Your Very Next Step newsletter for June 2013
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
– T. S. Eliot
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
– Lao Tzu
*** This edition of Your Very Next Step comes to you from the “Lion City,” Singapore.
“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** To subscribe for free:
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You may note that our YVNS newletter (www.yourverynextstep.com) has received a make-over. Bear with Ned as he learns how to use it.
*** In this issue:
*** UAE and India
*** Singapore
*** Indigo hair
*** This is the place to stop for South Indian coffee in Bangalore, or that’s what they say.
*** This is the best biryani in Hyderabad
*** Breakfast in Bangalore:
*** This is South Indian fast food
*** Pyramid power
*** The Moxie Festival in Lisbon, Maine
*** Samoa Air says “Super-size me!”
*** Singapore’s Dragon Kilns
*** Avoid Wildlife Encounters this Summer
*** This is fascinating. Before your flight, Etihad invites you to “bid” on an upgrade
*** Pitch A Tent
*** Emirates Airline to Open World’s First Indoor Aviation-Themed Attraction
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: June 2013
Iowa’s Trolley Trail
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer and make a difference in Cusco, Peru! Peru Volunteer and Travel, Cusco, Peru / Sebastopol, CA
2.) NPS Great Smokey Mountains Environmental Education Internship, American Conservation Experience, Cherokee, NC
3.) Volunteer in the Cerrado/Atlantic Forest Paraguay, Para La Tierra Voluntary & Interns Paraguay, America South
4.) Summer Camp Counselor & Adventure Guide, Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, CA
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Adventure Center Attendant, Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln, NH
2.) Adventure Ridge Hiking Guide – Full Time – Summer 2013, Vail Resorts, Vail, CO
3.) Adventure Guide, The Highland Center, Appalachian Mountain Club, Crawford Notch, NH
4.) Social Media Coordinator, The Sportsman Channel, Inc., New Berlin, WI
5.) Social Media Senior Specialist, Cabela’s, Denver, CO
6.) Director of Marketing and Communications, Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, Maryland
7.) Fishing Guide, Xanterra Parks & Resorts (Authorized Concessioner of the National Park Service), Yellowstone Lake, Montana
8.) Senior Manager, Media Outreach Strategy, Rainforest Alliance, New York, NY or London, UK
9.) Adventure Trip Leader, YMCA, Putnam Valley, NY
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** UAE and India
I will relate my saga of the “Tier Status Match” with Etihad when the saga is complete. Please stand by.
I called Etihad to ensure they had my TSA Pre Chek/CBP Global Entry number on my reservation. I was unable to use Pre-Chek when leaving for Abu Dhabi, but there was no line so no big deal. The return from overseas is where the Global Entry number would come in handy. It all has to be on my record, and you can’t just show your card when you arrive.Anyway, calling Etihad was frustrating because the ticket agent didn’t know what I was talking about.
Dinner on Etihad was a very acceptable lamb biryani. I opted for that instead of cajun chicken. The flight attendant told me, “We don’t get many Americans on this flight…mostly Indians.
The mid-flight goodies included caramel popcorn.
Fell asleep just after midnight EDT and woke up around 7:20 EDT, which was 3:20 p.m. in AUH.
So I definitely got some sleep. That was the good news. The bad news is I might have had a hard time getting to sleep when I finally got to the hotel late in the evening. As it turned out I grabbed something to eat and then slept for about four hours and so I was okay..
