The Final Workday

By Avery McCurdy and Jane Juliano 


Our last day of work we had a quick breakfast before we split up to the different work sites. One group went to the school where they turned an outdoor playground into an enclosed area with shade. They installed a playground floor and walls to painted it. They also got to spend time getting to know and playing games with the other students. Pastor Reyes at the school ordered us pizza and brownies for lunch as a thank you for our hard work. The second graders also made a poster showing their appreciation. We are so happy to have worked with this school and made friends along the way. 






Another group stayed at our camp finishing up a variety of projects as well as preparing for the new group moving in that night. We all cleaned in common areas before moving on to our other jobs. First we cleared the trail by the pond, moved a large tent with help from adults, washed and painted many sets of tables and benches, and did a second coat and final touch ups on the main building on camp. During our hard day of work our advisor Bob provided some delicious chili. We are all so proud of what we have accomplished here and can walk away feeling like we made an impact here. 






The last group spent their day at the animal shelter walking dogs, organizing, and caring for pets. They were glad to help out the people who run it. They were inspired by the owner, Nelson, who started the place himself spending all his savings to help all the stray animals in the area. We are so sad to see our furry friends go but we will always remember how grateful the owners were for our help. 


After a long day of work we had the options of getting ice cream, going to the beach or both. Some people enjoyed some local ice cream while others drank virgin piña coladas on the beach. We were happy to relax before we came home and met the owner of this camp, Angel. He told us how important we are to this camp and despite many hardships such as hurricanes, vandalism, and destruction Angel still managed to create a beautiful space for groups like us to stay. We enjoyed an amazing breakfast for dinner and cupcakes for John's 70th birthday!!! Then we ended the night with affirmations, meaningful conversations about our faith, sad goodbyes and overall reflection on our successful week. We are so grateful for the opportunities this trip has given us and all that it has taught us. 






And of course we have to give a shout-out to our awesome Advisors. They're great! 










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