High Adventure Treks for Dads and Daughters (HATS) hosted its annual Sweetheart Banquet in February, with more than 150 guests attending. “Usually when we participate in HATS, we are outdoors in our hiking boots and ball caps,” said ninth grader Megan Jodie, who attended with her father, Kregg. “This time we got to dress up.” In addition to viewing a slide show of photos from the year’s campouts, dads and daughters heard a presentation from Lindsay Toler, who volunteered as a journalism intern for the Beijing Olympics. Lindsay shared her experiences in China, from waiting in line at the Great Wall while the Mexican president had a private tour, to witnessing the lighting of the Olympic torch, to tasting fried scorpion at an outdoor market. Many of the HATS girls had followed Lindsay’s trip via daily blogs on Neighborsgo.com, so they were eager to ask questions about her trip and what she saw. “Girls today have a wide variety of amazing opportunities,” Lindsay told the dads and daughters. “No goal is beyond your reach, especially when you can count on your dad for support.” "Listening to Lindsay was motivational," said high school senior Julie Scoggins, who will attend Texas A&M in the fall. "She conquered her fears and went to Beijing, just like we conquer our fears when we go over a waterfall in a kayak or go rockclimbing on a steep rock face." Attending the banquet to introduce Lindsay was Oscar Martinez, editor of Neighborsgo. HATS is a nonprofit organization which brings dads and daughters together to learn outdoor skills and improve trust and communication. More information is available at www.highadventuretreks.org or 214-348-7800.