When leaving Abu Dhabi for India I took a cab to the airport. I told the taxi driver terminal 1 A. He dropped me at terminal 1. He kept the change before I could get it from him. No big deal. I couldn’t find Air India, and must have looked lost, because I was finally guided to a series of level and course changes to get me out, down and around to an entrance modestly market 1A which had a line out into the taxi waiting area a mile long. And not just a line, these were men headed home with several giant bundles for luggage for each of them. Big bundles, lashed up with rope. I had to go back outside to the end of the line. But eventually it started to move, and I with it. At some poiunt somebody came and got me and took me to the front of the line (I only had one rollerboard insstead of giant bundles. I was also moved to a shorter line to get my ticket. Everyone was amazed that I was going to Delhi on this flight. My theory is the entire plane was booked by a labor broker(s) who were sending people home after working in the UAE for some time. I went through passport control and headed to the gate, which was not yet open. When I made my reservation there was nobody else, according to the seat assignment chart. However, this plane was definitely full, and when I looked at my boarding pass I noticed that my seat waas changed from a window up front to something else somewhere in the back. I was sitting in the terminal waiting for the gate to open when an Air India rep came to me to ask me what kind of meal I wanted: vehg or non-veg. I told him that a non-vegetarian meal would be great (Me being a meat eater and all). I mentioned to him that my seat assignment had changed, and he said that could be taken care of when the gate opened. But he returned a minute later with my new boarding pass in business class.
I’m offered juice. Orange or grapes. I choose grapes juice.
I theorize why the plane looked empty when I checked the seating chart when I booked my ticket: the plane is full of guest workers returning home, and the seats were probably booked in bulk by a broker.
The flight attendants are striking. They’re wearing blank saris with a red, black and white pattern, and way more midriff than you’ll ever see on United–which is good on both counts.
The plane is all men, except for two women. One travelling alone, and another with her husband and two very small children. Myself and the women are in first class. The husband wants to stay with his family but his told he must sit in his assigned seat in the back. The flight attendants apologize, but they do not have the authority, they tell him. He implorers them, and finally a gate agent goes off and comes back with approval to let the man sit next to his wwife, with one of the children on his lap. Good call, Air India.
This A319 is painted in Indian Airlines livery. Indian was the state-owned domestic airline and Air India the international airline of India.
Now its one company, and there several competitors.
I have the non-veg meal. It’s lamb biryani (I think that’s what its called). Pretty good until I have that green bean in the salad, only to find it’s actually a hot pepper. Yowza. There’s Sterile Brand yogurt…just like home made it says. I never made yogurt at home.
*** Singapore:
I really like Singapore. It’s neat, clean and safe. It’s Asian and exotic with out the smells of smoke and sewage. It reminds me of Hawaii. In fact, Singapore is about half the size of Oahu in land area, and has more than five times as many people, almost 5.2 million.
*** Indigo hair
I flew Indigo Airlines recently. Indigo is a low-cost carrier with new planes and a yoiuthful staff. The flight attendants are attractive, but they all have a fem-bot similarity: same height, same outfit, same hat, same lipstick, same hair. It’s sort of “Mad Men” retro look. At first I thought it was just me, thinking I was watching a Robert Palmer music video, but they all looked the same. I looked it up online and sure enough, the Indigo girls have to either cut and coif their hair just so, or wear a wig!
*** This is the place to stop for South Indian coffee in Bangalore, or that’s what they say.
Our guides for the afternoon were young and enthusiastic communications students: Anwar Hussein, Arpitha Jain and Deepthi Pandit. They took us to the Gavi Gangadheeshwara Temple cave temple in Bangalore:
http://www.goplaces.in/blog/the-gavi-gangadhareshwara-cave-temple-in-bangalore/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulimavu_cave_Temple
We also went to the Bull Temple, Dodda Basavana Gudi, dedicated to the sacred Hindu demi-god Nandi, located in the Bugle Rock gardens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodda_Ganeshana_Gudi
Anwar, Arpitha and Deepthi then took Wilma, Susan and I to Brahmin’s Café.
We had idly (rice pancakes); vada (fried spicy donut); khara bhath (spicy semolina) and kesari bhath (sweet semolina).
*** This is the best biryani in Hyderabad:
http://www.paradisefoodcourt.com/
*** Breakfast in Bangalore:
*** This is South Indian fast food.
My friend, Elizabeth, handed me a fried hot chili pepper to taste. I thought she said to eat the whole thing. I put the whole thing in my mouth and two women who were watch nearly died from shock. If I could have captured the look on their faces. One of them said “take it out!!” Which I did, but then proceeded to eat the entire thing anyway.
Oh, yes, and they have these nifty burger thingies, too.
