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From the Fjords to the Farm |
How does a Dutch girl who is working on the fjords in Norway, become a volunteer at The Lands at Hillside Farms? Gather up close to your computer and I'll recount to you the story of Sandra Middaugh Geurts.
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Sandra was born in Eindhoven, located in the south center corner of the Netherlands where the Philips' light bulb company was born. She completed her elementary and higher education and then went on to University level education at the Art Academy and soon completed a 4 year degree in Activity/Event Planning.
With education completed, Sandra embarked on her first career experience by working at an open air Iron Age museum where she learned the art of wool and spinning and cooking on open fires. After working at this Iron Age museum (period 500 B.C.), she packed up and headed to Glastonbury England and was employed by a Viking historical museum where she promoted Viking history on the weekends. During the week, she was a nanny for 4 English youngsters.
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Adventure soon called her to Norway and another Viking camp situated on the edge of a little village located on a fjord. She educated tourists on the wool industry: shearing, spinning, washing, carding, and spinning of wool. At the end of the season misfortune struck when she broke her leg and then had to return to the Netherlands for healing and rehabilitation. Not one to settle down, Sandra was back to Norway once her leg healed and then eventually traveled on to Sweden and was employed at an authentic Viking museum. Sandra found that living history work was very interesting and she looks to the future of Springbrook Farm, our living history museum.
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It was at this time that her future husband, Ralph Middaugh, from Wilkes Barre contacted her via the internet to create him a Viking costume for a Halloween wedding he was planning on attending.
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As life would have it, emails lead to airplane tickets; lead to a visit to America by Sandra; lead to proposal; lead to marriage on April 3, 2005. Settling in the Back Mountain area, Sandra was once again on the hunt for 'sheep and wool' and
was directed to our farm in the early part of 2006.
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The rest is history. Sandra has become an integral part of our volunteer team. She has served on our Events Committee; was responsible for organizing our Spring and Fall Festivals into specific task and time charts; improved communication through the development of improved signage and directional charts throughout the Farm; and hosted several wool and felting classes. Specifically, she has been responsible for taking the raw sheared wool and having it produced into fine wool yarn for sale in our store.
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"I had the most fun doing festival work 'working together seeing it all come together with everyone focused on the vision of The Lands at Hillside Farms', is what Sandra responded when asked what was her favorite time at The Lands. Ralph, her husband said, 'I enjoyed doing the parking lot work. You get to talk to so many different people ... it's a chance to see people who you lost contact with'. They both agreed that volunteering has given them a chance to meet people with the same interests.
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Sandra has always brought her smile and new ideas to the table. To all of us, she has become a great friend and will be greatly missed here in Trucksville, PA. We will not lose connection with her because like Ralph, who first communicated via email, we too will do the same.
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Sandra will be leaving for Andover England where she will once again work in Viking reenactment. We wish her good luck and God speed and great big thanks for all her outstanding contributions to this new non-profit, The Lands at Hillside Farms. From all of us to you, Sandra, a great big thanks for having spent 2.5 yrs with us! You will be missed, but not forgotten!
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(Author: Colette Check, Jan 2008) |
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