he aintS xprEss Thet Employee Newsletter of Lurleen S B. Wallace Community College E March 2017 Hainds continues US/Mexico boarder walk By: MARK HAINDS Forest Technology Faculty after two decades working dual positions with auburn University and the Longleaf alliance, i resigned my jobs and walked the length of the texas- Mexico Border. if one followed every twist and turn in the Rio Grande River, it would measure 1,200 miles. i took the road or trail or closest to the Rio Grande, for a distance of 1,010 miles. it started on Oct. 27, 2014, at international Mile Marker #1 in el Paso, texas, and finished at Boca Chica Beach, just east of Brownsville, on Dec.21, 2014. incidentally, my trek was fol- lowed and documented by Rex Jones of the southern Documentary project at Ole Miss. after a one-month author-in- residence position at the escape Mark Hainds is pictured on the second leg of his boarder walk, completing 300 miles last December. to Create Foundation in Seaside, Florida, roughing out a manu- done with me! Mexico Border. owe them a huge debt of grati- script with the working title, i re-engaged my endurance this trek has been complicat- tude, a debt that i intend to pay Border Walk, i returned to training, hiking weekends and ed, challenging, and dangerous. with upcoming books about the andalusia and started working at evenings through 2016. But more than anything, it has trek, which should provide a fas- LBW as the Forest technology Returning to el Paso on the been a rewarding experience of a cinating and honest portrayal of instructor in august, 2015. two-year anniversary of the lifetime. life and the environment along in 2016, La Frontera, Rex’s completion of my texas- i have to survive, finish the the US-Mexico border. film about my walk, played on Mexico walk. walk, and tell the story of the For those with interest, maps PBS stations across the country. On Dec. 21, 2016, i started people who live there. it has and hundreds of trek photos are i continued to work on Border west from international Mile been the kindness of strangers, posted on my Facebook author Walk, and i decided that i wasn’t Marker #1, walking through with the support of friends, fami- page “Mark J. hainds”, and done with the border. Or maybe new Mexico and into southeast- ly, and coworkers that has occasional updates at the opposite, the border wasn’t ern arizona, covering another allowed me to make it this far. i www.sweetbill.com. three-hundred miles over the Christmas holidays. this spring break, i fly back Inside tuscon, to start where i left off this issue... near Sonoita, arizona. the next President’s Message 2 portion of the trek leads through nogales, into remote, mountain- Remembering Glen Wood 2 ous terrain, that passes through Upcoming Events 3 the ghost town of Ruby. i have completed 1,300 of Employee Recognitions 4 my 2,000-mile route, with an Vounteer Activities 7 end goal of the Pacific Ocean this coming Christmas. Should i LBWCC Foundation Event 8 make it, i will be the first person Hainds started his epic walk in 2014 (shown in gray) covering to have walked the entire US- 1,010 miles, and completed 300 (in red) in December 2016. It is the policy of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College that no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of any impermissible criterion or characteristic including, without limitation, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, disability, sex, age or any other protected class as defined by federal and state law. the SaintS ExprEss March 2017, Page 2 PReSiDent’S MeSSaGe hancellor Mark of May and have the opportu- nance that will give our heinrich recently nity to send in a Focused System the same status as each Cannounced his plans to retire Report responding to any of the state universities. effective april 1, 2017. questions or concerns from the Students and faculty will he has had a very difficult off-site committee. soon enjoy spring break—a time recovering from a severe Dr. hardt will return with much needed opportunity to case of shingles, resulting in the on-site committee during not only rest, but to catch up serious nerve damage to his the first week of October. the on work and studies in prepa- face, head, and eye. Despite SaCSCOC board will make ration for the end of the many hours of intense medical its decision on continued semester. the month of april treatment, his timetable for accreditation at its June 2018 will pass quickly, as it is recovery remains unclear. meeting. packed with College activities he stated that he felt it was Please mark your calendars and end-of-semester activities. time