*** Pyramid power
http://www.ishafoundation.org/Ishakriya?gclid=CL3eqoqI2LcCFYsF4godalQAMA
http://pyramidvalley.org/pyramid/Home/maitreyabuddhapyramid.htm
ttp://pyramidvalley.org/pyramid/home/aboutus.htm
http://pyramidvalley.org/pyramid/images/campus1_l.jpg
*** The Moxie Festival in Lisbon, Maine
2013 Moxie Festival Dates: July 12-14
Join Moxie lovers from Maine, the US and abroad at the one and only Moxie Festival.
Fireworks! Car Show! Pow-wow! Parade! 5K Run! Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race!
Concert in the Park!
*** Samoa Air says “Super-size me!”
The world’s first airline to charge people according to their weight is set to introduce an “executive row”, with extra space and no armrests, to cater for bigger passengers.
Samoa’s domestic airline Samoa Air made headlines this year when it introduced a pay-by-weight fare system.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10890196
*** Singapore’s Dragon Kilns
In the early 1980’s Singapore still had three Dragon Kilns, Sam Mui Kwang, Thow Kwang and Guan Huat. Today just two remain, and urbanization threaten them, too.
Although the dragon kilns are not ancient, they originated in China 2,000 years ago and brought to Singapore by Chinese immigrants in the early 1900s. At one time there were more than a dozen, which were used to make ceramic vessels to collect latex from rubber trees.
The Wood-fired dragon kiln looks like fire-breathing dragon with fire spewing from its nostrils. Although not used regularly any more, there is still a community of potters who have their studios there, and there have been occasions where the kilns have been used fairly recently in a limited capacity.
*** Avoid Wildlife Encounters this Summer
By Michele C. Hollow of Pet News and Views
http://petnewsandviews.com/2013/06/avoid-wildlife-encounters-this-summer
*** This is fascinating. Before your flight, Etihad invites you to “bid” on an upgrade. But believe me, there’s nothing here that comes cheap.
Dear EDWARD H LUNDQUIST,
Etihad Airways is delighted to inform you that the following segments of your upcoming flights are now eligible for an upgrade to the next higher cabin – Pearl Business Class *
Booking Reference: CBWYIV
FLIGHT DATE FROM TO TIME
EY130 1 Jun ’13 Washington Abu Dhabi 22:15
EY287 10 Jun ’13 Bangalore Abu Dhabi 04:50
EY131 10 Jun ’13 Abu Dhabi Washington 10:00
The flight information above is only for flights eligible for upgrade. For details of all your flights, please refer to your E ticket.
All you need to do to upgrade from Coral Economy Class is:
• Make us an offer by clicking here
• Enter your Payment Information
• Review and Submit
If your offer has been accepted, you will receive a confirmation mail no later than 24 hours prior to departure along with your new E-ticket. Please note your credit card will be charged only if your bid is successful. For more details click here.
If you are not yet a member of our award-winning loyalty programme – Etihad Guest -why not join today by clicking here to enroll. As an Etihad Guest member, you can earn Etihad Guest Miles every time you fly with us or with our global partners. The Etihad Guest Miles can be redeemed against flights, upgrades or over 2900 products from our Reward Shop.
* Etihad chauffeur services will not be available for upgrades from Coral Economy Class to Pearl Business Class
Isn’t it time you upgraded with the best?
*** Pitch A Tent
Heading out with your new tent this Memorial Day weekend? Check out Campmor’s blog for some stress free tips on setting up your tent.
*** From Bernie Wagenblast’s TCN Newsletter:
Emirates Airline to Open World’s First Indoor Aviation-Themed Attraction
Link to article in Arabian Business:
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/emirates-open-world-s-first-aviation-attraction-504861.html
Link to news release: http://goo.gl/rJZoB
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: June 2013
Iowa’s Trolley Trail
By Laura Stark
“There are unique recreational opportunities in both towns and the trail allows access to both.”
From nostalgic train buffs to cherubic Thomas the Tank Engine aficionados, the Trolley Trail in north-central Iowa has something for everyone. Although only six miles long, there are so many nearby attractions that a visitor could easily make a day trip out of it.
