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kb0zke · 02-02-2017, 04:12 PM

Every so often a newbie posts something like: "Hi everyone. I saw a cute Airstream for sale the other day. The sign says it is a 1968 Caravel and they are asking $3000 for it. The tires are flat, the weeds are six feet high, and all of the windows are broken. Can we fix this up for a few hundred dollars and travel summers in it? My wife and I are both teachers, so we have the summers off. We have four children and two Great Danes and neither of us has ever camped before."

Such a post would be immediately met with dozens of answers telling the newbie that this would be a very bad idea. Some would offer some additional advice. What about someone who has a fair amount of experience who lives in the general area of the newbie offering to meet up with them and mentor them a bit?

What think ye? I don't think we need a list of mentors, just people who are willing to help out newbies.

AWCHIEF · 02-02-2017, 05:28 PM

Sounds like a good idea. Let us know how your first mentoring experience works out.

DaveMc · 02-02-2017, 07:50 PM

It's a huge help in my county beekeeping club. But there's the face to face beginning that's slightly different than an online forum. As someone who likes to ask questions, I think it's an awesome idea in general.

McDave · 02-03-2017, 10:23 AM

If someone sees a post and they think they could help out, they can always send the postor a PM and offer to help in person. I'm pretty sure that already happens. How would a formal mentoring program be different from that?

kb0zke · 02-03-2017, 02:42 PM

McDave, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. Let's reach out to those who are still learning. We don't need a formal program, just the willingness to take the initiative and reach out.

We all know that an Airstream isn't the best choice for everyone. If someone buys an Airstream, and it really is a bad fit, they are going to be unhappy, and blame the Airstream. If someone could reach out to that person and gently guide them to a better solution they will have a better view of us (those Airstream people really know what they are talking about) and perhaps an Airstream might be in their future.