Blaise Besant, MSCR Pontoon Program Coordinator
As a teenager, I spent two summers participating in the MSCR Stagecoach program. We traveled from park to park in a van towing a modified trailer, which featured a fold-down side that served as our stage. It was a fantastic program involving six to eight of us, plus our driver and director. We had a great deal of fun, and our performances were always well-received. It was fascinating to see so many different parks, most of which I never would have visited otherwise.
Eventually, I moved away from Madison to pursue my career, spending more than twenty years working on the technical side of the cruise industry. After returning to the area, I discovered the MSCR Pontoon Program through their catalog. I initially experienced it as a passenger and thought it was wonderful, which inspired me to become a volunteer.
I started with the program in 2011. After several years of active involvement, I stepped into my current role as the volunteer coordinator. While my primary job is to help coordinate trips and keep everyone abreast of available opportunities, I still thoroughly enjoy volunteering as a captain and first mate. Our volunteers truly do the heavy lifting, taking on the significant responsibility of organizing trips while continuously monitoring the weather and water levels. We have over 100 volunteers this year, and it is wonderful to see a strong incoming group joining our ranks. Their excitement helps keep everyone energized.
Ultimately, the best part of the program is the connections we make. Several years ago, while captaining a boat with my partner Jean onboard, we met a graduate student from UW named Tuan, who was there with his wife and two young children. We became fast friends. Since then, we have visited their family at their home in Hanoi on several occasions, and they have stayed with us as well. I don’t think this is an uncommon experience, as the program constantly brings together wonderful people, both among our dedicated volunteers and the general public who join us for the rides.
From touring local parks as an MSCR Stagecoach teenager to returning decades later as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Pontoon Program, my journey has come full circle. Working with a dedicated team of over 100 volunteers and captaining boats has proven that the true value of this program lies in the meaningful, lifelong connections forged between the crew and the community.