Brian Pauly, superintendent of recreation for Mason City, lives four blocks from the Trolley Trail. “It’s a great trail that links Mason City and Clear Lake,” he says. “There are unique recreational opportunities in both towns and the trail allows access to both.”
The trail gets its name from the trolley line it parallels that began shuttling passengers between the two towns in 1897. Although it stopped carrying passengers in 1936, the Iowa Traction Railway continues to ship cargo. “It’s the last electric freight railroad in North America,” says Michael Johns, the general manager for the Iowa Traction Railway.
“It works the industries on the west side of Mason City,” says Dennis Wilson, chairman of the Friends of the 457, a local volunteer group. “A lot of people come and photograph it.”
Trains run several times a week, but when asked if they posed a risk for trail-goers, Johns says there are no safety concerns. This comes as no surprise to Kelly Pack, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy trail development director and the lead author of a new report on rail-with-trail projects like this one.
“It’s been more than a decade since the last rail-with-trail report and we’ve seen a substantial growth in rail-with-trails around the country,” says Pack. “And they continue to have an excellent safety record.” The new report, anticipated to come out in July, will provide examples of rail-with-trail projects of varying lengths and styles, as well as updated technical resources and contacts for the trail-building community.
Before the Trolley Trail was built, the danger for bicyclists and walkers in the community wasn’t trains—it was cars. Precipitating the push for the trail in 1988 was a tragic accident in which a teenager was killed as he was biking along the road between Mason City and Clear Lake. When the Trolley Trail was opened to the public in 1990, it was a welcome addition to the surrounding communities. Efforts now center on making more of these essential connections.
“Our goal is to make Mason City a bikeable and walkable user-friendly community,” says Bill Stangler, the city’s operations and maintenance manager. “We have a number of trails, but they just start and end. The concept is to link everything together.” Mason City is also working on a Complete Streets initiative.”
Long ago, Mason City sported a transportation network of another kind: railroads. “Mason City was a railroad hub a hundred years ago,” says Johns. “At least five big railroads were in town.”
An unusual remnant of this industrial past is Big Blue, an old quarry pit at the east end of the Trolley Trail that naturally filled with water over the years and is now a recreational hot spot, especially for fishing. Scuba divers that venture into its 80-foot depths can still see old mining equipment.
Less than two miles from Big Blue is a reminder of the town’s more elegant past. Last year, Condé Nast Traveler named Mason City one of the World’s Best Cities for Architecture Lovers, due to the large collection of “Prairie School” buildings in the community. This style of architecture, designed to be reminiscent of expansive prairie landscapes, was made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright, himself a Midwesterner, who lived in Mason City in the early 20th century. Wright’s Stockman House, constructed in 1908, is now an interpretative center and can be toured. A few blocks away the Historic Park Inn Hotel, the last remaining hotel that he designed, is also worth a visit.
Another mile east from here is East Park, which Pauly calls “a gem of the community.” Here, the Friends of the 457 are bringing a Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad steam engine back to its original 1912 look. Although the restoration is purely cosmetic, the engine gives the appearance of running courtesy of a strategically placed fogger in its smokestack and a CD of steam-engine sound that’s played during demonstrations.
A local Rotary Club had started the project back in the 1950s and, after starts and stops, the restoration is now nearly complete. In 1959 the engine was dubbed “Cannonball” in a naming contest run by the local newspaper; the winner: an 8-year-old girl who spent her $25 earnings on a new puppy.
Over the past 10 years, the community has been incredibly supportive of the project. The display has been closed since last August, so that volunteers could work on repairing the engine’s boiler jacket—the final piece of the restoration—and “every day they’re asking, ‘when are you going to be done?'” says Wilson. He hopes the answer is June 29, when the Friends of the 457 hosts its annual Cannonball Day. As their website proclaims, the event is for anyone that loves trains and will include a children’s fun run, live music, talent contest, and chicken barbecue.
