57 min
Will Parish & Perk Perkins — Adventurers, Lifelong Friends A Williams Life
-
- Personal Journals
On this episode of "A Williams Life," we delve into the enduring friendship of classmates Will Parish and Perk Perkins, whose bond spans 50 years. Starting in the fall of 1975, they embarked on a 20-month journey, crossing five oceans and seas, and exploring 35 countries—an experience they chronicled in their book, "Around the World in a Jeep.” We also explore their lives today, with Will engaged in educational and environmental causes in California, and Perk running Orvis, a family-owned business specializing in outdoor sporting goods, previously run by his father. Additionally, Will and Perk discuss the strong influence that their fathers, both Williams alums, played in their lives. Their friendship remains the central theme of the episode, including how they use annual retreats to strengthen their friendship and reflect on life.
00:00 Introduction
01:23 Beginnings of a Lifelong Bond
03:43 Embarking on a Round-the-World Trip
05:26 Memorable Encounters
13:17 Navigating Challenges and Embracing Humanity
15:36 Reflections on Mortality and “Invincibility"
23:53 Life Lessons from the Trip
27:25 Will & Perk’s Annual Retreats
30:01 The Evolution of the Retreats
33:40 Navigating Family Legacies and Career Paths
37:24 Conservation & Activism
50:38 A Climate Message to Future Generations
53:26 Closing Thoughts
Click here to view pictures and transcripts, and hear more episodes of A Williams Life.
Producer: Jon Earle ('09)
Web designer: Kathy Bogan ('75)
On this episode of "A Williams Life," we delve into the enduring friendship of classmates Will Parish and Perk Perkins, whose bond spans 50 years. Starting in the fall of 1975, they embarked on a 20-month journey, crossing five oceans and seas, and exploring 35 countries—an experience they chronicled in their book, "Around the World in a Jeep.” We also explore their lives today, with Will engaged in educational and environmental causes in California, and Perk running Orvis, a family-owned business specializing in outdoor sporting goods, previously run by his father. Additionally, Will and Perk discuss the strong influence that their fathers, both Williams alums, played in their lives. Their friendship remains the central theme of the episode, including how they use annual retreats to strengthen their friendship and reflect on life.
00:00 Introduction
01:23 Beginnings of a Lifelong Bond
03:43 Embarking on a Round-the-World Trip
05:26 Memorable Encounters
13:17 Navigating Challenges and Embracing Humanity
15:36 Reflections on Mortality and “Invincibility"
23:53 Life Lessons from the Trip
27:25 Will & Perk’s Annual Retreats
30:01 The Evolution of the Retreats
33:40 Navigating Family Legacies and Career Paths
37:24 Conservation & Activism
50:38 A Climate Message to Future Generations
53:26 Closing Thoughts
Click here to view pictures and transcripts, and hear more episodes of A Williams Life.
Producer: Jon Earle ('09)
Web designer: Kathy Bogan ('75)
57 min