[dez250]

AL, Congratulations, i don't know where i would be now with out your help. For the help you have provided not only to myself but to all of the Chief Delphi and FIRST community has been invaluable and i don't think we can thank you enough for that. And now i think it is time well overdue for all to gather round and hear a couple of the many wonderful times Al has helped out people who he had never met before.

The first time i met Al in person was in Atlanta this past April at the 2004 Championships. While working in the pits with team 250, damage almost occurred to our RC while trying to connect our program cable to the RC due to it being in a tight place. Well after trying to come up with a quick solution other then moving the RC and rewiring the bot again, i decided to go and find Andy Baker to talk to him about this and if he had a recommendation but at that time team 45 was out at a match. While about to head back to my pits i notice Wildstang is almost right behind team 45 in the pits. I approach one of the mentors i recognize from 111, Dave Flowerday, and he grabs Al to ask him about it. As Al turns around, he recognizes me from this forum and digs through a box to pull out a patch cable made of a set of IDC 9 pin connectors and some ribbon cable. He hands that to me and tells me if it doesn't work to come back and get him. I wound up not having to go back, due to his quick thinking and excess of supplies that he didn't have a second thought of donating to a needing team.

The next time i would see Al would be at IRI this past summer. While we talked during some of the matches and caught up about past events and the past season, i was at IRI to volunteer and help out. Later in the day, a problem arouse with the field, and more specifically the ball cups that held the 10 point balls. On the not so simplex wiring on the underside of the components, multiple wires got spliced during set up and kept shorting out the sensor. During our lunch break a group of volunteers went to take a look to see if a fix could be developed with what was on hand there. After noticing the problem i approached Al and asked him to take a look and see if he could help out. Not only was he willing to help out, he grabbed Wildstang's extra supplies once again and came up with a solution that kept the field in working order for the rest of that event and also for Sweet Repeat and Kettering Kickoff.

I am honored to have worked with such an amazing and talented mentor in FIRST. Thank you Mr. Skierkiewicz for all you have done and i hope to be able to work with you again in the future.

Congratulations on this achievement Al, for you are a true Unsung FIRST Hero!