This was an interesting experiment, the results were some what different than I expected.
The two people that I choose had an effect in different areas of my life. The first-Gary is the directory of education for the company I work for. The second- Bert I met through Boy Scouts and was able to get me interested in the leader training within the program.
About 10 years ago I inquired about taking some courses to deal with PC and Office software, the company has a tuition assistance program the cover your tuition as long as the courses are related to work. After competing several of these courses, Gary brought to my attention that we also had a degree completion program that I could use to complete my Bachelors degree. This program is limited to two classes per term. This intrigued me and it has been a long hall. Living in Eugene I started working on the AAOT degree at Lane Community College. When this was completed I transferred back to OSU where I had started my degree in 1973. The topic of my letter (email form) was thanking Gary for his support as I neared the completion of my degree. I actually turned in my graduation request last week. What a good feeling. Gary’s response was almost immediate, he emailed me back with congratulations and an update on his studies, he is working on his PHD, and he will finish class work this term and then he has to complete his thesis.
The second person- Bert, I meet almost 25 years ago in Scouting. I had just take a position as an Assistant Scoutmaster, I was attending a training session for new Scout Leaders. Bert was the Scouter conducting the training. One of the training opportunities being promoted was a course called “Wood Badge” this was a course designed to teach outdoor skills to Scout Leaders. Bert was pretty insistent that every scout leader should attend “Wood Badge”. To make a very long story shorter, Bert not only convinced me to attend the course but to be come an instructor and eventually a course directory. I went on to become the Council Training Chairman, (the council covers all of Southwestern Oregon) and let to my involvement in Scouting at the National Level. (Training and Boy Scout National Jamboree). Bert being a very prim and proper retired Air Force and several decades older than myself- I though the nice hand written thank you for his support would be in order. To my surprise his reply came back in an Email. It was very well written and sincere, it just seemed out of place from Bert.
The email response from Gary was not a really a surprise when you consider the culture within our company, we try to stay on the front edge of technology in our industry. However the email response from Bert did take me by surprise. I anticipated a fairly quick response, just not email.
February 5, 2009 at 8:13 pm
That’s amazing that you have stayed in contact with Bert for so many years. I am sure your friendship means a lot to him. I bet his has some great stories to share from his years in the Air Force. It does seem like Bert would be the perfect candidate for the handwritten letter, I would of assumed too that he would of hand-written you back not email.