The Bower Adventure Course is a 50+ day intensive outdoor expedition leadership program designed to help shape young leaders. The program will include:

• Wilderness Advanced First Aid training & certification
• 12-Day through hike in the Olympic Peninsula
• Serve at-risk youth at a partner camp
• Climbing training
• Multi-day expedition rafting trip on Deschutes River
• Multi-day sport climbing at Smith Rock
• 5 Day ascent on Glacier Peak
• 24hr solo time on Glacier Peak
• Group self-led 5 day backpacking trip using map and compass/orienteering skills learned
• Challenge course

Ages: 15-19

Andrew (Roo) as a child quickly developed into a kind hearted, servant minded teenager, breaking out of his younger shy self, and engaging his passions for ministry and music. He began playing guitar for the youth ministry at Faith Evangelical Church in Loveland in high school, quickly becoming the worship leader, and sharing his testimony with every soul he came into contact with. His love of others grew exponentially as he was blessed to go on many missions trips to different countries, and share his faith with lost, less fortunate peoples all in the love of Jesus. Near the end of high school, Andrew decided he wanted to combine his love of airplanes with his love of missions and service by attending Moody Bible Institue Missionary Aviation Program in Spokane Washington. After a couple of years of schooling and many trials and unfortunate, ill-timed events, he thought that the Lord was leading him in a different direction.

When Andrew moved to Spokane WA, he was excited to find a strong, close community of climbers much like he had in Northern Colorado. Andrew became involved with PEAK 7 Adventures ( http://www.peak7.org) in Spokane, and quickly became a certified mountaineer and white water raft guide, taking underprivileged and less fortunate youth on experiences of a lifetime. Peak 7 was such a humbling and time of growth for Andrew. Because this was primarily a volunteer position, he spent his summers living in a tent near the river he guided to keep costs down, all in the name of serving others. When he wasn’t guiding trips up the mountain or down the river, Andrew was working overtime at Wild Walls climbing gym in Spokane. Over his years there he truly honed his skills and practiced to become the incredible climber he was. During his time there, he touched many, many lives, teaching young and old his passion of climbing, being challenged every day to be better than the last. He eventually became an instructor at Wild Walls and was responsible for setting the routes that challenged climbers like they had never been before. Andrew was extremely well respected and liked by everyone he taught and worked with.

After his time at Moody, Andrew met a beautiful young lady that shared nearly every single passion of his, including his love of God and his servant’s heart. Emily quickly grabbed Andrew’s heart, and he fell head over heels for the “coolest, most beautiful chick” he’d ever met. Our family definitely agreed as we also quickly fell in love with Emily. As I mentioned before, Andrew felt that God was calling him to do something different with his skill set, and that’s when he pursued becoming an EMT. He was able to use his smarts, his passion, and his compassion on a daily basis as an EMT in Spokane. There were many challenges, trials and tribulations with that job, and it definitely had its ups and downs, but Andrew always enjoyed truly helping others.

Andrew and Emily fell madly in love, and we were thrilled when they announced they were getting married after Andrew had proposed on top of a 14’er in Colorado during a family reunion. We all got to celebrate with them. They were married in July of 2014.

Over the past few months, Andrew took on a personal, very near and dear project in the hills of Spokane, replacing old rusted climbing bolts and pins with brand new, stainless steel bolts- ensuring years of safe climbing for his fellow brothers and sisters in the Washington area. About 50% of this project was funded directly out of his pocket, while the other 50% came from fellow climbers appreciating the challenging, yet necessary work he was doing.

On November 6th, Andrew headed out early in the afternoon to replace more bolts just outside of Spokane. He wasn’t able to complete his mission that day as we assume he was called to be with the Lord quickly and peacefully before he unpacked his gear.

We don’t believe there are any words to truly describe the heartbreak and loss his family, friends, and his greater community circle can say to ease the pain we feel at this moment, but there is a special peace believers have from God, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that my brother is playing guitar with the angels and will be stringing ropes wherever possible.

Andrew loved his wife beyond compare, his family, friends and the future leaders.

Rest In Peace dear Roo!