Dear Friend:

In this issue:

• Setting Our Sights on San "G"
• Becoming Part of the GO WEST!!! USA Team
• New Sponsor Recognition
• Tidbits of Knowledge

Since you are receiving this newsletter you know that GO WEST!!! USA is a nonprofit organization located in central PA serving teens in the surrounding area.

We haven's set the dates for this year's expeditions, but we do have some new highlights/challenges for our participants. In the past, the Grand Canyon hike or the Half Dome hike in Yosemite National Park have been the most physically demanding aspects of the expedition. This year we are adding yet another challenge. We will be climbing Mt. San Gorgonio in southern California.

San Gorgonio Mountain, (also known as "San G" or Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback) is the highest peak in Southern California. It is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, 27 mi (42 km) east of the city of San Bernardino and 12 mi (19 km) north-northeast of San Gorgonio Pass. It lies in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, part of the San Bernardino National Forest. Spanish missionaries in the area during the early 1800s named the peak after Saint Gorgonius

Since it is the highest point in a region which is separated from higher peaks (e.g. in the Sierra Nevada) by relatively low terrain, San Gorgonio Mountain is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States. It is ranked 7th among peaks in the contiguous US, and 18th among all US peaks. From San G, we will have a nice view of the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and Los Angeles 90 miles to the west.

Although it will be summer when we climb "San G", there is almost a 100% chance that we will encounter snow (because of the elevation) and pass a C- 47 plane crash site from 1952.

Spotlight on...

At GO WEST!!! USA we believe that teens need time to “unplug”, not just from TV or video games, but also from the fast paced lifestyle that many of our young people find themselves in. Parents work long hours, sometimes using TV as a babysitter and fast food as a quick fix for mealtime. GO WEST!!! USA teaches young people how to use their time wisely by exercising their brains and their bodies. It is our goal to promote positive choices, leadership, self-esteem and physical activity in today’s teens. 

One word can be used to describe the transformation of teens who participate in GO WEST!!! USA expeditions – AWESOME. Using this word we can illustrate many of the aspects of our organization and our summer expeditions.

“A” is for Accomplishment. Our expeditions are not vacations. Teens will face a variety of challenges along the way. From fundraising to hiking, there is almost always a task that the teens feel they will not be able to accomplish. After they find out that they are capable of much more than they originally thought, the teens take on a sense of accomplishment that they will never forget. “A” is also for Attitude. A positive attitude is a huge part of the success of a GO WEST!!! USA expedition. Teens quickly learn that their attitude can make or break their expedition. At GO WEST!!! USA we continually stress the value of a positive attitude not only one the trip, but also through out life.

“W” is for Wow. A big part of GO WEST!!! USA is the thrill of exploration and discovery. Through our expeditions teens are able to explore our country beyond what they learn in school. They are able to see magnificent cites first hand and up close. The response from teens when we take them to the rim of the Grand Canyon is most always “wow”.

“E” is for Everyone. On a GO WEST!!! USA expedition we are only as strong as our weakest link. Everyone is strongly encouraged to participate in all activities. Even before our actual departure, teens must participate in various fundraisers. As we teach teens how to work as a team, they begin to understand what it is like to be a dependable adult. “E” is also for Empowerment. In many cases GO WEST!!! USA gives teens the ability to take on challenges in their daily lives.

“S” is for Synergy. On a GO WEST!!! USA expedition it is imperative that the teens work together. By working together each task that the teens are faced with can be easier for everyone.

“O” is for Outside of the Comfort Zone. In many cases, the teens who participate in our programs have never left their own communities. So it is safe to say that a cross-country camping trip is far outside their comfort zones.

“M” is for Movement. One of the greatest benefits of our programs is exposure to physical activity. Many teens watch as much as four hours of television a day. Without TV teens have the opportunity to get outside and move. Since our expeditions are not vacations, teens are required to help do chores such as unloading and loading the trailer and setting up camp. These activities, along with many others, help to emphasize the value of physical activity.

