Alaska for me has certainly become one of those places that I will never forget. There are the obvious things that one would remember from such a trip; I’m going to remember the sights I saw, the activities I took part in, the social and community service worked on, but most importantly, I will remember the people.

The sights alone make me feel privileged to have spent a month in Alaska. I was able to see the some truly stellar things, an octopus under a rock, orca whales, sea lions and the most beautiful mountain landscapes. Alaska has such a different environment. I’m use to the quaint suburban town where I think of a day in the forest preserve as the outdoors. I have been sorely mistaken my whole life. Alaska has showed me some of the natural beauty the world has to offer and it is amazing to know that there are still places where you don’t need a forest preserve to be outdoors. Although the focus of this trip wasn’t outdorr adventure, I couldn’t help but feel connected to the thousands – perhaps millions—of people who traveled through the outdoors of Alaska. I especially felt this when I was sitting on the beach at Sea Side Fram looking out onto the Kenai Mountains which lay beyond the Kachemak Bay.

The focus of this trip is community service, but no good ever came out of all work and no play. On this trip I went rafting, hiking, kayaking, tide pooling, dog sledding, cycling, and I went on a boat tour to see many glaciers, animals and landscapes. These activities were so much fun and they made for an appreciated break from the hard work we have been doing.

All though the “fun stuff” was fun, we all came on this trip to help out. MY friends Russel, whom I met on this trip, had it right when he told me “I’m on this trip to do community service, it’s just a huge bonuse that I’m in Alaska.” The truth is that we are here ( I am writing this with just under a week to go) to do service, lend a hand, and try to improve the world we live in. Dirty D told us that we aren’t necessarily helping out by painting or serving food or what have you; we are helping the world because when we do community service we become better people, I think he is right. By us working with the Food Bank of Alaska, at Sea Side Farm, at the Wynn Nature Center, at CACS, and with Kid’s Kitchen, we have all become slightly better people. I truly feel that the work I have done and the people I have done it with have made me a little bit better of a person. Hopefully I will be able to pass that on to my friends and family at home, and they can pass it on to others. And then because of one little trip that 18 kids chose to do, we might have a better world to call our home.

These things though- the sights, the activities, and the service—to me were all just catalysts and aids to help bring together a group of strangers. I am completely grateful for the opportunity I have had while I was here. It was an opportunity of a lifetime where I was able to see magnificent sights, work hard, and play, but the people made the trip. Within a few month I wil need a photo to remember what the Kenai Mountains look like. In a few years all the kayaking and hiking will just seem like acitivities I did during my summer. The community service is of something that will last forever because we helped out and selflessness isn’t something that fades. However, on top of that, it is the relationships that were started and the bonds we made that none of these 18 kids we ever forget, myself included. And for that I am truly grateful. Even if I never see any of these faces again, I will always have the memories of the people who I shared the best summer of my life with. “There are places I remember..” however, what would these places be without the 18 kids and 3 counselors who shared it.

- Mitch –Group Member Alaska 2007
Deerfield, IL

The Great Alaskan Bake Sale

The Great Alaskan Bake Sale is, as its name suggests, is a bake sale that the Food Bank of Alaska(with the help of wcc) puts on annually to raise money for hungry Alaskans such as families, children, etc, who do not have access to enough food. Children are especially susceptible in the summer when school is out and they don’t get the free meals that are normally provided by their cafeterias. By going to downtown Anchorage and selling the baked goods that we had made with chef Kathy Davis, we were able to raise approximately $1,100.00 in only a couple of hours! We split into groups of four and had a mini-competition on who could raise the most money by selling and collecting donations. In the end, only one team could prevail, but everyone helped contribute to our huge donation sum. The day was extremely successful and our West Coast group ended up selling items at an average price of 5 dollars! In the ned all of the baked good were sold, we raised a huge amount of money, and everyone had a great time!

- Group Member Alaska 2007

Facts:

• A $1 donation can purchase 5 pounds of food (which is equivalent to 3.5 meals)
• 12% of Alaskans are unable to provide themselves or their families with enough food.
• 1 in 5 Alaskan children go to bed hungry each night
• 90% of hungry people in Alaska are high school graduates and 30% are college

Wynn Center

On our first day at The Wynn Center we made a trail for visitors. Using our loppers, hoes and pulaskies, the day was tiring but awesome. Our team was the final Westcoast Connection Teen Travel Experiences group to work on the trail and we were the ones who finished it! When we finally completed the trail, everyone felt very proud and accomplished. The work was especially rewarding because we could see the fruits of our labor blossom in front of us. On our second day at the Wynn Center, we split into small groups for different activities. Some of us repaired boardwalks while others made a trail accessible for the blind, and others hiked through forest trails to clear the paths of any plants growing on the trail. Our time at the Wynn Center was very well spent and now we can return in 20 years with our family to show them what we’ve accomplished.

- Group Member Alaska 2007

Dear Mom and Dad,

Hi! I’m having a great time in Alaska. We are currently staying in the Seaside Farm in Homer, Alaska. It is truly amazing. We are working on the farm for a woman named Mossy. Yesterday we built a path leading to the beach. It was hard work but we had a lot of fun building it. IT is very rewarding knowing that you are helping others for nothing in return. While tour members do work a considerable amount of time, the tour is far from all work and no play. For example, last night we drove to downtown Homer and had a lot of fun. Tour members participated in a game called “Trade Up”, in which the staff provides all the different groups with a single item and they must attempt to trade that item for items of higher value. The winning group started with a pen and returned with a coffee maker, a box of waffle cones, a hot dog and a fish head. Everyday here in Alaska is an incredible adventure. The activities we do bring us into closer contact with ourselves and each other. The sights we see put us in awe. The trip is quickly becoming one of the best experiences of my life. I weill surely remember the places I see and the friendships I am making for many years to come. Thank-you so much for sending me here!

- Love, Ben
Group Member Alaska, 2007
Port Washington, NY