Doug Dollarhide is a member of Mid Valley Unit. He was raised in Escalon, California, where he and his wife Cathy still live. The couple has three married adult children all of whom have participated on the MJC Intercollegiate Pack Team in Bishop. Doug has coached MJC pack teams for Bishop for at least 10 years with Carl Perry and Dave Rumsey. Horses and mules have been an important part of his family’s life. About 18 years ago, Doug and Cathy took their horses up to Pine Valley Horse Camp. When they returned from a ride, several people introduced themselves and told them about the Backcountry Horsemen organization, Mid Valley Unit in particular, selling them a trail book and inviting them to their next unit meeting. They were very friendly. After his first year as a member, Doug has served on the Unit Board of Directors in one capacity or another from Parade Chair to Education Chair, to two terms as President, and, with Cathy, organized the Columbia All-Equestrian Christmas Parade for eight years. Doug and Cathy thoroughly enjoy the Mid Valley Unit because of the very friendly, open arms feeling they received when they joined. Members look out for each other whether it is on a ride, or someone is stranded on the side of the road. The reason Doug became BCHC President is simple – there was no one else! The position of President scares folks to death. The thought of having this responsibility puts people into fear mode. Imagine if there was no president – there would be no one to run the meetings, no one making sure the Executive Committee stays on track with their responsibilities, no one keeping tabs on BCHC’s units and their overall welfare. BCHC would lack the leadership needed to stay together and functioning in a healthy manner. The hub would be missing, the wheel would fall apart and, therefore, cease to move forward. Two action words Doug applies not only to his own life but to BCHC units and the state organization are UNITY and COMMITMENT. Mid Valley Bishop Pack Team took those words to heart. They went from knowing basically nothing to winning the World Championship. They had a common goal they believed in, committed themselves to each other as a team and ultimately won the prize. Doug’s goals for BCHC’s units and state organization is to come together, be involved and make a difference in our stated mission.