for the Board to choose Dr. Herbert H.J. Riedel for Community College Day in i am very pleased to its next chancellor so the sys- LBWCC President Montgomery, which will be on announce that our U.S. tem can move forward. Mr. thursday, april 6, this year. Representative, Martha Roby, Jimmy Baker will continue to just as importantly, we We will again take 100 faculty, will be the commencement serve as acting Chancellor received encouragement that staff, and students to highlight speaker on Friday, May 12. until a new chancellor has we are on the right track with the programs and activities of this will add to an already been selected by the Board of both the Compliance our award-winning college. very memorable day for our trustees. Certification and the QeP. Our legislative agenda this graduates and their families. For me, it was an honor to We will receive a formal year includes a request for Many thanks for all the serve with Dr. heinrich. the response from the off-site much-needed capital funding, good work you do every day job of Chancellor is a difficult review committee by the end as well as a change in gover- on behalf of our students. one in our System. this indi- vidual must provide leadership and move the System forward, while balancing demands of board members, legislators, the In memory of Glen Wood governor, and the public. in addition, the Chancellor “the College mourns the manages and supervises the loss of Glen Wood, beloved System Office staff, adminis- colleague and family man,” ters budgets, and oversees the said LBWCC President Dr. leadership of all the college herb Riedel. presidents in the system. he Wood, who died Feb. 19, was faced with a number of 2017, was a member of the difficult decisions, which he LBWCC family since May 2006 had the fortitude to carry out. and worked as a carpenter in the Dr. heinrich was able to maintenance department. bring about the transition to a “Glen was always upbeat, new Board of trustees. he eager to help and go the extra had some success advocating mile,” said Riedel. “he worked on each of our for our budget, particularly campuses and will be greatly missed. Our with regard to funding for thoughts and prayers are with his family.” career/technical dual enroll- he made a lasting impression with the ment and the first cost-of-liv- LBW family. he was selected in 2011 as ing increase in nine years. LBWCC’s Outstanding Support Staff and rec- Dr. heinrich was always ognized during the annual Chancellor’s award most complimentary of LBW ceremony. and supportive of me as presi- “‘Pop’ was a great asset to LBWCC from Glen Wood carpenter to craftsman to chef to Santa Claus,” dent. 1956-2017 Many thanks to all of you said tim Jones, director of college facilities and who participated in the recent maintenance. “Many times his days were ham- Jessica (hunter) Boutwell; mother, Margene visit of SaCSCOC vice presi- pered by my short-notice requests that he Wood; brother, Wayne Wood; sisters and dent, Dr. John hardt. this was always completed. he was my friend. he will brothers-in-law, Linda (Bookie) Meeks and a successful visit. We gained be missed tremendously by the College family.” Glenda (Junior) anderson; grandchildren, valuable feedback on how to Wood is survived by his wife, Rhonda Madison Wood and addalyn Boutwell. he strengthen our already good adams Wood; son and daughter-in-law, Justin was preceded in death by his father, ellis Compliance Certification, but (Dottie) Wood; daughter and son-in-law, hubert Wood. the SaintS ExprEss March 2017, Page 3 eventS SkillsUSA fishing tourney is March 23 the 2017 SkillsUSa fish- the compe- ing tournament will take place tition pro- from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on vides experi- March 23 at the campus pond ence in lead- in Opp. Concessions will be ership, team- available throughout the day. work, citizenship, this annual fundraising and character event is held to support stu- development. dents participating in local, entry fee is Students are pictured under the LBWCC tent at the 2016 event. state, and national competi- $5 for students and $10 for all The gathering of students and staff make an impressive crowd tion. others. Register in advance or on the lawn of the Capitol. LBWCC students have on site the day of the event. achieved wins at all these lev- Prizes include $75 for the els, shining a bright spotlight largest fish, $25 for the small- ACCS Day April 6 each time on the College, fac- est fish. all fish must be kept Plans are underway to again students educated in the system. ulty, and the quality of educa- alive for prize consideration.