previously as both senior field guide and Field Manager (formerly AFD).  Ellen brings with her an unmatched level of enthusiasm, creativity and familiarity with wilderness therapy and Open Sky’s unique programming model.  She has been an extraordinary asset to this company.  She has hundreds of field days combined from her tenure at Aspen Achievement Academy, Outward Bound, and Open Sky.  I know with confidence that this department is left in the most capable of hands and anticipate that Open Sky will not miss a beat.  Please welcome Ellen in this new post!

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Transitions

Danny Quinlan (Jan. 07) departs after a total of 296 field days and 184 of those as a senior guide.  Danny has served as a field trainer, as a senior in the boys, girls and adult teams as well as several shifts in the field manager position.  This past summer, Danny stepped in during a crucial time to manage the field office during the challenging heat conditions and early summer preparations for our move to Colorado.  Besides being an exceptional field guide, Danny might best be remembered for being a guitar wielding troubadour with a small tea thermos at his side.  He was noted for being a strong staff trainer and helping to establish reliable structure and prideful culture in teams in need of a lift.  Danny is off to California to study music and we anticipate the “I Feel Blues” will be recorded and released sometime this spring.  We wish the best to you in your endeavors and that your next journey will be as wonder-filled as this one has been.

Chris Moeller (Apr. 07) is off with his wife Kimmy Sue Score (Apr. 07) for an adventure filled journey in Peru.  Chris leaves us (temporarily we hope) after 254 field days and reported some of his most enjoyable shifts just prior to his departure while working as a fill-in for the field manager, as the girl’s team senior over the Thanksgiving double, and senioring Bodhi for a week back at the beginning of November.  Chris’s energy, creativity, wilderness savvy, and knack for training and inspiring new guides will be missed…and we hope you will make a return this spring again to contribute as you have in the past.

Zach Fischer (Apr. 08) has decided to spend more time in Durango with his girlfriend and not endure the back and forth challenges that this work often presents.  We regret to see your departure prematurely and although your time with us seemed brief, it was impactful.  We look forward to seeing you here soon, perhaps this summer, if everything works out for a return to the field.  Best of luck on your journey.

Kate Zorensky (Jan. 08)  Kate has been out with an unknown illness for several weeks now.  She came down with something on her holiday travels and has been in the process of slowing down and taking care of herself since.  Please drop Kate a line or give her a call to support her during this transition.  Our hope remains that she will serve again in Team Bodhi in the near future but know that her priorities have shifted to more important matters: taking care of herself.

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Acknowledgments

Field Guide of the Month

For the first time in Open Sky’s history, we have begun a monthly recognition for field guides.  The process is guide generated and field leadership selected.  Each shift, a guide can nominate a peer to be recognized as the field guide of the month.  The field leadership then selects from among only these nominations to choose one person for this prestigious award.  The recipient’s name is placed on a beautiful plaque on prominent display in the staff wall tent.

October 2008

Kate Zorensky (Jan. 08)

Kate is the first ever field guide to receive the Open Sky Field Guide of the Month recognition.  She was nominated by several peers, many of whom commented on her tremendous commitment to the students and the staff of Team Bodhi.  She is known for her genuineness, professionalism, heart, and confidence leading young people towards personal growth and internal fulfillment.  We are so grateful for your contribution to Bodhi and ensuring the legacy remains fully intact.

November 2008

Danny Quinlan (Jan. 07)

Danny wraps up his tenure with us by earning field guide of the month honors.  His peers appreciate his attentiveness to their development and training and his ability to hold a group to high standards and yet remain positively committed to connecting with them as people.  Here’s to Danny as the first dual recipient of both the weekly and monthly honors.

Field Guide of the Week

Beginning this past fall, the field managers have been taking a brief moment during each shift to recognize a field guide for an extraordinary contribution from the previous field shift.  The recipient receives a small token of appreciation such as an Open Sky embroidered shirt, visor or a gift certificate and the field manager takes a moment to share this with them in front of their peers.  The recipients to date are:  Tony Casale (Jan. 08), Kris Quintana (Sept. 06), Danny Quinlan (Jan. 07), Chris Moeller (Apr. 07), Steve Pruett (Aug. 07), and Stephanie Smith (Sept. 08).

New Arrivals

The month of December has seen several new faces out in the field.  After some unexpected departures and unavailability due to unforeseen circumstances for several of our guides, we have had to call upon many new folks to assist us through the month.

Kara Collins joined us after having worked extensively for Second Nature Blue Ridge.  She is our 5th field guide to join us from there!  Special thanks to Dave Schuster, Mike Muldoon, Sally Davis, and Scott Williams for encouraging her to come out and join us!

Nichole Johnson joined us this month after having about a year-long hiatus from wilderness therapy where she worked with AYA Colorado up until its closure.

Daniel Nilsson stepped in for a week this past month after wrapping up work with Monarch this past year.  For several, Daniel was an old face, having served at AAA for about a year back in 2005.  It was great to have you with us and we hope you come back for more.

Kai Girard joined us for the Christmas double after having worked some in the past year for AAA and Outward Bound.

Kelly Ryan will be going through the upcoming January guide training but came in early to lend us a hand for the Christmas double.

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Thanks

This is my last time to write the monthly newsletter for the field department.  I have served as field director since Open Sky’s inception just under 3 years ago.  After deliberations with Aaron and others on the team, the time has come to support Open Sky in another capacity.  I leave behind a department that has provided service to over 250 families, employed nearly 100 field guides, dealt with runners, suicidal students, walkers, aggressive students, innumerable logistical changes and program adjustments, dual state licensure, bugs and heat, cold and snow… (and the list goes on)…and each of you have in one way or another made this entire Open Sky thing a reality.  I am very proud of the department and the work we have done and the work that we anticipate doing going forward for hundreds of more families.  It is hard to believe that with only 31 months of operations under our belt that we have attained the successes that we have.  This would not be possible without the steadfast, tireless efforts of all of the guides and the support staff out in the field.  I will miss your energy, your idealism, and most of all…the membership in that elite group of people you are a part of: the field guides.  It has truly been my honor to serve alongside each of you.

As many of you know, I will begin work this month as the Business Development & Marketing Director.  My focus, in essence, will be to do everything within my capacity to generate a steady flow of clients for the program.  Among other things, I will serve as the primary liaison with education consultants, conduct site tours for them and other referring professionals, coordinate logistics and strategy for conferences, create marketing strategies, and coordinate the development of our new website which we plan to launch by the beginning of this upcoming summer.  With that, I will fortunately make time for visits to the field and will have the opportunity to continue to witness your work first hand.  Should you have any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions as to how we can place Open Sky at the fore of referring professionals mind’s or generate new sources of clients, don’t hesitate to contact me; my email and cell information will remain the same.  Here’s to 2009 and beyond.

Sincerely, Danny