Estes Park Service Trip

[deerhunter93]

My brother Dakota and I got home last night after a hard week’s worth of service work with our youth group. We rolled into Estes Park Saturday evening and relaxed the first night. Sunday we stayed at church and went to the service. We then headed out to Wind River Ranch and hauled out four or five truck loads of "slash" (tree limbs).

One of the members took a lot of photos. All his photos of the trip are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/sets/72157626940080815/ you can go through and look at all of the pictures or just click on the links that I give. I don't know how to copy and paste his pictures so I am sorry about that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5876023710/

Monday we headed to a music camp and painted two cabins that were in rough shape. We also loaded up some more slash.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5879031871/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5879705008/

Tuesday we went to the YMCA of the Rockies and split into two groups. One group raked up 116 bags of pine needles and pine cones and the group I was in cleared a couple acres of thistles. This was a tough day but everyone was positive and encouraging. Working together like that makes things so much easier and more fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5882114435/

Wednesday we worked at a victim’s advocacy home and did a ton of landscaping work. They have very few employees and don’t have time to keep the outside looking nice so we planted flowers, mowed, uncovered rock retaining walls, pulled tons of weeds, and fixed up a play area. This was also a very long and tough day but it was well worth it seeing all that we accomplished.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5886459768/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathawks/5886489580/

I was reluctant to go on the trip and decided to on the last day I could and I am glad I did. In the previous years I was more focused on getting through the service work so I could hike in the mountains and see some amazing things. This year I was MUCH more focused on the service projects and I enjoyed those more than the "play time" at night. It was a great week which helped me recharge my faith. The weather was gorgeous and the trip was a great experience!

Here are some of my pictures of the week.

 

[bowman]

Outstanding! Sounds like a great trip! I just got back from the Rocky Mountain National Park myself, although my trip was much more selfish, all for us to enjoy, no good deeds, but some great family time. We stayed in Grand Lake. Did you happen to check out the mount of the famed "Samson" elk in the YMCA Lodge? He was a well known bull that lived most of it's life on the YMCA property until he was poached. I beleive he was a 8x9 when he was shot but I can't remember for sure.

Thanks for sharing and be proud of the work that you did!:way:

 

[AZHunter]

Definitely a trip to be proud of! My hats off to you and your entire group!

 

[deerhunter93]

This was my third year on the trip and we have helped at the YMCA all three times. The first time I saw Samson my jaw dropped. He is huge and it is really sad that someone poached him!