Newsletters
Community in the past 50 years has changed drastically. With modern technology and a skewed popularity for antisocialism and isolation, people have lost their need for community. That is, until a day comes that you truly need that communal support. So how does one facilitate community in such a detached world? By being the steady resource that shows up in the worst of times. By offering love, support and services; not out of convenience, but of need.
Throughout December and January, our team met with two different communities in hopes of finding one of their own. We searched alongside dedicated family, friends and even strangers that felt called to walk and seek the lost. Throughout those long, cold days, connections were made that will help push our organization farther along. Every prayer and every handshake is a building block for the community we are piecing together.
We were fortunate to have met the handlers of the Kansas Search and Rescue Dog Association. Together, we covered more ground than would have ever been possible with our team alone. We look forward to training and working with this team in the near future. Creating connections like this will help us grow in knowledge and resources for both teams involved.
The Pratt County community honored Seek1 Search and Rescue with a benefit dinner on February 21st. It was a fantastic evening filled with music from the Pratt college Encore choir and a silent auction with proceeds to go towards Seek1. We are all so thankful not only for that honorable evening, but also to be acknowledged and thanked for the time spent searching in Pratt. The work and effort we exert in each search is not done so for glory, but rather to show respect, love and unfortunately, sometimes only closure for families and friends. However, it was so nice to see those we met in the worst of times in a new light.
To shed some light on what all goes into a single search, let me break down some of the process. Before anyone is sent out, a survey of the land is done and property owners are all contacted individually to gain permission to access the land. Our command officers will map out the land and section off pieces according to how difficult the terrain is to navigate. After mapping and sectioning, a decision is made about how many teams are needed. A team leader is then appointed and four to five additional searchers or volunteers are chosen to fill out a team. The team is then briefed on the mission and the area they are to search. After they are given all the information needed, they are sent out to hopefully find something or someone. Once the team finishes their assigned section, they move on to the next and the search continues.
It may be difficult to understand the excitement we have for this growing group, mainly due to the unfortunate circumstances that require the need for search and rescue. But we know that the work we are doing is important and feel called upon to push ourselves to be ready to roll out as soon as we are needed. We have all felt called upon to be a part of something that can make a difference in our local community and throughout our great state.
This year is only beginning and so far, Seek1 is off to a running start. We are proud to announce that a group of driven men have officially joined the Seek1 team and will learn a variety of search and rescue skills as the year continues. If you are interested in becoming a member of the team, please reach out through the contacts on our website or social media! Thank you for following along with our group as we grow and develop.
