To Our Friends, Clients, Property Owners, Members, and the Scout Napa Valley® Community,

For more than twenty years, Scout Napa Valley® has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life and work. What began as a simple idea grew into an extraordinary journey—made possible by the trust of homeowners, wineries, hospitality partners, businesses, photographers, filmmakers, and countless friends. Together, we celebrated the places, people, and stories that define this remarkable region.

Although Scout Napa Valley® proudly carried the name of Napa Valley, the relationships we built and the places we represented extended well beyond its borders. Every assignment, every collaboration, and every friendship became part of a story far greater than I could have imagined when this work began.

After nearly three decades in California, I returned home to Wisconsin, where my story began and where family roots run deep. The move happened quickly and quietly, leaving little opportunity to reconnect with many who had been part of Scout Napa Valley®—or to share where my life and work were leading.

Today, Scout Napa Valley® exists primarily through this archive, while my own journey has entered a new chapter centered on documentary storytelling, historical preservation, and legacy development.

That next chapter has led me to Seashells and Balloons: The McGuire Legacy Project—a documentary I am honored to help develop. Against the familiar story of legendary Marquette basketball coach Al McGuire and the 1977 NCAA Championship, it explores the life he and his wife, Pat McGuire, built beyond the public spotlight—grounded in family and unmistakably their own, with Pat’s independent spirit and strength of character at its heart. Guided by the memories of their youngest son, Robert McGuire, it offers a perspective only he can provide—a son’s understanding of the values, humor, faith, sacrifice, and love behind one of basketball’s most unforgettable figures.

Basketball provides the backdrop; family is the story.

While the focus of my work has evolved, the principles behind it have endured: to honor, preserve, and share stories that deepen our understanding of the people, places, and communities we call home.

Stories connect us. Places inspire us.
Shared experiences become our legacy.

Most importantly, thank you—to everyone who welcomed Scout Napa Valley® into your homes, businesses, and lives; believed in the work; and entrusted us with a small part of your story. My hope is that this archive helps preserve the history that defined Scout Napa Valley® LLC—honoring the body of work and the people who made it possible.

With sincere appreciation,

Patrick J. Sprinkel
Founder
Scout Napa Valley® LLC