Maine Guide Training Week

INVALUABLE!!! The gains received from attending Maine’s Outdoor Learning Center’s Registered Maine Guide Certification Training Program are too numerous to mention. Our brains are exercised, our hearts are full, and our body’s nourished. I have gained the knowledge, confidence and independence to navigate myself and others safely through the Maine wilderness. The accommodations, instruction and hospitality were not only top notch, but realistic. From the bottom of my heart, thank you John, Tami and Greg, as well as my classmates.

She Who Runs With It ❤️  - Sheila D.

The week of training remains on the forefront of my mind, a fantastic experience. The personal growth I feel I achieved is entirely unexpected, my spirit has been reenergized. Not being a particularly outgoing person, I was comfortable before the end of the first day.  I haven't been too excited about my career life for a long time, and was fearful on many levels to take the steps for change. Thanks to the support and encouragement from my family I took a very big step for me and enrolled.  I wasn't sure what to expect; if I could learn new things, but I did! I enjoyed the company of all my classmates, they are truly wonderful people; so happy to have met and learned with them and hope to stay in contact with them in some fashion. Bringing together groups of people, making them feel at home, and comfortable working together is difficult and MOLC did it very well.  I had a great experience. I learned so many things. I feel confident in many more ways. I'm inspired. I'm excited. John, Tami, and Greg really care about what they do and how they do it and it shines through throughout the week.   The years of experience, cumulatively and individually are evident.  

Just a note, mealtime exceeded my expectations, the quality, creativeness, the attention and caring in the process comes through. 

 What a great week...I feel cleansed, learned, excited, and motivated. Thank you for providing an excellent program! I am so happy I took this course! I almost waited until the next classroom offering. All five classmates are wonderful people, folks who I would never have met. What an intangible bonus, priceless.

- Andrew Skrivanich  

I love to learn and have a pretty large knowledge base in the subject field of hunting, fishing and bushcraft so I was interested to see what I would come away with after taking your course. Boy did I get my moneys’ worth! All of you bring so much to the table. As I think about everything that I took away as far as new knowledge, it's staggering. The way in which you each go about imparting your wisdom and personal experiences was absolutely first class, beautiful and effective. I wouldn’t change a thing. Collectively the three of you offer so much. 

The skill-set and disciplines that you went over in preparation for the Guides exam was amazing. I feel prepared in every way to take the test but more importantly to apply them in my everyday endeavors. 

Spending a week in nature with you all, learning about all the things related (or more importantly unrelated) to guiding, listening to your life stories, sitting around the fire, and more – gave me a different perspective. I signed up for a class to help me prepare to get my Maine guide License, and left with a complete perspective change and paradigm shift in my thinking.

I can’t wait to see you all again! 

- Blake H.

John, Greg, and Tami - I want to again thank you very much for a great class. As I stated earlier after 35 years of teaching and coaching - this is the best clinic I have ever attended. I learned so much and the presentations were great. John and Greg are great people and excellent teachers. It was a privilege and an honor to meet and learn from you. The amount of knowledge I gained was something I will never forget. Just wanted to let you know I passed my guide test today. I will remember this training and the experience for the rest of my life. Thank you! -  Mark Blythe

Dear Tami and John and Greg,

I just wanted to write and tell you what a great week I had and how much I enjoyed the class. My head is still spinning from all I learned.

I'm sure I was for John not the easiest student. I'm an avid hiker and backpacker, but I was clearly the least knowledgeable in the class. At times I was overwhelmed by how much I didn't know. My father was a serious outdoorsman, a hunter and fisherman, a backwoods camper and a builder of canoes.

Unfortunately, he died before he got the chance to pass those lessons onto me, and I've regretted that for a long time. But ever since I found out I was soon to be a father to a son, I've been on a mission to learn as much as I can. I want to pass onto my son the kinds of things my father would have passed along to me. It's not easy. People who grew up around this stuff have no idea how little others know. That's why I took the course, and, boy, was it a good idea. I learned so much and every day, without knowing it, John and Greg inspired me to learn more. I can't thank you enough. Not only now do I know a whole lot more, I know what I need to learn next. For me the course would have been a bargain at twice the price.

I'd also like to say how much I admire John's teaching. As someone who spends every day teaching adults (college students, anyway; sometimes they're adults),I think he needs a patch on the other arm that says master teacher. If ever the market for Maine Guide's dries up, he could certainly find work teaching teachers. He's "a gentleman and a gentle man" and one of the best leaders in the classroom I've come across.

Thanks again, John S.

This week has been an amazing week in many, many ways. I feel larger somehow (and this is not due to the great food! J ) What a great group! We all made many happy memories together these past six days. Laughter, happiness, heart to heart talks, sharing information and selves, hugs ~ what more could one ask for?

Thanks for everything,

Alice A.

I’ve now passed my oral and written exams and am one of Maine’s newest Registered Maine Guides. I never could have done it without all of you. This hands on experience has been one of the finest weeks of my life. You people are great! Keep doing this course and I promise to keep in touch with you all. You’ve got my #1 Vote!

Thanks a Million,

Eric E.

Wow - what more can a person say about this awesome “Hands On” learning vacation. My eyes and ears have been opened to so many things that take place in woods of Maine. If I had to say one thing about what I liked best during the whole week I’d be speechless. If I had to say many things that I liked the best I’d have to write a novel…. But here it is any way… I loved cooking outdoors - making biscuits was a blast! Learning how to fly fish was something I always wanted to do - that part was super, but….catching a trout was the highlight! The canoe trip was fantastic. By the way John C. my strokes have really improved - you’d be proud. Anyway, I can for see a novel in the beginnings - so Thank you!

Barbara P.

I would like to thank you all for the information, time and effort you put into helping me to get through the class and the test. I will always hold a special place in my heart for all of you. Thank you - more than simple words can express.

Jim K., aka “Ted Nugent”

I have had a wonderful week. I’ve met new and interesting people, plus I had fantastic host! I’ve had years of knowledge stuffed into my head in a weeks’ time (more than I would have thought possible). I’ve learned a lot, laughed a lot. And had the best week I’ve had in a very long time.

Thanks to you for all of it!

Donna C.

Thank you for the most memorable experience and the priceless gift of knowledge.

Richie B.

This week far exceeded my expectations. Thanks to all!

John H.

John, Tami, and Crew,

I can’t say enough about what I have experienced an learned this past week. Thank you so much.

May your thoughts be clear and your shots clean.

Blaine C.

Thank you for opening the door for me. This creation of learning by all hands on is truly amazing. This is one incredible week I will never forget.

Steve L.

Roses are Red

Violets are Blues

It was a GREAT week

At Maine’s Guide School…..

Thanks!

John A.

I feel like I finally have developed the “awareness” of the Maine woods and waters that for so many years have been missing.

Dan J.

What a great time this week has been. I wished I would have done it sooner. Thank you for sharing of yourselves, your knowledge, and creating this program in the first place.

Thanks!

Karen B.

To all the people who made this week special ~ Thank you!. A week of fun, learning, great food, and great people. John and Tami ~ follow your dream to Belize! Thanks again for everything.

Alan L.

Thank you! Everyone! For a great week of Hands on learning. It was quite an experience. I hope I’ve retained more than I think…. I know now that I know more than what I did when I arrived on Saturday…

Thanks again,

Sandy H.

I took their week long, hands on, outdoor course in 2014 and passed the tests for recreation and hunting a month later. Absolutely the best way to prepare for the guide tests and lots of fun too. 

- Mark Goodrich