Helped my 15 year old with his homework on MLK Day
He needed to do community service so he came to me to give him an answer. I pointed him back to the computer to research and find opportunities.
He found one at a local patch of woods that's habitat for Pacific Great Blue Herons. Involved cleaning out invasive English Ivy and English Holly, cardboard and mulch to block the Ivy, and planting native Willows. It was incredibly well organized in it's disorganization. About 70 volunteers who were quite an assortment doing what they could, working together without a rigid hierarchy, and accomplishing a lot, in my view. A few high school students like my son, a number of college students many of whom I believe were with Americorps, a few activists, a few teachers, locals young and old, including small kids probably as young as 6. I'm 49, and there were a few who were likely older than me. It was physical work that was at times exhausting, but I work IT and am sedentary in my day job. Still feeling it a bit today in my joints.
The organizers expressed how impressed they were with the turnout, which often numbers only 20-30.
Doing another event with a different group this Saturday. Looks like it will be much less physical. Trail work in a park. This will complete his service requirement for the semester, and I believe he said he'll have another one next semester.
Best part, for me, was that it seems my son enjoyed it and didn't really see it as work. Had to direct him to specific tasks at times, but heck he's a teenager.
Maybe it's part of the Trump Effect. There's much we cannot control in this coming Age of Trump, but local communities can control and shape things that are within their grasp.
= new reply since forum marked as read
