The interest for the PSA Rangers 50th Anniversary Reunion has been overwhelming the last few weeks. We had 300 people register by May 20th for the event—a record number. We accepted people on a waiting list through May 31st. At this time we don’t know if we will be able to accommodate the list.
As you can imagine, interest has been high, much higher even than we had anticipated. Our challenge has been how to respond to that interest in a way that meets the needs of our members without interfering unduly with the summer operations at the Ranch, which of course must make providing service to the current generation of young people their first priority.
We feel this reunion will set a precedent for our future department reunions and regular PSA reunions back at the Ranch. We are very sensitive to the impact we are going to have on the ranch with 300 people: doubling the number of people who arrive on a typical day. Therefore we can not accept any more registrations and will have to turn away anyone who decides to just show up that weekend for any of the scheduled events.
We are encouraging those who want to make it back to the ranch this year to sign up for the PSA Autumn Adventure treks September 9-14th.
OPEN IT UP!!!!!
I probably will never see that many of my fellow rangers again from the 70’s- Throw everyone at rmsc(there is plenty of room) for two days-give us a bit of trailfood and we will be ok-Its a once in a lifetime event for some of us- and you shouldn’t limit it-
All we need is a tent and bedroll=rangers don’t need restrooms and showers they just come off the trail and get another crew-
we need a keg party at the canyon- who’s up for it?
let us all come!
open it all up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we would like a reply from you only if you remember us?????????? 1970—–1976!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mo if you can put it on a stick then we will be there.
fish on—–BRIXEY AND DENNIS
Please find a way to let all of us old Rangers particpate. Don’t shut the door. Be imaginative, resourceful and creative as we were taught at Philmont over 40 years ago. This is a landmark event and should not be closed.
Please allow those people on the waiting list to attend! Many of these people are willing to eat and sleep elsewhere – thus they’ll have no impact on the Ranch. They just want take part in the meetings and see old friends. Please……
I appreciate the sentiments of those who would have the PSA increase the number of participants, but we Rangers also must respect the Ranch and the volunteers who would have to handle logistics. I’m delighted I didn’t put off registering! Would that we had such participation in other reunions, PSA regional events, and especially service projects. I’m biased, of course, but I also think our overwhelming response says something significant about us Rangers and how the Ranger experience affected so many of us.
We sure hope that something can be worked out with Philmont management to allow all of our fellow Rangers to attend this special reunion. On a normal year I would agree more with the cut off, but on this special 50th Anniversary I hope that all that want to attend are able to. It will truely be a once in a lifetime event for the Ranger Department.
IWGBTP
Mitch and Christine Standard
IN RESPONCE TO RON WILEY—— MANY OF US ARE NOT ABLE TO DO MANY THINGS… BUT THE FACT, I AND MANY OTHERS FOUND OUT ABOUT THE REUNION IN OTHER THAN ORTHODOX WAYS— WE SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR THE FACT THAT MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND YET WE ARE WILLING TO FEED OUR SELVES AS WELL AS HOUSE OUR OWN BODIES????? IF THIS IS WILLING TO HAPPEN WHY ARE YA’LL SO PIG HEADED??????????? HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS SOFTENED YOU OVER TIME OR HAVE YA’LL REALIZED THAT WE JUST WANT TO SEE EACH OTHER IN THE NAME OF ” LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW PHILMONT BRETHEREN”
SHOES OVER THE GATE, JERRY
I would love to see registration open up again. Although I’m not on a waiting list, I tried signing up online in late May only to be devastated when I found out registration was closed. I have the utmost respect for those of you who have already worked so hard to put this reunion together. But, if the rest of us can be included, I’d be eternally grateful! I, too, am willing to eat and sleep elsewhere just to be able to see everyone again!
Thanks for listening.
P.S. Just for the record, I didn’t “put off” registering. I have a daughter whose school year didn’t end until June 14th, so the schedules for her school sports-related obligations for the summer weren’t released until after May 25th. Also, she only has 9 weeks of summer vacation, and some of the colleges she’s looking at didn’t post their July/August visit days until late May.
I was hoping to come to the renunion. I planned my vacation around the event. I have a friend from 40 years ago. He was a ranger, too. There were several rangers on the list that are coming. I could at least talk, shake hands, and catch up on our old experiences from our camping days. Please open up this event. Tom McKenzie
I realize the response to the reunion has been much greater than anticipated, but surely there is some way that the logistics can be worked out to allow those who tried to register on time to attend. At the very least, any Lifetime Members who want to attend should be allowed to come. You do need to honor those people who have been your greatest supporters, and who will be in the future. While I am not personally a Lifetime Member, I believe those who are should definitely be included in the reunion. Fred D. Zipp, former Ranger
Some way should be found to accommodate the ancient legends of the Ranger Staff. Do they still make ’em like Brixey and Dennis?
Say “Hi” to The ‘Ner, Mark and Jerry.
How does (did) one obtain a Ranger buckle?
Trace Pitzen
Ranger 71-73
Patti’s kid is old enough to be visiting colleges…and yet she still wants to go back and see her old Ranger buddies…
Perhaps those on the waiting list should just crash the party or start yer own at the James.
Hey you all,
I guess I was so focused on raising my three little girls and getting my husband to Physician Assistant school in TN that I didn’t realize it was time for the big reunion. My PSA connection Mark Warrick didn’t tell me about it until after the birth of his sixth baby on July 2nd. (He was kind of busy this year.) If the reunion opens up, I’ll try to find an affordable last minute flight out of Nashville. I’ll miss you all.
Teri Muhr
I am so thankful that I heard about the reunion through PSA early-on and was able to register and attend. I truly would have walked from my home in Carson City, Nevada to attend. It was an honor to meet the seven Rangers from 1957 and hear their stories. It was great running into the rangers that I served with in the mid-70’s (never thought I’d get to see Tom “Anvil” McKinney, my TR, or Dave Caffey, my CR, again!)- what a trip in a time machine – plus, my daughter Julie, who served on the Philstaff in 2006, got to come along and get an idea of what Dad experienced at the age of 19. Thanks so much to the PSA staff that organized the event because you all did things just right. I only hope I’m alive for the 75th Ranger Reunion in 2032 and they’ll have room for all the former Rangers (imagine how many there will be by THEN) who wish to attend. IWTGBTP…