Zipline Alumni News

What does it look like when you combine a TMC College Summit, a DiscoveryBound (DB) Outreach National Annual event, and a DiscoveryBound Compass fall retreat in Boston? Christian Scientists from all over the country gathering in one location to see and hear firsthand from staff at The Mother Church, Longyear Museum and, most importantly, each other!

Rusty’s enthusiasm for giving is palpable. “Don’t be a hoarder!” he says in his affable Texas drawl. “Only five percent of Christians shed the light!” He heard this “don’t be a hoarder” comment from a minister while working together in the prison ministry in Austin and has adopted the phrase as another way of saying, “live generously.”

We’ve found that families are challenged with choosing among many activities. My job is to share and answer questions about the experiences children have in A/U Ranches and DiscoveryBound activities.

Zipline catches up with the newest members of the National Alumni Board: Skip Franklin, David Kurtz, Doug Moser and Bill Webster.

With the spirit of gratitude and the Christ upon us this season, alumni may be looking for ways to reconnect with those cherished feelings from camp and A/U Chapters (DiscoveryBound). We can help! Give as much or as little time as you wish on your path to genuine connections.

“This was a great time, like coming home again – a great meeting with old friends and making new ones,” says alumnus Don Gregory. “I saw firsthand how well the horse program has been improved and upgraded. It was a pleasure to ride up the mountain, after about 30 years. There was lots of renewal of amazing feelings and inspiration unique to the A/U Ranches in that beautiful, familiar setting in the Colorado Rockies.”

It was a fruitful few days for the board, where major themes of discussion included how to connect with as many alumni as possible in the coming year and develop or support existing programs that encourage regular connections to Adventure Unlimited, through either the A/U Ranches or DiscoveryBound.

Alumni: Are you missing your A/U Ranches and DiscoveryBound (DB) friends? Are you cherishing memories from last year, 10 years, 20 years ago? Whether you have a little time or more, there are ways to reconnect with the experiences and people you love – and make new ones. Here are some ideas.

Forty chairs, made of a combination of cedar and a hardwood, will be available for a tax-deductible donation of $400 each. They’ll include the A/U Ranches logo on the back and a custom message engraved across the seat front. These durable chairs will also replace the plastic versions that blow away in strong winds.

When you know about something wonderful, it’s natural to want to share it with others. That’s the approach that DiscoveryBound (DB) Ambassadors are taking: They’re spreading the word about DB Outreach, National Leadership Council and Compass programs in their local Christian Science communities.