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| Shiloh, Tate Choice, and Ryder with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
Our 40th state to visit just so happens to be the hometown of my sweet mother-in-law, Deborah. PENNSYLVANIA. Our visit was to the Sanatoga Fire Department. I had been corresponding with their chief, Dave, and was grateful to have the opportunity to meet him face to face today. He greeted us at our bus when he saw our big rig pull up to their firehouse.
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| Tate, Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Chief Dave |
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| Tate, Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Dave |
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| Juliann, Tate, Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Chief Dave |
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| Juliann and Chief Dave |
The kids introduced themselves to Dave and then he ushered us into the firehouse to meet a handful of the other volunteer firefighters from their department who had shown up for our visit.
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| Juliann, Dave, Shiloh, Ryder, and Tate |
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| Juliann, Dave, Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Juliann, Dave, Choice, Shiloh, and Tate |
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| Juliann, Shiloh, Ryder, Dave, Tate, and Choice |
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| Choice and Tate |
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| Juliann, Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, and Choice with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
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| Shiloh, Ryder, Juliann, and Tate with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
We shared our notes, pictures, and Be Better Bands with them.
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| Juliann, Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder giving gifts to the Sanatoga Firefighters |
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| Ryder and Tate giving Be Better bands to Chief Dave |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, and Juliann with the Sanatoga Firefighters |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, and Juliann with the Sanatoga Firefighters |
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| Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder with the Sanatoga Firefighters |
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| Choice, Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, and Juliann with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
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| Tate, Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice with the Sanatoga Firefighters |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Juliann, and Choice with the Saratoga Firefighters |
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| Tate, Choice, and Shiloh |
Then they shared with us about the many fundraising efforts that perform throughout the year. I would not be exaggerating to say they do upwards of a dozen fundraisers each year. This is an amazingly giving and hard-working department.
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| Tate, Shiloh, Juliann, and Ryder with the Sanatoga Firefighters |
We were so happy to show them a little bit of the fruits of their labors. They have truly blessed our family and 18 other families that I know of first hand. We encouraged them to keep up the good work and continue spreading the better in their peaceful town of Sanatoga, PA.
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| Ryder and Juliann presenting Chief Dave with a Spread the Better t-shirt |
The kids could feel the peaceful demeanor of this department and felt extremely comfortable with them.
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| Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder with the Sanatoga Fire Department |
We had another kid-friendly event planned for the evening. This took us into the 41st state of our trip...NEW JERSEY. The kids didn't know it until we got there and they put two and two together, but they were going to be pirates for a couple of hours.
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
Jersey Shore Pirate Adventures was RAD! Right after our arrival, they painted the kids' hands and/or faces to make them more believable as pirates.
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| Ryder, Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Juliann with a Pirate Mate |
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| Ryder, Shiloh, Choice, and Juliann with a Pirate Mate |
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| Juliann, Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice with a Pirate Mate |
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| Shiloh |
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| Choice |
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| Choice and Tate with Pirate Mates |
They searched through the giant treasure box full of clothes so they could dress the part as well.
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| Tate, Juliann, Shiloh, and Choice |
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| Juliann, Choice, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Tate, Choice, Juliann, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Shiloh |
While we were waiting to set sail, the kids each took their turn manning the ship as the captain.
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| Captain Ryder |
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| Captain Ryder |
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| Ryder |
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| Ryder and Shiloh |
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| Tate and Shiloh |
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| Tate |
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| Shiloh and Ryder |
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| Captain Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Choice, and Ryder |
They also had a great time with the Halloween exhibit, drawing on pumpkins that they would later bring back onto the bus with us as our Halloween decorations.
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| Shiloh |
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| Shiloh and Tate |
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| Ryder |
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| Choice |
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| Shiloh, Juliann and Tate |
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| Tate, Juliann, and Shiloh |
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| Tate, Ryder, Choice, Juliann, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder and Tate |
The time had come for the ship to set sail so they could search for hidden treasure. They received a quick lesson from their pirate mates on the important pirate lingo such as Aye Aye, Ahoy, and Arrgggg.
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| Tate, Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
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| Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
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| Choice, Ryder, Shiloh, and Tate with their Pirate Mates |
With the proper terminology under their belts, they were ready to sail the open seas in search of treasure. We all climbed aboard the pirate ship.