At the trail’s opposite end lies Trolley Park, where another group of volunteers offers rides on a diesel locomotive around a short track as part of a private, educational museum. The big engine is especially popular with children. “When we get six-year-olds, they think they’ve died and gone to heaven,” says Stan Gentry, president of the Mason City and Clear Lake Electric Railroad Historical Society.
But teaching railroad history to young crowds is not always easy, as Gentry explains: “When kids come, their minds go everywhere. Sometimes you’ll have 15 seconds, sometimes 15 minutes, so you go with the flow.”
In addition to the working diesel engine, the group is building a replica of an 1869 wood-burning steam locomotive. When completed next year, it will be a Victorian beauty in dark green and bright red with shiny brass and gold-leaf trimmings. An old handcar (like the kind Wile E. Coyote used to chase down the Road Runner) can also be pumped down the track. Gentry jokes that this ride is more popular with the hardier bicycle crowd.
From here, reaching Clear Lake itself is an easy journey of less than two miles. “Once you get off the trail, follow Main Avenue west, and you run right into the lake,” says Libbey Patton, director of tourism for the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce. Forged by glaciers, such a naturally made lake is unusual for the state and has helped propel the city into a tourist hub with visitors flocking here during the summer months.
“We got a bike rental program going last year because so many people came to town and wanted to ride bikes,” says Patton. Available at the lake’s visitor center, the rentals are a beach cruiser style to “fit the theme of the town,” says Patton.
Less than a mile north of the visitor center is the Surf Ballroom, a rock-n-roll landmark and museum where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper gave their last concert before their tragic deaths in a plane crash. Concerts still play in the dancehall that sports a gleaming hardwood floor, a stage hugged by palm trees, and 50s-style diner booths.
The Trolley Trail already joins two great towns, Clear Lake and Mason City. In the future, more communities will be hooked into the network once plans develop for an as yet unnamed rail-trail along a corridor purchased from Union Pacific Railroad. Although salvage work has been completed, the corridor has 19 bridges that need to be redecked and railed.
“Our agency has a rail bed in the southwest corner of Mason City extending down through the county to Thornton,” says Fred Heinz, director of the Cerro Gordo County Conservation Board, which manages the Trolley Trail and other public areas throughout the county. “It’s 21 miles. Now we just need the funding to create it. It’s a big undertaking.”
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer and make a difference in Cusco, Peru! Peru Volunteer and Travel, Cusco, Peru / Sebastopol, CA
http://www.peruvolunteerandtravel.com/en/volunteer-programs/cusco
2.) NPS Great Smokey Mountains Environmental Education Internship, American Conservation Experience, Cherokee, NC
http://usaconservationepic.applicantpool.com/jobs/1750-3873.html
3.) Volunteer in the Cerrado/Atlantic Forest Paraguay, Para La Tierra Voluntary & Interns Paraguay, America South
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/volunteer-in-the-cerradoatlantic-forest-paraguay.9538.htm
4.) Summer Camp Counselor & Adventure Guide, Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, CA
http://jobs.mammothmountain.com/season/jobdetail.cfm?opening_id=3156
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Adventure Center Attendant, Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln, NH
http://loonmtn.com/info/winter/JobDetails.aspx?page=/collagepages/Jobs/Adventure_Center_Att.aspx.xml
2.) Adventure Ridge Hiking Guide – Full Time – Summer 2013, Vail Resorts, Vail, CO
3.) Adventure Guide, The Highland Center, Appalachian Mountain Club, Crawford Notch, NH
The Adventure Guide is responsible for the delivery of all Highland Center programs and activities as well as other specialty programs at AMC destinations. The Adventure Guide will act as an interpretive and informational resource to guests at the Highland Center, providing high-quality customer service during non-program times. The Adventure Guide will report to the Adventure Programs Manager and work with fellow staff and volunteers to develop and implement high quality educational and recreational programs for guests and visitors.
Job Responsibilities
Deliver outdoor and indoor education and/or recreation related programs in and around the Highland Center throughout the day, on topics ranging from natural and cultural history to backcountry safety and resource conservation.
