Emerald weekend #1

[karstdvr]

Saturday and Sunday saw the culimination of a over a year's worth of work in getting Emerald open as a cave diving site. We've had dedicated volunteers and donors who have worked tirelessly to help see the completion of this project. This weekend we had volunteer work crews who labored under the hot sun to install the steps,and we are now a little more than 50% done on the steps.

We wish to thank the following individuals in their hard efforts: Keith Mille,Kyle Miller,Larry Green,Dedra Green,Nicole Stanton,John P. Jones,
Perrone Ford,Gregory Rock,Donn Mount,Dori Carmichael,Bill Rotella,Gene Melton,Mark Swicord,Allen Wooten,Forrest Wilson,Michael Studard,Richard Blackburn,Gregg Stanton,Joey Hess,Vince Ferris, Ynonue Haeaefke, Jason Ottinger, Andrey Yefimov,Kelly Jessop, John Faircloth,Lamar English,Katrina Ottinger,Bill Dunn,Rick Crawford,John Doud,Lee Gibson,Wayne Kinard,Gordon Smith,Randy Belson,and park rangers who participated.

Signed the Emerald Sink Advisory Panel-Larry Green,Lamar English,Lamar Hires,Jarrod Jablonski,Jason Ottinger,Greg Flanagan,and Kelly Jessop

 

[FloridaCaveDiver]

Saturday and Sunday saw the culimination of a over a year's worth of work in getting Emerald open as a cave diving site. We've had dedicated volunteers and donors who have worked tirelessly to help see the completion of this project. This weekend we had volunteer work crews who labored under the hot sun to install the steps,and we are now a little more than 50% done on the steps.

We wish to thank the following individuals in their hard efforts: Keith Mille,Kyle Miller,Larry Green,Dedra Green,Nicole Stanton,John P. Jones,
Perrone Ford,Gregory Rock,Donn Mount,Dori Carmichael,Bill Rotella,Gene Melton,Mark Swicord,Allen Wooten,Forrest Wilson,Michael Studard,Richard Blackburn,Gregg Stanton,Joey Hess,Vince Ferris, Ynonue Haeaefke, Jason Ottinger, Andrey Yefimov,Kelly Jessop, John Faircloth,Lamar English,Katrina Ottinger,Bill Dunn,Rick Crawford,John Doud,Lee Gibson,Wayne Kinard,Gordon Smith,Randy Belson,and park rangers who participated.

Signed the Emerald Sink Advisory Panel-Larry Green,Lamar English,Lamar Hires,Jarrod Jablonski,Jason Ottinger,Greg Flanagan,and Kelly Jessop

And I think Johnny Richards should be added to the list of individuals that are thanked for their "Hard Efforts" don't you think? He might not have been there for the initial installation of the steps but he certainly was there, from the beginning, spearheading the entire effort to get the site open in the first place.

Thanks Johnny for all your efforts in getting this project to this point.

 

[karstdvr]

I agree 100% he has been a major thrust in getting this project done. This was directed for the people who labored in building the steps the first weekend.

 

[FloridaCaveDiver]

I agree 100% he has been a major thrust in getting this project done. This was directed for the people who labored in building the steps the first weekend.

I know -- I just felt that after such a nice message was posted thanking the folks that volunteered physical work this past weekend that it was at least appropriate to thank the person that got this all started in the first place.

If I had "labored" for a year with paperwork, red tape, meetings and politics to be forgotten I would be a little upset. I just felt PERSONALLY that someone very important to this effort was excluded from some well deserved thanks.

Being around this from the start as a silent observer I just felt it was appropriate to mention Johnny -- as without him, in my humble opinion, this might have never made it to the point of having anything for all the people mentioned in this thread to do in the first place.

Cave Safely!

 

[karstdvr]

Also not to be forgotten. IANTD,GUE,NACD,NSS-CDS,and TDI donated food and drinks to the volunteer work crew on Saturday and Sunday. Great appreciation to these organizations and their members for their generous donation.

 

[FloridaCaveDiver]

Also not to be forgotten. IANTD,GUE,NACD,NSS-CDS,and TDI donated food and drinks to the volunteer work crew on Saturday and Sunday. Great appreciation to these organizations and their members for their generous donation.

Agreed.