Meet the Planning Crew, Part 1
The ACF Planning Crew (that’s us) want to make sure you feel ready for ACF this year. It’s a big event, and especially if you’re new it might feel a little overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve got you!
We’re going to begin share stories of the people involved with ACF leading up to the big event in October. It’s our way of making first-timers feel a little bit more connected coming into ACF… and to connect cool stories and people across our rad community.
First up we want to start sharing some perspectives from our ACF Planning Crew (again, that’s us) and advice for first time participants.
Ronnie Dickson
AKA The grand chuffaluffagus
How I got involved:
Divine intervention. All the roads I traveled in my life led me here, and there is nowhere I would rather be. We have an awesome community of people to rage and climb rocks with!
Advice for first timers:
Create connections. You never know who you might meet and who might become a lifelong friends.
Sam Sala
AKA Safety Sam
How I got involved:
Kristina made me do it.
Advice for first timers:
No matter what your disability or what you think you're capable of, we will find a way. We can't guarantee it will be smooth, but we can guarantee it will be fun, and you'll have folks in your corner with you until we make it happen.
Kristina Ericson
AKA: Spreadsheet Lady
How I got involved:
I got involved in ACF because I heard through the 2017-adaptive-climbing-grapevine that Ronnie and Andrew were planning an event, and I volunteered myself to help keep them in line (it's truly the hardest part of my job). Also, like a lot of us in the planning crew, ACF is a space and a community that I wish my family had access to when I was a kid. I want to create more spaces for families to play in the dirt in a loving and accessible way.
Advice for first timers:
1. BYOB
2. Don't be weird.
3. Actually, be super weird.
4. Throw away whatever preconceived notion you have about rock climbing. Whatever happens at ACF will be so much better.
Wade Balmer
AKA: Real Slim Wadey
How I got involved:
Kristina and I have worked together for many great years. She is a bad ass recruiter for ACF. Then I met Mo and she immediately began bullying me to attend. The ACF community is the best and they make you want to love climbing as much as they do. Plus we have killer campfires, delicious grub and the best vibes around!
Advice for first timers:
Ask questions. Introduce yourself to anyone and everyone. We got you. You got this.
Coming up soon, more stories from the rest of our Planning Crew!