• Lead outdoor programs, including but not limited to: ½ day to full day and overnight hikes in the area in all types of weather.
• Deliver special programs, including but not limited to:
• New member weekends and other themed weekends at the Highland Center.
• 50+ senior program weeks.
• Family Adventure Camps (full week and weekend).
• Holiday week premium programming during holiday vacation weeks.
• Day long and multi-day overnight trips in the backcountry for groups.
• Interpretive programs at the Bretton Woods Resort.
• Teambuilding programs for groups
• Outdoor skills programs including: map & compass, orienteering, camping, firemaking, and Leave No Trace.
• Winter-specific programs including: Nordic ski clinics & tours, snowshoe clinics & tours, and winter camping/survival.
• Deliver short informative presentations daily to guests at breakfast and dinner.
• Assist in developing and maintaining passive educational materials, including program manuals, on-site libraries and games, self guided activities, posters and displays.
• Act as an interpretive resource for guests, visitors, volunteers, and staff when on duty.
• Prepare and submit all program reports and assignments as instructed.
• Cross-train in order to support other departments at the Highland Center, including front desk staff.
• Perform all other duties within the AMC as assigned.
Employment Standards
At least 2 years of related program leading experience, including solid backcountry skills and experience, and demonstrated ability to lead groups in the outdoors.
• Practical and academic background in environmental education, natural history, or recreation is required.
• Certification in WFA is required; WFR is preferred.
• Ability to develop and lead all programs at all AMC destinations is required.
• Physical ability to travel to all AMC destinations in all weather conditions is required, carrying loads of up to 40 pounds in a backpack, hiking on unimproved trails.
• Strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills.
• Excellent guest service skills and a demonstrated commitment to AMC goals.
• Willingness to work weekends, holidays, and evenings.
• Must be over 18 years old, preferably 21 (to comply with driving standards). Must hold valid driver s license and be able to pass a DOT medical exam.
• Safe driving record and practices, as verified through a driving history record check.
• AMC has zero tolerance for the abuse of children. Any employee or intern with access to children will have a criminal record check performed and have references checked regarding their past work with children.
Compensation
The Adventure Guide is a full-time seasonal position. Pay starts at $9.50/hour. On-site housing is available for seasonal
https://apply.coolworks.com/amc/job-details.asp?JobID=22846
*** From Jeff Carrigan:
4.) Social Media Coordinator, The Sportsman Channel, Inc., New Berlin, WI
Organization Profile
Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel is now available in HD, check with your local cable or satellite provider. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches more than 31.2 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl), become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel and download Sportsman App at www.itunes.com/appstore.
Job Overview
Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor programming for the American Sportsman, is seeking a Social Media Coordinator. The individual in this position is responsible for executing the company’s social media strategy, developing brand awareness, generating web traffic and coordinating content for all social/mobile platforms.
Job Description
Responsibilities:
•Implement Sportsman Channel’s social media strategy while coordinating with all internal departments on marketing and sales obligations, company-wide initiatives and the promotion of the linear channel.
•Coordinate Sportsman’s presence and day-to-day activities on social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other similar community sites, as well as manage the content on our company blog.
•Coordinate and manage all social media advertising while providing detailed reports, analysis and executive summaries to each department of the company.
•Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize results.
•Manage and respond to all questions, comments and requests on all social media accounts.
•Coordinate content and marketing initiatives with show producers, clients, and other partners.
•Keep the marketing and digital services departments updated on new trends, applications and advancements in social media.
•Perform all other duties that may be assigned to meet business needs.
Job Qualifications
Education and Experience:
•Bachelor’s Degree in a marketing, communications or related field. 2+ years of experience working with social media.
•Excellent verbal and written communications skills are required.
•High level of attention to detail.
•Proficiency in Photoshop, and basic knowledge of web design and HTML coding.
•Some video editing experience using Final Cut is a plus.
•Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as with a team in a fast-paced environment and produce under tight deadlines with multiple priorities.
•Proven track record of social media success on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Instagram, Pinterest and track record of building and maintaining communities and blogger relationships.
