FIRST Withdrawal?

[paulaP]

I am an ex-parent of FIRST-would that make me a parent/alumnus?! It's been about 3 years since I participated on this site, & it's alot more complicated!!even to register! I'm not very good w/computers...I check in from time to time esp. at this time of year-to see what all the kids, engineers, teachers, etc. think of the game,etc....Kate's post caught my eye, & when I read Lori's, I just had to write. My husband & I loved helping out with FIRST, everything about it, but we especially enjoy the people. We have a group of friends that met though our team; All of us, and all of the "kids" who were the team are still all very close. My husband Ron still volunteers for 2-3 regionals doing the announcing, & we plan a vacation around the "Championship"every year.We have the greatest memories of the FIRST experience that just about anyone could have-won the Chairman's Award-the Woodie Flowers Award-2nd place in the Animation & the best!!!-my son's roommate at WPI-a full scholarship!! We enjoyed every minute, knowing how great it was- always...So from a lucky parent's point of view, I'm trying to say that it's bittersweet-like you, Kate, I miss it, but it's great to have time to do other things! Like Lori (who by the way was so great to deal with always! Delivering our Chairman's Award every year was a fun roadtrip for the kids & me!)your priorities change...I had really let my business slide every year, as many other people still do!
The first year I was at Nationals without a team, it was really hard. I still get choked up alot when I'm down there, but it's still great to watch from the sidelines. All of us who contributed to a FIRST team-we were part of something so special, it's hard to put into words, but because of working so much on something for so long, we should always feel that we belong to it...even though i can walk around at a regional or the nationals and it's not like before when i knew alot of the people there, & they knew me, I still feel a part of it. I guess like anything else in life, it just got easier as time went on- & all the friendships are a tremendous help! so Kate, i hope you don't mind an old parent rambling on, but i thought you might like to know that others feel the same way! It's all good! Thanks for listening...