OA begins tonight with cookout

<p>DS went grocery shopping yesterday for the OA cookout tonight. He is really excited for a GREAT week with the incoming freshman! He will be with group I (Riverside group) all week. Hope your children are excited for the program. I promise they will enjoy it!!</p>

<p>What a great idea! A very good ice-breaker! Hope they all have fun and make new friends!</p>

<p>Bamafana,</p>

<p>D was on that shopping trip - how many baskets total? The pic she showed me was an entire cart full of chips! Sounds like the OA’ers won’t go hungry.</p>

<p>Hope its a great year for them. The weather is certainly cooperating :)</p>

<p>DS was headed over there. I am glad that they are doing this. None of his roommates are in town yet, and he wanted to get out with some people.</p>

<p>Got a text from DS after the picnic. Just said “it’s going to be a GREAT week”. Guess he’s impressed with this incoming group of young men and women. ROLL TIDE!!</p>

<p>Canoe trip today. Hope the rain doesn’t interfere. At least the temps are nice!</p>

<p>Looks like there is a chance of rain for most of the week. Does the schedule get altered due to the weather or do they stick to the schedule ‘rain or shine’?</p>

<p>They won’t take chances with thunderstorms, or course, but rain just means muddy fun :)</p>

<p>D apparently had quite the adventure on the canoe trip today (Riverside group). She said they assumed the lightning strike position (whatever that is) for about an hour, and there were capsized canoes and other such excitement. She said it’s really fun.</p>

<p>S is on the Riverside group and still has not texted us or called us today. Why do I have a feeling that he is on the capsized canoe? I sure hope he kept his phone dry. Does anyone know what the schedule would be like for the rest of the week? My S is not the talkative type and trying to get information from him is like pulling teeth.</p>

<p>I think the Riverside group goes to Perry Lake park tomorrow and they all have Quad Olympics in the evening. Wednesday and Thursday I think they work at Hurricane Creek; I’m assuming that’s tornado cleanup but I’m not sure. I’ll bet the parents of one of the leaders would know. Professor dinner on Wednesday evening, Farmer’s Market at some point Thursday and a free evening, hiking Hurricane Creek on Friday and final banquet in the evening.</p>

<p>Yes, DD was in the group that had to huddle in the forest and wait out the storm. adventure, indeed :)</p>

<p>As beth’s mom said, today is Perry Lake park. You can check it out at perrylakes . org</p>

<p>Its in Marion, Alabama - just south of Tuscaloosa. They’ll really get to know the local flora & fauna and those from other regions may begin speaking with a slight drawl :D</p>

<p>To clarify - the Riverside group is at Perry Lake today, the Lakeside group is canoeing. </p>

<p>Wednesday & Thursday the groups will work together on tornado cleanup at Hurricane Creek - still lots to do there. On Friday they’ll hike that area.</p>

<p>received texts from son last night and this am. Last night short, said he was having “A blast”, finally met a “group”. </p>

<p>This morning said he is going canoeing today (so I guess he is in lakeside group), and had terrible storms yesterday and last night. Said weather was better today.</p>

<p>What is professor dinner?</p>

<p>OA: …yesterday LS group was at Perry Lakes - assembled picnic tables and varnished, cleared areas to install benches. Got caught in some heavy rains. They got back around 2:30 due to rains and had some meetings then were free til dinner- they went to Moe’s Original BBQ. Report was that it was a really good day even with the rain, all new OA’s in group excited and engaged.
Today- LS group- canoe trip, RS group- Perry Lakes - early dinner 5 pm then Quad Olympics both groups
Wed. - both groups work at Hurricane Creek - Professor Dinner both groups - this is where OA Leaders have invited some of their professors from prior years to come meet/greet new students.
Thurs.- both groups work at Hurricane Creek - 3pm Farmers Market, free night.
Fri. - both Hurricane Creek, 1pm Arboretum, 6pm final banquet dinner.</p>

<p>Thanks Trvlbug!</p>

<p>DS said they mainly played soccer and frisbee tonight but that everyone had a blast!! ROLL TIDE!!</p>

<p>A few pics on Facebook from the Honor’s College at Perry Lake yesterday.</p>

<p>Nice article on the program:
[Local</a> woods provide learning environment | TuscaloosaNews.com](<a href=“Pocono Mountain board gives superintendent Robison $20,000 bonus”>Pocono Mountain board gives superintendent Robison $20,000 bonus)
D mentioned the professor dinner last night went very well.</p>