By Dylan Ackerman
Smith River Site Director from United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks
Greetings from Smith River, CA as we wrap up a busy few days in and around Del Norte County. In just the past few days I’ve seen first hand how welcoming and excited this community is about SSP’s return in just a few months, a strong testament to the lasting impact our volunteers and staff members have made.
Photos from last summer in Smith River
Our work here includes an array of projects with local community organizations, many of whom we met with this weekend to set a successful foundation for the summer. These include continued relationships with groups such as the Tolowa Dunes Stewards, but also new opportunities such as the Forest Food Program through the Building Healthy Communities Initiative.
We’ve also met with eight individual homeowners who have already taught me about the history and modern life of the area, and I can’t wait to here the stories and wisdom they’ll have for our volunteers come June. From just a few short visits I can already see we are blessed to be working with such a diverse community of people and experiences.
From just a few short visits I can already see we are blessed to be working with such a diverse community of people and experiences.
On a personal note, my anticipation has been building for the past few months about the prospect of returning to work for SSP after missing a few summers. My first week as a high school youth was relatively nearby almost a decade ago, but my summers as a staff member had been at much less remote locations. Our work continues to empower young people and inspire communities as it has for decades, and I am pleased as always to be a part of that continuation. This weekend also highlighted for me our growing ability to partner with community leaders to creating lasting impacts. Hearing the overwhelmingly positive responses of homeowners and community leaders to the news that we would be back this summer demonstrates our ability to become a lasting positive force.
Editor’s Note: Though Smith River is very full, there is still space at every summer site. View the current availability, learn more about our summer locations, and register your group or individual high school youth today!