The final “E” is for Experience. By participating in a GO WEST!!! USA expedition, many teens experience more than most people will in a lifetime. 

By the time teens return home from an expedition, they are more confident and have a better understanding of what it means to be responsible. They take the lessons they have learned from their experience and carry them for the rest of their lives.

                                *LATEST NEWS*

      "100 Times..." Fundraising Campaign

                    


"100 Times..." This summer, our director will be making his 100th trip across this great land of ours. To commemorate that event, we are looking for at least 100 businesses to donate at least $100.00 to our organization. With your donations, we are able to help change the lives of our most valuable resource. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please send check or money order to:
 

GO WEST!!! USA
Attn: Rob Golden
4333 North Sixth Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
 

If you would like to make an in-kind donation, please call or contact us by email.

New Sponsor Recognition...

• Dr. Kenneth Small

• Anita Golden

• Kenneth Lewis

• John and Barbara Corbin

• Thomas J. and Alice McGrory

• The Harrisburg Radio Lab

• Sound Choice, Inc.

• William H. White

To all of you who have made a donation, or who will be making a donation we THANK YOU! Without you, none of this would be possible. At GO WEST!!! USA we are proud to say that over 80% of your donation goes directly to our programs.

We want our teens to know that they also have a place in this world. As our most valuable resource, they need to feel like they count... and they do count. Like it or not, they are our future. Investing in them only makes sense.

On our expeditions, we help teens set goals for themselves, and then we help them reach them. In the end they have accomplished things they had no idea they were capable of. Not one of our participants have ever come home and said that GWU was easy. They are PUSHED from the beginning... by our staff and themselves. In the end, there is a shared sense of pride. 

We all know that the wilderness has the power to change lives. Help us get our teens out there to experience it (many for the first time). A few years ago, before the era of affordable digital cameras, the teens would usually be out of film  ( remember that?) on their disposable cameras before we reached the Ohio/Indiana border. Do you remember what it was like to see mountains, waterfalls, the ocean, etc. for the first time. At GO WEST!!! USA we see those things and so much more! We try and stuff as many experiences as possible into our 21 day expeditions.

For example:

• Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

• Mount Rushmore

• Devils Tower

• Salt Lake City

• Live Animals ( Bison/Bears/Mountain Goats, etc.)

• Death Valley National Park

• Rocky Mountain National Park

• The Black Hills of South Dakota

• The Wisconsin Dells

• The Pacific Ocean

• Yosemite National Park

• Grand Canyon National Park

• Petrified Forest National Park

• Sequoia National Park

• Monument Valley

• Arches National Park

• St. Louis Arch

• Carlsbad Caverns

Just to name a few!

Having said all of that, GO WEST!!! USA is not just a three week vacation for the teens who participate. They must demonstrate a willingness to work together, before and during the expedition.  They must participate in the fundraisers and  community service events. During the expeditions, the teens must (all chores are supervised and/or taught):

• Fuel the Vehicles

• Wash Dishes

• Setup/ Break Camp

• Wash Vehicle

• Hike over 100 Miles

• Volunteer at selected National Parks

• Cook Meals

• Learn how and why to check tire pressure

• Learn how and why to change Motor Oil

• Gather and carry firewood

• Change tires

• And Much More!

Our Expeditions are both physically and mentally challenging, but in the end we fully expect the experience to be one of the most rewarding in the lives of the teens who participate.

All of our qualified GO WEST!!! USA adult volunteers have had both State Police, and FBI background clearance checks and must also be First Aid and CPR certified. Our number one priority is the safety and welfare of our participants. We will never put your child in an unsafe situation.

To get started, just download the appropriate application and let us that you are interested in becoming a part of the GO WEST!!! USA team! You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the applications.

• Youth Application
• Adult Volunteer Application

We look forward to hearing from you. If you have an questions about our programs, please call or write today!

TOK: An adult pelican can hold over 4 gallons of water in its beak!