•Basic knowledge and experience in hunting, shooting and fishing is required.
Compensation & Benefits
We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package.
How To Apply
Qualified candidates should submit letter of interest with salary expectations and resume in confidence via email or fax. Please indicate the title of the position for which you are applying.
Mail: Sportsman Channel, Inc. ATTN: Director, Human Resources, 2855 South James Drive, Suite 101, New Berlin, Wisconsin 53151
Email: hr@thesportsmanchannel.com
Fax: (262) 432.9138
To learn more about The Sportsman Channel, please visit us at www.thesportsmanchannel.com and facebook.com/sportsmanchannel. Due to the volume of resumes we receive, we can only contact the most qualified candidates. We appreciate your consideration. We conduct background checks on all final candidates being considered for employment.
http://www.bigshoesnetwork.com/find_job_details.aspx?id=7255
*** From Andrew Hudson’s Job List:
5.) Social Media Senior Specialist, Cabela’s, Denver, CO
Do you want to work for the leader in the outdoor industry? Then apply today to join the Cabela’s team. Cabela’s has an opening for a Social Media Senior Specialist in the E-Commerce department in Denver, Co
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Social Media SR Specialist will work within the Social Media team to execute the day to day activities within the Cabela’s Social Media programs. This position will be responsible for the execution of Social Media specific content and campaigns as determined by the Social Media strategy and the needs of the business and will communicate and inform the overall social media strategy with feedback from day to day interactions with customers via social media. Working closely with other marketing programs, the Social Media SR Specialist works to maximize Cabela’s engagement and reach with its customer base via social media marketing. This position will be a key voice of Cabela’s as it crafts and communicates posts, content and responses to customer interactions with the Cabela’s brand. Building and communicating regular reporting of program specific KPI’s and representing Social Media in omni, category and digital commerce planning will also be critical to success. The Social Media SR Specialist will also be an evangelist for social media in key tactical marketing meetings. The SR Specialist works closely with cross functional teams including Digital Commerce, Design, Brand Marketing, Retail Marketing and more. This position is a key contact for the day to day relationships with Cabela’s customers and our agency partners.
KEY DUTIES:
Execute against the Social Media strategy, coordinating with stakeholders across all channels of Cabela’s to ensure its effectiveness and maximizing customer engagement and reach.
Build and execute Social Media content and campaigns and related day-to-day activities including monitoring on and off network social media activity, crafting and posting content and commentary as well as responding directly to customer feedback and communicating to other internal departments where necessary.
Work with all other marketing teams, merchandising teams and business units to ensure Social Media programs are fully integrated with all related marketing and merchandising activity to drive maximum customer engagement and reach..
Monitor and communicate performance against effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of Social media. Analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of Social Media efforts in order to maximize results.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s degree with 2-4+ years of experience
Experience working with social media for B2C businesses. Knowledge, experience and understanding of the digital media space. Experience and knowledge of social media platforms, successful communication strategies and paid marketing opportunities within social med. Experience and knowledge of other online marketing programs.
Cabela’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and we seek to create an inclusive work place that embraces diverse backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives.
Cabela’s offers a competitive benefits package to include: 401k, vacation, profit sharing, health and dental coverage for you and your family, relocation assistance, and employee discounts.
https://sjobs.brassring.com/tgwebhost/jobdetails.aspx?jobId=908601
6.) Director of Marketing and Communications, Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, Maryland
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=423100010
7.) Fishing Guide, Xanterra Parks & Resorts (Authorized Concessioner of the National Park Service), Yellowstone Lake, Montana
About the Job…
The Fishing Guides pilot watercraft and host fishing excursions for Yellowstone guests; safely navigating Yellowstone Lake waters while offering fishing technique instruction and interpretive information to participants. This position requires solid knowledge of fishing in fresh water, the ability to operate small and midsize watercraft on one of North America’s largest high-altitude lakes during a variety of weather conditions, while providing knowledgeable, interpretive commentary of Park features and history. Our Guides must enjoy spending time with multiple guests in conditions that require excellent teaching, communication and guest service skills.
