Pathfinders, Inc . and the *sshole Mike Parr

[Hedge]

Do you remember what year you were there? That might help people find you.

Welcome to Fornits!

Hedge

[ask]

When it closed in 1996.

[RenCA]

Ok, I know that I'm late but here is my story about running away: The day before Easter, 1995, they drove my into the mountains. I remember putting the visor down because the sun was in my face. When we stopped it was night time and I was with Willy. He was being really friendly. When we stopped he told me to take off all my cloth and put on Army fatigues. After hiking a few miles, I told him that I didn't want to do this and he replied "let's get to camp and we'll call your parents, cause we don't want people like you here". When we got there another guy threw me to the ground and was yelling in my face.

First, I tried faking a broken arm. Then I invited someone to run away and they ratted me out. Finally, I invited a new kid Jason and he agreed. We put on as many layers as possible and pocketed as much food as possible. Then, when the sun was setting and we were loose to collect firewood we took off. We ran and ran and ran. That ngiht was sooo cold and we slept as close to eack other to conserve heat as possible. The next day we started moving towards the sun in the morning and away from it in the afternoon. We drank filtered water with our shirts. On the second day we saw the Pathfinders SUV and were going to hotwire it, but didn't, we kept hiking. Finally, we cam out of the mountain and saw a search plan. Then we got to Big Spring Ranch and he made a call and so did I, to out family. 30 min later Mike, Willy, and 3 other can in and threw us to the floor, and then the SUV.

They took us to Subway and sad " you guys must be starving". They got food for all of then and ate it infront of us, but none for us. Then they took us to the airport and send us home. They said that they could not be liable for us anymore. After 2 weeks, we won!  

Sorry for grammer, I wanted to tell it but now I'm in a rush. I could make a movie over my experience really.

contact me at Steplogic1 on AIM

[psn]

hi there, i did pathfinders from nov. 95 - jan 96. i was in the black range and the jornada. staff i remember are sarah, willie, terry, jim, and brad. fellow programmers i remember are ben (still grateful to you), mindy?, and guilio.

i have big black spaces in my memory of pathfinders; i remember some pretty frightening encounters with willie, them forcibly cutting off my hair, the pain of hiking with a pinched nerve, ben's compassion, and the amazing vistas, mike parr's hideous spitting face and plumber's butt...and the horrible set-up of my "graduation."

i know they broke me but i can't remember how. the feelings are overwhelming and at times very confusing.

i am also looking for a later "grad" of pathfinders who became a dear friend of mine at cascade...claire van den brandhoff (platinum blonde from holland)...if anyone remembers her or knows how to get in touch, please let me know!

i welcome contact from any other "grads" at prianka dot nagpal at g mail.

also, what an awesome escape story! i felt to scared and helpless to even try, though i did fantasize about it!

[JennyConine]

I was there in 92 @ Black Range mountians, my parents told me how they found this great camp where you do tons of fun activites and attend school. I had already atteneded Challenger so I knew this wasnt going to be a fun place. 2 nights later I went to bed and woke up to find two strange men in my room, I was zip tied and put on a private plane to Albequre, NM. After being searched and given clothes to wear we drove to the mountians, meanwhile Mike was going on about how I needed to talk about the abuse and incest.....What abuse and incest?? I was there 11 weeks before walking off, I hid for a few hours before I gave up. Willie sure taught me that wasn't going to happen again, after another week I ended up running away. Mike called my parents and told them he knew all about them molesting me and if they didnt pay him he would expose them. Brad found me at a bus station and called Mike where he showed up with some other man, it wasnt a good day. My parents haven't spoken more than 20 words to me since then and are still in denial. They really think Pathfinders was a great program and that I told everyone there my parents abused me. Im guessing no one reads this anymore but on chance if anyone does contact me. I need to know if Im the only one who experianced some not so great moments there.
 howell192@gmail.com