Lori first came to Philmont to visit a boyfriend, and ended up staying the rest of the summer to work.  With no intention to return the next year, she suddenly got the itch and found herself craving another Westward adventure.   Her first official summer on staff, she was a PTC group leader.  She recalls PTC being a great place for a non-scouter to start her Philmont career.  She also remembers her tight knit group of girlfriends who spent days off in the backcountry together learning the ins and outs of backpacking.

As a PC at Beaubien, she found herself across the meadow each morning, helping the wranglers prepare for tailrides.  She soon graduated from currying to saddling and became an honorary wranglers assistant.  The next summer, she returned as a wrangler, and eventually become the 4th female horsemen on South Cavalcade.

From shoeing and topping off, to horse drives and rodeo dances - Lori found herself amongst her own - a Ranch department family rooted in hard work, respect, and education.   As South Cav horseman in 1997 and 1998, Lori thrived as a leader and embraced the opportunity to build relationships with backcountry staff camps.  Lori met her husband at Philmont and says quote "There's just something about a guy in interps."  Today the Lori and her family remain active in Scouting and Philmont.

Removed from all other distractions, Philmont gave Lori the time and space to think about who she wanted to be as she went forward into life.   The hard work she encountered as a wrangler put into context other challenges in life - that with some grit and trusted friends, one could make it through hardships, and grow from them too. 

Philmont Experience
1993 – PTC East Tent City Asst. Manager (partial summer)
1994 – PTC Family Program
1995 – PC Beaubien
1996 – Wrangler
1997 – Horseman – South Cavalcade
1998 – Horseman – South Cavalcade
 
Non-Philmont Scouting Experience
2002 – 2005 – Exploring Executive / District Executive – Denver Area Council, BSA. Currently Chartered Organization Representative for T510 (Boy & Girl) and Crew 510 out of Naperville, IL

Notable Mentions:
Ali Wick Meeks
Forest McVicar
Cricket Lundsteen Quast
Jolene Clark Hardy
Tricia Daily Seifert
Jen Temple
Punita Hanspal
Rachel Ricklefs
Bob Ricklefs
Laurie Cochran
David Musolf aka Trigger
Travis Powell
Matt Todd
Stacey Greene
Jeremy Spivey
Shelly Kieft Phillips
1996 wrangler crew – Tara, Anna LaPointe, Kristy Gibson, Eva
Joe Lieck
Ben Vargas
Marilyn Vargas
Rod Taylor
Chris Swain
Chrystene Matthews Speed
Jake Anderson
Roger Smith – Cold Beer
David Repovich
Reggie Jayne
Eric Voss
Father Don Hummell
Larry McLaughlin aka Dirty Larry - The Philmont Documentary
Doug Fasching
Eric Locklar aka Lock
Sam Sorkin

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