Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 8, 1990 TAG: 9004060566
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRISTINA MOTLEY NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Two of them thought their 9-year-old sibling, Jimmy Beveridge, was racing them back to the camp - but he never returned.
After hours of looking, family and rescue team members were forced to stop the search for the night due to clouds, wind and rain.
It wasn't until the next morning that Jimmy's body was found, curled up next to a tree two miles from the campsite. had died from hypothermia. The Jimmy Beveridge tragedy sparked the "Hug-A-Tree and Survive" program in California to prevent children from getting lost or teach them, if lost, how to remain safe and be found.
Christiansburg High School freshman Erin Marie Nelson is promoting the Hug-A-Tree program in and around the New River Valley. For her efforts, Nelson, a senior Girl Scout of Troop 325, will receive the Gold Award, the highest in Girl Scouting.
Over the past year, Nelson, 14, has reached 15,000 children and 36 counties - including Montgomery, Giles, Bland, Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Patrick and Bath - in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
"It's been fun and a lot of hard work," said Nelson, who has been a Girl Scout for nine years. "But it's also been rewarding to know I have reached this many people and to think it might save someone's life."
Nelson has spent more than 135 hours putting up displays at libraries and schools in Smyth and Montgomery counties, making Hug-A-Tree presentations before organizations and distributing a pamphlet she designed to county school systems, 4-H groups, Appalachian Girl Scout Council troops, national forest services, state parks, recreation departments, chambers of commerce and libraries.
"I briefly heard about [the Hug-A-Tree program] out West on a camping trip with my family," she said.
After living in Christiansburg for two years, Nelson said it was her own idea, which the Appalachian Girl Scout Council approved, to educate New River Valley children about the program.
Hug-A-Tree And Survive uses six steps to prevent getting lost or if lost, to remain safe and calm.
Always stay on a marked trail and never hike alone.
Always take along a trash bag and a whistle. By making three holes in the bag for your head and arms, you can keep dry; a whistle's sound carries farther than a voice and takes less energy.
Hug a tree, talk to it and stay in that one place. One of the greatest fears is of being alone, and this will calm you down if you get lost.
Make yourself "big." Wear orange or red visible clothing. If lost, lie down when a helicopter flies overhead and spread your arms and legs to make a cross shape.
Remember there is nothing out there that can hurt you. If you hear a noise it is probably an animal; yell and it will run away.
Leave footprints. Footprinting is a 5-minute exercise that can help shorten a search. Before leaving for the hike, step down on a piece of aluminum foil on a soft surface, mark the foil with your name, and trackers will have a sample footprint to look for if the need arises.
Upon completion of her community service project, Nelson will receive her Gold Award May 5.
by CNB