Community Building in the Washington, DC area!!

SFP Editor: What is Geodecisions and your role with the company? Andy Freckmann: GeoDecisions is a Geospatial Information Technology consulting company. What does that mean you ask? We play in the IT space, but focus on giving our customers a spatial/mapping aspect to what they are doing. Almost everyone today is using Google Earth - having the ability to see information in the form of a map. We do integration and application development for customers and enable them to create a common operating picture on a map(like Google). My role is as Business Development for our company - promoting our company to the federal, state and local government as well as commercial.

SFP Editor: What about your job is the most challenging?

Andy Freckmann: Having to interact with customers every day - always being focused and positive can be challenging. But I love it. I can't imagine myself not being out in front of people all the time - interaction and developing relationships is what I thrive in. Being in the office 5 days a week is not for me.

SFP Editor: How did you learn about the Hike for Discovery and what prompted you to participate?

Andy Freckmann: In the fall I participated in a 5K run in Reston and registered through active.com - a website that lists events all over the country. I came upon Hike for Discovery, a program that includes 16 weeks of hiking/training and culminates in a weekend of hiking in the Grand Canyon in June. At the same time we are raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My father passed away from cancer about 8 years ago, a close friend's mother is losing a battle to cancer right now and I wanted a way to channel my energy to a good cause - and, from everything I have heard, have a life altering experience!

SFP Editor: What do you see as the biggest challenge in participating in the hike?

Andy Freckmann: I have never done fundraising before, so my first thought was that raising $4400 in a couple months might be tricky. However, the initial response from friends, family & co-workers has been so positive, I am now thinking that hiking up out of the Grand Canyon will be quite a hurdle - having never been, I can only guess how big and treacherous it will be! It will also be quite a commitment; hiking every Saturday for the next 4 months.

SFP Editor: How are you training for the Hike for Discovery?

Andy Freckmann: We have a weekly exercise regime, which includes walking, stretching exercises, working out and some weight lifting. Then every Saturday through June we go to a different park in the Washington metro area and hike the trails. It started last weekend with a quick half-hour hike in Great Falls, an hour this weekend and it gets a little longer each weekend, until we get to about a 7 hour hike.

SFP Editor: What has been your hiking experience in the DC area?

Andy Freckmann:This is actually my first real hiking experience - I have done some recreational hiking in the past in Great Falls and the Shenandoah, but this is definitely the big one.

SFP Editor: Have you traveled to locations in the past to hike or will the Grand Canyon be your first big hike experience?

Andy Freckmann:I have done some other excursions in the past that included hiking - a fishing trip to the Smokey Mountains - but this is the first big hike, and I am really looking forward to it.

SFP Editor: What type of fundraising efforts do you have planned?

Andy Freckmann: In my first 1-2 weeks of fundraising I have been sending out letters and emails to start getting the word out. Some ideas that I have planned in the next month or so for fundraising is to have an event at a local restaurant/bar (any ideas?), charity poker game and/or a golf outing. I am still in the planning stages for an event - I will keep you posted.

SFP Editor: What advice do you have for folks interested in participating in fundraising efforts?

Andy Freckmann: Having just started, my only advice would be not to be bashful. Don't be afraid to tell everyone you talk to that you are raising money for a good cause - you will be surprised how willing people are to help!

SFP Editor: What brought you to the DC area?

Andy Freckmann: I grew up an Embassy brat - around the world until college. So DC was always my home base. After graduating from Virginia Tech I have been living in the DC area for almost 17 years - except for a year and a half stint in New York. I love the area, so much to do all the time.