Making Healing Spaces - Volunteer Day

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One impact of COVID-19 is that many people have emerging mental health needs. Time in nature, whether volunteering or meandering along a trail, has research-proven results for people's mental health, their parasympathetic nervous system, and their immune system. Neighborhood forest trails are like having a doctor stationed right outside your back yard. We're establishing trails and an event space for a neighborhood that previously had no safe place nearby to walk in nature.

In the mornings when the air is cool our main task of relocating stones and logs for seating and edging stays easy breezy. When the soil is still damp from the morning dew, the honeysuckle bushes agree to come out of the ground properly. This is why we typically work in the mornings. Occasionally volunteers opt to come back after a break for lunch, so we leave the gate open the whole day, in a "Mi casa es su casa" manner of working together for the same goal.

Top of the list for 2021: Finish preparation of the natural amphitheater seating area looking over Fox Hollow Creek. Projects include natural seating construction, bush honeysuckle removal, light landscaping with native plants.

Preparations: Wear a mask, "closed-toe" shoes with tread, and dress appropriate to the temperature. Bring your own personal water, snacks, work-gloves, sunscreen and bug spray.

Additional comfort-level items: sunglasses, hat, picnic blanket.