Born and Raised: South Ozone Park (Queens), NY
Elementary School: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Richmond Hill, NY
High School: St. Francis Prep, Brooklyn, NY
Undergraduate College: Manhattan College (BS) Bronx, NY
Graduate College: Queens College (M.Ed.) Flushing, NY
Other: Keene State College (Certification) Keene, NH; Betty Ford Center (Professional in Residence) Palm Springs, CA: Prevention Research Institute (Trainer) Lexington, KY; NH State Police (Drug Recognition Expert) Concord, NH
Outdoor Education: North American Wilderness Survival School, National Outdoor Leadership, Outward Bound, Nantahala Outdoor Center
Lynvets: Circa 1962-1965 Intermediate, Junior and Senior Teams. I was lucky enough to be captain a couple of times. If memory serves me well I believe we were undefeated once as Intermediates and once as Juniors. For further information about the early days and amazing characters responsible for this great organization read "State of Grace" by Robert Timberg. It's a great journey into the lives of some childhood heroes...flawed as they were...some wonderfully inspiring role models.
During the late 1970s my good friend Denis Craine and I fulfilled our dream of developing WIlderness Experiences, a non-profit educational organization designed to conduct wilderness programs for both inner city youth and the general public. For five years and over a thousand folks participated in a variety of programs including whitewater rafting, canoeing, cross country skiing, rock climbing, spelunking, sailing, ice climbing and horse-packing. Locations for these adventures included frozen waterfalls in Boulder, whitewater rivers in Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, the mountains of Southern Colorado, the waters off Long Island and Massachusetts and many other spectacular areas.
Shared challenges and friendly campfires gave teens through the elderly opportunities to meet in ways they had never experienced. They were wonderful days and nights and travels...thanks to all who participated!
Who would have thought that a punk kid from Queens could have gotten involved in all this. But I guess running around the street, playing ball, riding bikes and perhaps time spent in the Boy Scouts contributed to the desire for adventure.
Mountaineering in the former Soviet Union
Assorted Adventure Travel Trips
Canadian Rockies Mountaineering
Whitewater Rafting on the Lehigh River - Intro (WOR-TV News)
Whitewater Rafting on the Lehigh River - Part 2 (WOR-TV News)
Nassau Coliseum Promotional Stunt - Video
To raise awareness of the Wilderness Experiences program Denis and I rappelled from the rafters of the Nassau Coliseum in New York during the second period break of the STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF game between the NY Rangers and NY Islanders. Coliseum officials did not give us permission to do it but of course we would not be stopped! It was broadcast live on national television - NBC-TV. (Here's a fifth generation copy of the video - sorry about the lack of clarity.)
FYI... the police grabbed us afterwards, interviewed us then kicked us in the butt and suggested we leave the Coliseum and never do something like that again. And, they had smiles on their faces as they escorted us out.
NASCAR
Work, work, work...
Astor Liquors: Delivery; Filmore East: Usher, stage security; LI Press: Shape up; Carlisle and Jacqueline: Wall Street clerk; Triangle Ramp Service: Airport ramp worker; Willmark Security: Shopper; Gladstone's: Bouncer; Diggs: Bouncer, bartender; Casita Maria: Youth counselor; Manhattan College: Football coach; Xavier High School: Football coach; US Treasury Dept.: Sky Marshal; Apple Skills Exchange: Teacher; Warner Communications: Host, bartender; Windmill Farms Country Club: Asst. Manager; NYC School for Language and Hearing Impaired: PE Teacher; Restaurant Brian: Bartender; Wilderness Experiences: Founder, director; White and Case (other law firms): Part-time Proofreader; Nantahala Outdoor Center: Promotions, rafting guide; NC State University: PE Teacher, outdoor education specialist; Brookstone: Factory worker; Hancock Inn: Bartender; Boston University Sargent Camp: Assistant Manger; Keene State College: Assistant to VP for Alcohol and Other Drug Programs; Ursinus College: Adjunct Faculty; Merrimack College: Coordinator of Health Education; Apple Store: Specialist.