How do I post a request to buy? - Page 2

Another thing is that it is harder on family life than you could imagine. We were talking with folks on another team and taht team has, like, an 80% divorce rate! People really seem to get lost around holidays, important events, etc.. always at inconvenient times.....I waited until my kids were older/grown to get involved, but now I have my infirm elderly parents and my father simply does not understand and thinks my priorities are "wrong" so that adds stress -- And there is some stress when I must leave my very understanding husband to care for my parents while I am off in the woods - because it limits him. Definitely if you try it without a dog you will find out if you are hooked, then there will be no stopping you, or you may find perhaps you and your family could still be involved in an auxiliary fashion and have great fun. Great luck in whatever decision you make --- but definitely check it out with the team!

Thanks, Nancy. Would you mind expanding on your statement "you may find perhaps you and your family could still be involved in an auxiliary fashion" for me? In what way could we play a less demanding role? I noticed my local team went to a popular local event in the park and held a bake sale...are you thinking something like that? Thanks, Rick

Your ability to contribute is limited only by the imagination of you and the team. We just recently amended our standards to include "Auxiliary Members". We require them to go through the same FBI Criminal Background Check we require of every team member and pay insurance dues at a reduced rate. The team adjacent to us has a parapalegic who comes to searches and does mapping software and radio logs on searches. Another man is blind in one eye who does search management roles. They are critical members of the team. We always need dogsitters; we leave dogs crated in vehicles at state parks etc. and it would be awful nice to have someone who can move the vehicles as the sun moves, watch for people bothering dogs and gear etc. Hide for dogs (sometimes you need people sitting in the woods for hours) Help with fundraising, like the local event and fundraising letters and articles. Serve as a webmaster. Make lunch for long training weekends. etc. etc. etc. To serve at an actual search there are usually some training requirements mandated by the government and your team - I am still surprised when there are "all y'all come" searches with untrained volunteers because there are (many states) requirements to comply with NIMS (google National Incident Mangaement System)even for local events and we have team liability insurance (our biggest team expense)

Thanks, Nancy. You've given me a lot of great ideas.