Saturday, June 18, 2011

BYU Youth Leadership 480 - 1973

Lately, I have been obsessed with the memories of an experience I had in 1973.  It was one of the most significant experiences of my life.  The lessons I learned that month in the desert changed my life that year, and every year since.  Not a week goes by that something doesn't bring those experiences back, and I learn again.

That experience was put on by BYU as part of their scouting curriculum.  It was a month long "outdoor experience."  Can you believe they summarized it that way?  I laugh.  Studiously described as "youth acculturation through Outdoor Survival."  Boy, howdy!  Take a look at their flier:



Perhaps moving to southern Utah, in the very neighborhood where the course took place, has something to do with it.  I don't know.  I DO know that names, events, vistas pop into my mind uninvited ALL the time.  Time will tell what the significance of that will be.  I feel caught up and, well, excited about this.  I thought it might be a good time to share.

During the time we were in the wilderness, we functioned as a traveling branch (congregation, for non-LDS).  On Sundays, we had sacrament meeting.  As part of this "obsession," last week, during church, a memory came of a testimony meeting we had while on our trip.  A girl got up and told of her testimony of Jesus Christ.  She was amazing.  As part of her statement, she added, "...if you remember nothing else about me, remember that I loved the Lord..."  (or words to that effect...it's been a number of years).  BUT - I always HAVE remembered her that way. 

Her nickname on the trail was Tag.  Suddenly, I knew her whole name, which I haven't thought about for many, many years.  The impression was so strong, I wrote down her name and decided to look on Facebook for her when I got home.  I did just that.  I found her.  Go figure!  She wrote back and it turns out she is a blogger, too.  She shared her blog with me, telling me that she started blogging about Survival a couple years ago.  I was ecstatic!

Reading her experiences on the same trip I had taken was an eye-opener.  We had totally different experiences!  Which actually makes sense.  We are different people, put in the same situation to learn different lessons.  We weren't each at the same point physically or spiritually.  I just had never considered it before and have had no contact with other group members to compare notes.

Finding someone who has been though what I experienced validates all my feelings.  Survival, like most life experiences, can't be shared in words.  It must be experienced.  Having made that journey together, as different as each individual experience might have been, bonds us together. 

Imagine me a 24 year old girl.  Go on!  If I gave you guys anything - it is imagination!  Use it!

21 comments:

  1. My name is Nancy hatch Collard. I went in september. What month did you go? I went on a mission and in my life it has proven to be equal in importance with the lessons I have been taught. My email is ncollard@yahoo.com.

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    1. Hi Nancy!I went in September, as well. I was in the group led by Larry Mullins and Sharon Derricott. I know two groups went out that month, with different leaders. I have become friends with one of the staff from the other group that went out with us that month....Kim Puzey. Do any of these names sound familiar to you? Sorry it's taken so long to respond. Would love to hear more from you.

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    2. This is Nancy Collard I went on survival in September of 1972. Sharon Derricott was my roommate. I went on a mission in June of 73. Randy Miller and Kissy Clawson and a girl named Nola were on my trip. Have tried to locate Sharon with out any luck. She is married and in Canada somewhere.

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    3. Hi Nancy and thanks for the reply. Wow. I know Kissy. I met her the summer before her Survival trip. she is the one who told me about the class. We ended up going to the same mission - at different times. She was an instructor at the MTC when I went out. I think Randy may have been one of our student instructors - did he go by the nickname of Sundance? I will keep looking for Sharon. I have been in contact with a family from Hanksville who was very involved with the Survival gang. Do you remember Nina coming and talking at one of your firesides? Fairview Ranch? Nina and Guy have passed on, but I met their daughter and granddaughter. Have been back out there now that I live closer.
      Sharon gave me two of her rabbits to take out to Fairview, and Guy was really upset with me for doing it! Lol! We had bunnies everywhere. Where did you go on your mission?

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  3. As you may know, in 1980 the BYU 480 course turned into the private program now called BOSS, the Boulder Outdoor Survival School. I have been at BOSS since 1988 and CEO since 1997. It is so wonderful to hear about people's experiences in the 480 course. We're still operating in Boulder, Utah and would love to reconnect. Please let me know if we can ever help: inquiries@boss-inc.com is the best way to reach me.

    Thanks for sharing your memories,

    Josh Bernstein
    BOSS President & CEO
    http://www.boss-inc.com

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  4. Thank you for your story. I almost feel like we're soul-mates or members of the same fraternity! I included a small experience in my own blog, link below.

    Gus Koerner
    Titusville, FL
    BYU YL480, D12 (1979)

    http://www.mrgusoutdoors.com/

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  5. This is Nancy Collard again. Wow where did the time go? I went on my mission in Virginia. Rex Pinegar was my mission president when I went out. I still haven't located Randy or Sharon. I think Kissy went on the same mission as my husband. Did you know Elder Curt Collard? Also did you know Zeke Sanchez? He is the founder of the Anasazi in Arizona. It's a survival program for troubled kids.
    What is your name and is there a way to communicate with you with out it being public? I am on Facebook. How has your life been? Onward And onward

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  6. This is Susan Brimhall (Dixon), I went on Survival in '75 during Sept… If anyone is connected that group that went out would love to connect. It was such a wonderful & building experience. Nothing else like it. Prepared me for going into the mission field a year later…. Kim Puzzi was one of our head instructors w Kay Harris , Sue Basset & Sue Winston.

