[pct-l] Greeting...and Question...

[jbmaterick at stanfordalumni.org (J. Bradley Materick)]

Greetings!

I am a new member of the PCT-L list, and I have been enjoying the conversation for the past couple weeks.  I have a question for you all that I would normally want to address to the list owner of PCT-L, but my introductory email didn't seem to indicate a list owner as far as I could tell...  So, I hope you all won't mind me directing this brief question to the list.

I am going to be undertaking a thru-hike of the PCT this spring and summer, and I hope that it will be a rather unique thru-hike for two related reasons.  First, I am planning to hike the entire distance with my newly adopted dog, Banner.  And second, I will be using the hike as a way to raise awareness and donations to help animals waiting for adoption in shelters nationwide.  I have thought about using the PCT-L list as a way to spread the word about what Banner and I are trying to do and direct folks to my web site if they are interested and want more information, but I am concerned that this might be perceived as a "commercial solicitation," something explicitly forbidden in my introductory email from PCT-L.  However, because I am engaging in a charitable hike of the PCT and not trying to sell anything, maybe this is different?

If there is a list owner out there or someone else with authority, could you please let me know what you think?  If you approve, I would be psyched to send a little bit more information to PCT-L and a link to my web site.  At the same time, I will totally understand if you feel this would be inappropriate.

Thank you for your time and attention,
J. Bradley Materick

--------------------------------
J. Bradley Materick
jbmaterick@stanfordalumni.org

Field Naturalist Program
Department of Botany
120 Marsh Life Science Building
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405

(802) 578-3050 (cell)
(802) 656-0423 (work)