Dear Eddy

In 1984 I was a customer on a Wilderness World (wiwo) trip with Jimmy Hendrick as Trip Leader, Dan Dierker, Jeff (a first year guide), and others. Jimmy pretty much was convinced I was a narc doing undercover and so kept his distance. My first impression of Dan was not favorable—it seemed he had a big mouth and was full of himself. As the trip progressed, I learned he had a heart just as big. My fond memories of this trip are Jimmy taking all of us into the tunnels at Marble and talking about rivers and dams, Dan showing me the “ceramic lady” up Havasu (for which he was scolded because dudes were not supposed to be taken there), and Jimmy letting me ride on the baggage boat. Well, as it turned out, the baggage boatman was more into doing other things and then sleeping it off, at which time I took over on the oars.
Then it really hit me and I thought rowing this boat down the Grand was a pretty cool thing to do. I made up my mind on that trip that some day I was going to row my own boat through the whole thing. Within one year I had taken a rowing school and quit my full time real job. Within two years I became a full time river guide, which I still am to this very day. Within three years I took my own boat all the way down the Grand, and have done five subsequent trips.
So all of us need to keep in mind that we river guides do make an impression on customers, some subtle and some not so subtle. When the day comes and we lose sight of that, as Dan says in his interview “It becomes just a job”, it is time to step aside and let somebody else step in.
Oh, and Jimmy and Dan, by the way, thanks for the input.
Anonymous

Executive Director’s Plea

Gcrg’s financial status has been so solid the past few years; it’s hard to imagine that we might lack endless funds. Sadly, this current fiscal year (July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002) has been tremendously difficult financially, with reductions in both bqr funding levels and general contributions despite our efforts. Whether due to the tragic events of this past fall, the poor economy, or mere chance, it’s nevertheless extremely distressing that we find ourselves in dire straights as this fiscal year draws to a close. It’s not particularly surprising though when you realize that this newsletter, as a single (albeit wonderful) project, takes approximately $38,000 to produce each year. We’re working frantically on our end to rectify the situation and hope to rebound in the next fiscal year, but we need all of our members to rally now with an infusion of contributions to bolster us until the situation is stabilized. There are many ways you might help—individual contributions and/or corporate sponsorships (think tax deduction!), funding ideas, personal contacts, paying your dues on time, etc. We’ve re-published our “We Need Your Help” article in the back of this issue, risking redundancy to drive home our point—we need help and we need it now. Not only is the future of the bqr in jeopardy, but Grand Canyon River Guides’ future as well. The Colorado River through Grand Canyon would be a very different place without our continued efforts. And there’s so much we still need to do. As Richard mentioned above, there are always areas of concern that need addressing. This is your organization. Please help us through these hard times so that we may continue to strive towards our goals.
Lynn Hamilton