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder aboard their pirate ship |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder with their Pirate Mates |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder with their Pirate Mates |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder with their Pirate Mates |
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| Tate |
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| Choice |
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| Choice |
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| Shiloh |
The girl pirates raced the boy pirates to see which group could get their flag raised the fastest. Shiloh would be happy for me to report that the girls creamed the boys!
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| Shiloh and her Pirate Mates on deck |
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| Shiloh and her Pirate Mates on deck |
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| Ryder, Tate, and Choice raising their Pirate Flag |
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| Choice and Shiloh with their Pirate Mates |
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| Tate, Choice, and Shiloh with their Pirate Mates |
They had fun practicing "all hands on deck" while they were told about the hidden pirate treasure. They all began searching for the pirate map that would lead them to the treasure.
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| Ryder, Tate, Choice, and Shiloh - all hands on deck |
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| Ryder, Tate, Choice, and Shiloh - all hands on deck |
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| Shiloh and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
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| Ryder, Tate, and Shiloh with their Pirate Mates |
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| Ryder, Tate, and Shiloh with their Pirate Mates |
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| Tate, Shiloh, and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
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| Choice and Tate with their Pirate Mates |
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| Choice and Tate with their Pirate Mates |
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| Ryder, Choice, and Tate with their Pirate Mates |
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| Shiloh |
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| Tate and Ryder with their Pirate Mates |
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| Tate and Choice with their Pirate Mates |
When the map had been found, the discussion of strategy to locate the treasure began.
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| Ryder, Shiloh, Tate, and Choice with their Pirate Mates AND the Treasure Map |
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| Pirates shooting their water canons |
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| The pirates enemy |
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| The enemy pirate |
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| Ryder shooting the enemy pirate |
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| Pirates shooting water canons and enemy pirate |
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| Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Tate shooting their water canons |
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| Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Tate shooting their water canons |
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| Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Tate shooting their water canons |
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| Ryder, Choice, Shiloh ,and Tate shooting their water canons |
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| Ryder, Choice, and Shiloh |
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| Choice, Shiloh, and Tate |
They were victorious, aye aye! With that, Captain Crush helped them retrieve the keys out of the water and make their way toward the treasure.
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| Tate and Shiloh with Captain Crush and their Pirate Mates |
It was difficult to see their excitement and enthusiasm underneath their thoughts of how blistering cold is was out there.
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| Tate and his pirate mate |
At one point, Choice just gave up the fight and came to sit with me in the parent section of the ship.
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| Choice and Juliann |
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| Choice and Juliann |
That was the case until the pirate treasure box was retrieved from the water and lifted on deck of the ship.
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| Ryder and his pirate mates |
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| Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh checking out their treasure |
They were delighted to see treasure in their for each of them.
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| Pirate Tate |
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| Pirate Tate and his treasure |
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| Pirate Ryder |
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| Pirate Ryder and his treasure |
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| Ryder, Shiloh, and Juliann |
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| Ryder, Shiloh, and Juliann |
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| Pirate Tate |
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| Pirate Shiloh, with Choice and Ryder |
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| Choice and Jason |
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| Choice and Jason |
The kids spotted something else in the water. Captain Crush was steering them over to it to see what it was. AHOY!
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| Shiloh and Ryder with their pirate mates |
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| Shiloh and Ryder |
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| Tate and his pirate mates |
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| Shiloh, Ryder, and Tate with their Pirate Mates |
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| water canons |
It was the enemy pirate's grog. Arrrggggg. They celebrated by having a grog party and drinking it all the way back to the dock.
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| Shiloh, Ryder, and Tate drinking the Pirates Grog |
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| Shiloh, Ryder, and Tate drinking the Pirate's Grog |
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| Shiloh drinking the Pirate's Grog |
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| Pirate Shiloh |
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| Pirate Shiloh |
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| Shiloh, Ryder, and Tate with his Pirate Mates |
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| Ryder and Tate drinking the Pirate's Grog |
By the time we got there, all of the kiddos were passed out from the effects of drinking the grog. ;-)
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| Pirates passed out after drinking the grog |
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| Pirates passed out after drinking the grog |
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| Ryder passed out after drinking the Pirate's grog |
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| Shiloh passed out after drinking the Pirate's grog |
Other than battling the freezing cold weather, the kids had an amazing time experiencing the Pirate Adventures at the Jersey Shore. They collected their treasure bags and their pumpkins in preparation to head back to the bus.
AYE AYE!!!
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Ryder, Shiloh, and Juliann
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