In 1974, Peg Campbell was attending Michigan State University. She saw a posting by the Lansing 4-H Club. They wanted to start an outdoor program for inner-city kids called "Challenge". They advertised by having posters and repelling demonstrations at the local Post Offices and malls -- including the one near Michigan State University. Through the cooperative extension (out of Lansing), Peg volunteered to be trained in the 16 week course funded by 4-H. The course specialized in rockclimbing, backpacking, and survival. She attended the course in Wayne County. About 1/2 of the first training session was from 4-H (Like her) and 1/2 were from off the street after watching rapelling. She said a handful of them were really interested in wanting to be leaders, and the rest were interested in free training.

After the 16 week program ended, people were approached to help train a round 2 of leaders. Peg agreed, and was in the group that trained the second group of leaders. Friendships were forged during the first and second leadership training. After the 2nd leadership training took place, the 4-H organization reviewed the situation. They felt that not many of the trained leaders were very interested in following through with training kids. It was to be the leaders responsibility to go out and find these kids in their local areas.(not supplied by 4-H) .

As a result, 4-H decided to stop the training program. Peg Campbell, along with several others decided they wanted to go on, with or without 4-H. There were between 10 - 15 people at that time. Among them were Peg Campbell, Rose Doub, Mark Sulac, Ken Dempsky, and Ed Jasper. The only people staying in contact with the club now are Peg and Rose. Rose, and her husband Cal have retired to Albuquerque and are still involved in the outdoors. Just this spring, they hosted Bob and Joan Westbrook, and Larry Martin. (all at-large members).

They realized they needed to take action when the support of 4-H stopped, so they sought an affiliation with AYH (American Youth Hostels). They furnished umbrella insurance for them, as well as classrooms through the Livonia Parks and Recreation to hold training. Advertisements for SOLAR (School of Outdoor Leadership, Adventure, and Recreation) was done through Livonia Parks and Recreation, as well as the Benchmark (local outdoor store). Emil Hutton of the Benchmark store was very supportive. Benchmark at that time was located near 10 Mile and Middlebelt.

Eventually there were changes in the administrative team at AYH, and AYH decided they could no longer cover the insurance of SOLAR under them. At that point, several leaders within SOLAR (Bob Westbrook and Bill Halvangis) went "shopping" for places to hold the monthly meetings. This is when Aries Colony Hall was found. To this day, we still meet at this hall.

According to Peg Campbell, the first classes SOLAR had were in 1974, shortly after completion of 4-H leadership training. SOLAR officially became SOLAR in 1975. Since SOLAR was one year old in 1976, perhaps that's when its first anniversary would have been. People like to count the years from when it was started, while others say you cannot count it as an anniversary until it is one year old. Therefore, SOLAR would have been formed some 30 years ago.

As far as Presidents and when they served, there may be some confusion . SOLAR changed the elections from January to May throughout the years. Some might say this is the proper dateline :

1975-76 Ken Demski

1976-77 Lillian Vires

1977-78 Tim Nowicki

1978-79 Jeff Smith

1979-80 Peg Campbell

1980-81 Bill Halvangis

1981-82 Bill Halvangis

1982-83 ??????????

1983-84 Bob Westbrook

1984-85 Bob Westbrook

1985-86 Larry Martin

1986-87 Moe DeFrance

1987-88 Deb Campbell

1988-89 Joan Hettinger