Uniform for this position is provided by the company. The employee must provide proper footwear for marina and boating environments.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:
Reports directly to the Marina Manager.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
•Operates assigned charter boat in lawful manner.
•Conducts guided trips on Yellowstone Lake aboard assigned boat.
•Provides customers with services requested according to Company policy.
•Instructs customers in fishing techniques and usage of equipment.
•Advises customers regarding fishing regulations.
•Secures and maintains assigned boats including: fueling cleaning and identifying maintenance issues.
•Instruct guests on emergency procedures, basic boating safety and radio usage.
•Assists in the scenic cruise operations as assigned.
•Assists in the rental boat operation as assigned.
•Completes required paperwork.
•Must provide fishing equipment to simultaneously outfit a minimum of three guests.
•Must provide appropriate clothing to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
•Performs other duties as assigned.
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:
•Basic seamanship skills, must pass written and practical examinations.
•Knowledge of NPS boating and fishing regulations.
•Must be able to instruct guests in fishing techniques to ensure the maximum possibility of success.
•Communication skills
•Knowledge of park geography and history with a focus on the Lake area.
•Knowledge of rules and procedures for use of marine band radio.
•Knowledge of safety, emergency and life-saving procedures.
•Must possess a current CPR and first aid certification.
•Knowledge of local weather patterns.
•Knowledge of department and Company policies and procedures.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
•Must provide proof of Medical Examination stating fitness for holding a commercial boat operators position.
•Must be capable of lifting objects of up to 50 pounds.
•Must be capable of bending, lifting and standing throughout a 10-hour shift.
•Must be able to work outdoors in varying weather conditions for extended periods of time.
•Must be able to work at elevations in excess of 7700 feet.
AUTHORITIES:
•Authority to make decisions regarding the vessel and passengers to ensure the safety of passengers and vessel.
•Regulate activities of customers while under way, to ensure the safety of passengers and vessel.
•Report problems to Marina Manager or Assistant Manager.
http://www.yellowstonejobs.com/Fishing-Guide-7852.html
8.) Senior Manager, Media Outreach Strategy, Rainforest Alliance, New York, NY or London, UK
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
Position Summary:
Based in London or New York City, the Senior Manager, Media Outreach Strategy will be responsible for developing and overseeing strategies for the effective use of creative content aimed at increasing awareness of the Rainforest Alliance’s mission and work among the organization’s wide-ranging stakeholders worldwide. S/he will guide and collaborate with colleagues, businesses, NGOs, government representatives, journalists and others to ensure that they have the tools and information necessary to promote and inform their audiences about the organization’s achievements.
Responsibilities:
•Drive media outreach and other promotional strategies for the organization as a whole and for specific targeted audiences in order to meet programmatic objectives;
•Track media developments and trends, cultivating new media relationships where appropriate and continually seeking out promotional vehicles and opportunities;
•Collaborate closely with staff and representatives working with media in other countries to ensure efforts and messages are consistent;
•Position key Rainforest Alliance staff members as spokespeople and to promote organizational thought leadership;
•Prepare for and orchestrate responses to media crisis;
•Analyze effectiveness of the communications tools used by the organization; and
•Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
•Bachelor’s degree in Communications or Journalism;
•10 years’ experience in journalism, public relations, or nonprofit, government or business communications;
•Proven track record in strategic media outreach and marketing work;
•Strong project management and organizational skills;
•Experience in managing staff;
•Demonstrated interest in conservation, corporate social responsibility and/or international development issues;
•Superior written, verbal, organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills;
•Flexibility and willingness to work independently on a wide range of tasks and projects;
•Proven ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment; and
•Written and verbal proficiency in a foreign language preferred.
Salary: Commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package provided
The Rainforest Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.
Application Instructions
Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 233 Broadway, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10279; Fax: 212-677-2187; E-mail: Personnel@ra.org. If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title and position you are applying for.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=397100014
9.) Adventure Trip Leader, YMCA, Putnam Valley, NY
http://www.ymca.net/career-opportunities/camp-positions.html?key=3313
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