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In walking with wolf we read about a man named Wilford Guindon. He goes to a Quaker boarding school in Ohio called Olney. At his school he discovers a love of hiking, which aids him forever! He meets his lifelong partner lucky on a return trip to Olney from Illinois. The political climate of the United States during this time period drives wolf and lucky to seek a new place to live. Their friends also see the need to leave the United States of America. They find what they are looking for in a small, military-less Central American country, Costa Rica!

Once they arrive in Costa Rica they search and search for a good location to start their new community. They find exactly what they are looking for in a big green mountain, that they so appropriately name "Monteverde". They spend years making connections and solidifying friendships, establishing a dairy, and clearing pastures and home lots for their community. The real goal of the Quakers was to settle the green mountain, and such was their focus for around twenty years.

Then the pace changed drastically. They started to realize that the area around them was being adversely affected by their actions, the birds loosing homes, etc. All very slowly but the effect was still there, and noticeable. So now they knew that they had to do something to help save and preserve the gorgeous land that was all around them. With a little elbow grease, some mind juice, and a whole lot of help, they founded the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This was the beginning of conservation projects in Costa Rica. In retrospect I’m sure wolf would consider this one of his biggest achievements.

Conservation is a huge topic of my focus. I have always believed in conserving natural resources. Be it beautiful land, animals, culture or things like water and diamonds. Keeping the world around you healthy keeps you healthy. Why cut down one of the primary sources of oxygen. I of course am talking about trees. They bring in air filled with co2 and "eat the co2" then give back the oxygen. Who in their right mind would cut that down!? Conservation is something that is absolutely necessary for the survival of the human race, as well as the entire world! This will most definitely be a huge part of my research project.

If you have been keeping up with our class you would know that we are reading this book to eventually travel to Costa Rica and conduct a comparative research project on our area and Costa Rica. This will take a good amount of money and a boat load of responsibility. But I believe in mine and my peer’s ability to use the tools our teachers have given us to do a fantastic job! We are going to Costa Rica, and we are going to have a great time, do lots of research and make lots of connections. This is the most amazing opportunity my peers and I have ever had. We are so excited and so ready for this!

In our class we have been doing some major fundraising. Over the summer we did a car wash, we worked a booth for four days at a fair. Going to Costa Rica is not cheap, and we are dedicated to go. We have to raise around fifteen thousand dollars for us to go. There are a few different ways for you to help us. There is a donate button on our website, also if you live near us we are doing a raking fundraiser. The raking fundraiser consist of you paying us one hundred dollars per acre to rake your lawn and dispose of the leafs. All the information can be found on our website. DONATE!

You can keep up with us and our ventures on seacoast online. Here is our latest article!

Road to the top

Wolf Guindon is a man with many hopes and many ideas. He is a man who knows what he believes and knows what he has to do to fulfill his dreams. He is determined to do what he knows is right for him, for his family and for the world. These attributes are all things that I would say all people strive to have. This is the difference between fully living your life and just sitting back watching the years streak past you. Many people live their lives and die without knowing what they really are, or what they really want. Wolf and I share a strong passion for life. Although I may not know exactly what I'm going to do with my life I have a very strong pull towards being outside, and using my mind to its fullest. My motivation and will will drive me and bring me to the places I want to be.

In chapter three we hear about how the roads leading up to Monteverde Costa Rica had to be constantly worked on. This makes me think of how progress is the name of the game and as long as you are moving forward you are doing what you need to do. The road may be impassible now, but not for long! It is this very way of thinking that powers me through tough times. Walking With Wolf is a very inspiring read, and I recommend it to all my readers! Check it out for your self!

Walking With Wolf: Chapter Two

In this chapter we find out a lot of information about Wolfs Quaker background. In about the mid-seventeenth century a man by the name of George Fox founded the Society of Friends of Truth. Originally the Quaker religion was called the " religious society of friends" . Their belief system was that of a peace loving and life loving people. The main subject of their focus was silently revering god. The term Quaker was originally a derogatory term, but was eventually adopted by the society. For Quakers not even the word of the bible is the ultimate authority, they also do not claim that theirs is the only way. All of this provided Wolf with a great start on his journey.

Wolf Guindon went to a school much like my very own. They not only grade you based on your scholastic accomplishments but on you're behavioral ones as well. This system helps you turn an inward eye, assuming that you take advantage of the tools before you. I know for me personally had it not been for this system I would be far further from my current mind set. For Wilford Guindon and I alike, this method is far more effective than traditional schooling. This point system is also what turned Wolf onto hiking . Every day before school he would walk up to 8 miles through the woods, and at one point per mile the points quickly added up. On page sixteen Wolf is quoted saying " In my four years at boarding school, the hiking I did was enough to go to Alabama and back to Ohio." Two thousand four hundred and thirty miles, that's quite an accomplishment!

Wolf Guindon was not one to go off to war. It was completely against his beliefs to wage war. During the summer of nineteen forty eight these beliefs were tested. The Universal Military Training Act of nineteen forty eight would take any person from the age eighteen to twenty-six. Wolf along with most people of his belief system thought that there would be a sort of peaceful program for objectors of violence to contribute so they would not have to go to jail. This was not the case. Any and all draft dodgers would be either fined or imprisoned. The maximum sentence was a five thousand dollar fine or five years in prison. Wolf and three of his fellow Quaker friends decided not to sign up for the peace time draft. In December of nineteen forty eight they were arrested. On October, the twenty-sixth Wolf and his friends were sentenced to a year and a day, to be served in the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee Florida. They caught a slight bit of luck in the form of a well timed parole. They managed to only spend four months in prison. They were released on February twenty seventh, nineteen fifty.

While in prison Wolfs father had an accident. His father was using a pry lever to lift and pivot a large cement watering tank. It slipped of the fulcrum and the lever came down on his head. After much physical pain he decided to see a doctor. He was told that he had a blood clot, and so a brain surgeon from Birmingham preformed the operation. It was a success. but at his age, fifty-six, his brain was shrinking. within a few days he died. Later on when Wolf would be making plans for Costa Rica, his fathers absence would make it easier for him to leave.

This chapter is a brilliant way to give readers perspective on what drives Wilford Guindon. Knowing much of what he has done in his life I know him as a very considerate and caring person, in all regards. Now, with this chapter under my belt, it really boosts my opinions and thoughts of this flabbergasting man. I cant wait for what this next chapter is going to teach me and my peers.