WorldWideDownHome DrillFest™ ! e e Thursday morning, we were all treated to a Keynote Presentation by Jeff Hart, the expert drill operator from Layne ® responsible for reaching the 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine in 2010. His fascinating recollection of this perilous rescue included details many had never heard before. The geological conditions they encountered forced them to think outside of the box and ultimately changed the way hard rock drilling is done. In the end, teams of drilling professionals from the mining, gas and oil, and water well communities came together to rescue the trapped miners. Look for more information in an upcoming issue ofWWDR . Once the exhibits opened, attendees were excited to see their favorite vendors displaying the latest products and services. There was a lot of elbow bumping (instead of handshaking) and a lot of smiling eyes. The afternoon Keynote Speaker was Lt. Col. Robert J. Darling who was in the White House Bunker during 9/11. His inspiring words of patriotism, honor, and duty reminded the audience of the courage our country’s leaders had to embrace during one of its most chaotic times. He concluded by saying, “19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes, they ultimately tried to destroy us. All they did was unify us. They tried to instill fear in us and yet thousands of young men and women joined our ranks of all types. They tried to overwhelm us in despair and yet all they did was unleashAmerica’s greatest attribute and that is our resilience. Our resilience to overcome just about anything . . . There’s nothing America can’t do if we all come together to support each other on this level.” TheWWDR Teamproudly hosted a benefit raffle and auction Thursday night. In all, more than $5000 was raised to help a family or person in the drilling industry, who may be struggling. All in all, it was a fantastic event. Everyone had a great time and did a good job of following the safety protocols. Look for additional photos from the event next month and remember, the onlinePhoto Gallerywill have all of the photos from the First AnnualWorldWideDownHome DrillFest™ . From the next generation of drilling professionals We asked the youngest attendees, “What was your favorite part of theDownHome DrillFest™ ?” Brooklyn, age 9, “The candy and having my picture made with Derrick the cardboard cutout guy.” Ace, age 9, “The custom-made drill bits. They’re HUGE!!” Kailor - age 2, “The show!” Meridith - age 5, “Going and eating, the stage, and the music!” Adrian - age 11, “Being able to see my dad and getting stuff. And the food!!” Austin - age 6, “The food, seeing dad, and home school.” Nolan - age 14, “The whole thing!” Sophia - age 13, “Jeff Hart’s story about the 33 miners.” Rylie - age 16, “All the different booths and getting to talk to all the nice people.” Roslynn “Rozie” - age 13, “Talking to the vendors, seeing all the booths, and all the drilling stuff.” Eli - age 15, “The freebies and all the different products.” Silas - age 17, “The speaker (Jeff Hart), walking around the displays, the products, and all the innovative ideas.” WWDR ’s Marcel posing with Brooklyn and “Derrick the cardboard cutout guy.” Thank-you to all of the Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Attendees for making this a great event! Planning for the Second AnnualWorldWide DownHome DrillFest™ is underway. Look for details coming soon! Jeff Hart’s Keynote Speech was inspirational and highlighted the grit and determination of the drilling industry. The Keynote Presentation by Lt. Col. Darling reminded us that America is full of ordinary people willing to do extraordinary things to help each other, every day. A special thanks to Chy LeClair from Blackadar Insurance Company for stepping in as auctioneer. You did GREAT!
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