We are finally past March here in coastal Virginia. It was a wild one, four Nor’easters in one month bringing, rain, snow, wind and ice. And it was much worse for our coastal neighbors to the north. Mother Nature was certainly an over achiever last month. Today on this first day of April the weather is not anything close to “spring-like” but, we still have hope of warmer days ahead.
As the weather turns warmer and the days are longer we start to venture outside for a little sun and exercise, lets also remember that we are all part of a larger community. It’s easy to get comfortable in our routine of work, family, and errands.
This past week on a chilly and rainy Friday, members of a leadership group to which I belong went out and cleaned up the trash around the water’s edge at a local park. The park offers a boat ramp and picnic areas and it located in a residential area between a church and an elementary school. We had eighteen members and we worked for about two and a half hours. You can see in the picture the large pile of trash we removed. Some of the more interesting items were a tricycle, a small bicycle with training wheels, an old shopping cart, a tire, and old tube television, an old stereo, an area rug and a bible. When we left, the shore line and the park were spotless. It is amazing what a small group can do in two hours. Not to mention the benefits of accomplishing something as a team. We all work in different areas, different departments, from emergency services to engineering. But, on Friday we were all one team with one goal, clean up the park in two hours. We accomplished our goal and enjoyed some comradery in the process.
As winter recedes in many parts of the country and you venture out once again to enjoy the sun please take a moment to consider helping in our local community in some way. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors, make a new friend, and be part of a solution.
Stitches and Stories Press 