[Pat Arnold]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

You recognized the value and the worth of the team efforts, Pat. That is no small thing.

Congratulations to all of you.
Jane

Thanks for the kind words. Helping Team 1557 document their achievements was better than an archeological dig! I can't resist sharing a few fun memories:

• My husband & I strolling around a 4th of July 2008 "Street Fest" in our new hometown, running across 1557's display, & briefly talking about FRC; shortly thereafter receiving a card, & then an invitation via Chief Delphi to visit one of their meetings -they hooked & reeled us in!
  
• Helping sort thru a wealth of materials that had been in a locked file cabinet for over a year (Team handbooks from Rookie year on, roosters, news articles, etc.). The key had been lost during one of the team's many moves; they had to drill the lock out. It was better than the opening of Al Capone's vault!
  
• Students following through with written submissions, despite their initial "Do we have to?!" Seeing their excitement grow with each part.
  
• Mentors, parents & alumni responding to requests thru their excellent email system for further team background & personal impact stories, even though as one mentor wrote "The history of Team 1557 is ...not as glamorous as others".
  
• Seeing this team excel at what it has always done: use every resource possible, and everyone they come into contact with, to share FIRST's message & meet their goals. This includes finding a welder of spiral staircases to help with their robot's spiral helix storage bin, a mom who makes DVDs for her church to compile the Chairman's DVD & a local band who gave permission to use their music for background.
  
• Documenting how they've used those same networking skills to recruit support from the Lake County Board of County Commissioners, School Board & leaders of a variety of civic groups, even getting leaders to form the ambitous "Lake County Robotics Steering Committee" to increase community involvement.
  
• Edit: I forgot to include my very favorite '09 build/ community event: Members of the team riding in Waterman Hospital's elevator with amazed patients, curious employees & the team's 119 lb robot! The use of the hospital's scales has become an annual event!

Team 1557 is in awe over the recognition & honor they received at the Florida Regional. It is amazing how it took someone new to the team to point out to them the value of their story & how much they've impacted their community.