Hello Space Fans!
Last week was one of those weeks I'll use to anchor time. Anchors are the tales told at social gatherings - the blackards we wear that advertise who and what we are. Suffice to say, and not to induce you to slumber, we shall move to more interesting news with my textual standard battle cry, "We Soldier On!"

Before we do, I want to share something else totally off topic. Ever get one of these types of emails?

Dear Victor,

My name is Steve ********. My wife and I have our cabin on Lot *** across ****** Trail from your lot [my brother and I own 8 acres of the once beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota ] As you are probably aware, there have been scattered areas in the development infested with pine beetles. Last summer 6 very large trees lining our driveway were attacked. This was kind of heart-breaking, but I chose, at a fairly large expense, to have the trees removed to prevent further spread. This year, again at some expense, I had a majority of the ponderosa pines on my property sprayed to hopefully prevent further losses.

However, it has been noted that there are a number of trees infested with pine beetles on your lot. I would like to encourage you to have these trees removed, not only to preserve the trees, appearance, and salability of your own property, but to prevent further damage to trees on our property. You might also consider spraying your healthy trees. Apparently the Firewise Program, which most of the homeowners have agreed to participate in, includes clearing of bug trees. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that this work will be completed prior to the typical mid-July pine beetle "flight" this summer.

Thanks!
Life is like that, just when you clear your plate of something foul, someone or something serves up a heaping scoop of something equally disgusting! Who wants to deal with an infestation of pine beetles? I think I'll become an environmentalist and make a roadside sign for my 8 acres. "Pine Beetle Reserve. See these wonders of Nature in their Natural Environment. Tickets on Sale Now!"

There is another solution involving a match, but I don't think my neighbor would appreciate it as much as I would enjoy doing it.

Make lemonade - right?

Moving on.....

Which Patch Designs Do You Like?

Chris Alldredge, a member of our Space Education Center Foundation's Board of Directors, designed a few patches to celebrate the launching of the USS Voyager (Mark II) sometime this summer. Realizing it costs a good chunk of money to have a patch sewn (not as much as having 'several' trees cut down because of pine beetles), we'd like your feedback. Which design(s) is/are your favorite (which translates to "If you had $5, and you couldn't spend it on a roadside snow cone, which patch would you buy if any")?

Patch 1 Patch 2

Patch 3 Patch 4

Patch 5

Patch 6

Patch 7

Patch 8

Drop us an email with your thoughts. spacecamputah@gmail.com

Mr. W.

An Update from our Friends at Dream Flight Adventures

Kadie’s Dream

by Admiral Starblayze
Dreamflight Adventures

Two years ago I had a very unusual opportunity. I had the pleasure of visiting Baden Academy Charter School where one young girl—Kadie—was spearheading an effort to bring Dream Flight Adventures to her school.

We receive inquires about building simulators all the time, but they usually come from teachers and district administrators. And naturally students always comment “I wish my school had one of these,” but that’s usually where the conversation stops. Not so for Kadie at Baden Academy. Over the past two years she has devoted her time and energy to making her “Baden Dream” a reality.

Dream Bigger! That is Kadie’s message. Her story of moving from a small idea to one that has involved much of our school is extraordinary. She communicates an entrepreneurial spirit alongside her earnest desire to make a gift to her school community.
Kadence is an entrepreneur and leader of the online company Baden Dreams. She has spent several years attempting to come up with creative ways to raise money to bring the indoor playground, Dream Flight Adventures, to our campus.

She started out trying to raise money for playground equipment, but during her research she stumbled upon our program and immediately latched onto the dream. When I met with her and told her about how other schools have gone about getting a simulator—a complex process that almost always involves raising grant funding—she was undaunted. She didn’t quite know how selling handmade jewellery on Zazzle.com would accomplish this mighty feat, but she didn’t let it stop her. She’s fearless, and it’s that same unconquerable entrepreneurial spirit that made Dream Flight Adventures come to life in the first place.

We are humbled and amazed at Kadie’s perseverance. Two years have passed, and her homegrown efforts are still going strong. She recently made this TED-Ed Club talk, and we were so inspired that we simply had to share it with the world. If we had the resources, we’d donate an entire simulator to Baden Academy simply on behalf of Kadie and her dream. And who knows, maybe some fairy godmother will hear her story and together we can make this dream come true.

The Imaginarium