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  8. Susan and Grammy,
    This is Nancy Hatch Collard. Are you from Idaho Falls? I just connected with Kay Harris a couple of weeks ago. I also found Sharon.
    FYI there is a reunion for all those that went on the BYU 480 trip. It will be June 25th 2016. It will be held at BYU. Email me for more information or call BYU.
    ncollard@yahoo.com
    This will be fun!!!

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  9. A number of 480 staff and participants went on to help field the Wilderness and Handcart Treks under Conferences & Workshops. I'm preparing a history and would appreciate contact or contact information to reach some of those folks, especially the early years 1975-1978.

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  10. I am in the midst of writing my BYU Survival memories and decided to do an internet search just to see if other folks' experiences would trigger more memories. Your blog appeared, and I am sure that we were in the same survival group (youth leadership 480) in September 1973. Tag was the the give away, since I remember her distinctly from a group of souls that is now somewhat blurry. Sharon and Larry were our leaders. Our route took us down to the Colorado River, up to the Henry Mts (where we tried to survive on acorns), trekking through the Escalante washes, and eventually spending solo week on the Escalante near the bridge. I received a mission call to Japan while on survival and served there, entering the MTC two months later. This was my second trip; I went on YL480 during August of 1972 while in high school. That initial month stands out sharper, and I am writing primarily about it. As for the Sep'73 trip, I have had contact with Kent and Bethany since. Dan

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  11. I do remember you well! You were a significant person to me early on...

    Again after Church, my group ate. While we were by our fire, Dan came up to talk to me. He said he knew exactly how I felt. The first time HE went on Survival (WHO in the world would be crazy enough to go TWICE???) he felt that way too. He didn’t enjoy anything, though, for wanting something else. So, he advised me to just really live one day at a time. Pray continually to the Lord, even as I walked; and walk by the Spirit. I asked him what section of the Book of Mormon he recommended for me to read to help me. (He was getting ready to go on a mission.) He thought a few moments and then said Alma 32. I thanked him and he left.

    That did the most to lift my spirits! After he left, I was really excited and happy. I think it was more than what he said. It was that someone really heard me and cared. He was the only one who talked to me about it or seemed concerned. I felt important and validated.

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    1. Howdy y'all

      Russ Gwilliam here - aka Butch Cassidy (Rattlesnake to Sharon and a select few)

      I was a student in May '73 and instructor the next 2 trips and May '74. The Sundance I know and worked with was Fred Anstee. Worked with Chuck Andrews who came to be known by friend and foe as "Chickenhawk" due to there being no morsel of food-edible or not so-that was safe in or near the instructor camp. Also Mullins, Peacock, Nelson, Puzey...and other assorted less than savory characters.

      Chuck retired from the Air Force to St George, UT where I am also currently holed up, still sleeping with one eye open for the possible arrival of any sort of posse.

      Spent some rather enjoyable time with Sharon's youngest sister Shelley. Would like to reconnect with both.

      Russ

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    2. Hi Russ! I just vacated the St. George area and came to Rexburg. I knew Sharon, Larry Mullins, and Fred Anstee. Have spoken to Larry a few years back...but never was able to contact with the others. Our little group is having a fifty year reunion in the SLC area the end of September. Still trying to root out some, but should be fun!!

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  12. Hey

    Don't they get a lot of snow and cold wind in Rexburg? (Apologies for all of the four letter words in that opener.) My most deeply held beliefs and principles prevent me from ever living north of here. I find that I must beat my highly recalcitrant mule severely just to get it to head that direction. But that's just the abc's of me...and my mule. There is much beauty in that direction, it is true, but not enough to make it livable for us.

    All that ranted, enjoy the reunion.

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  13. Hey

    Don't they get a lot of snow and cold wind in Rexburg? (Apologies for all of the four letter words in that opener.) My most deeply held beliefs and principles prevent me from ever living north of here. I find that I must beat my highly recalcitrant mule severely just to get it to head that direction. But that's just the abc's of me...and my mule. There is much beauty in that direction, it is true, but not enough to make it livable for us.

    All that ranted, enjoy the reunion.

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    1. Where are you now? How is your mule? I find the wildness and even the weather suits me well. Have two daughters and seven grandkids here, which enrich the locale greatly.

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  14. Just refound my Survival posting...still in Rexburg, Idaho. Still remembering the adventure and lessons learned from this wonderful experience. Prepared me for some challenges I never thought I'd have. Friends, mental videos from 49 years ago...never leave me. Those canyons and rivers and trails will be forever in my heart.

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  15. Debi Kennedy aka “ Oats” reaching out. Went on BYU survival 480 think May/june? of 74. Chuck rings a bell in the old brain. Karen McVey good friend instructed the year after me. Lost my journal but still have a group shot etc. live in Midway UT now.

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