8 days, 192 hours, 11,520 minutes. By this time, we all have gotten pretty comfortable with each other. Close enough to laugh, cry, and even pass gas.
Today was a hybrid of a service day and fun day for the group. We had an appointment to ride a boat at ten o’clock so we were able to sleep in. This was a treat for the individuals who like to sleep in. The boat ride was awesome; we got a nice tour of the St. John’s River, which is what Blue Spring is connected to. A variety of birds were spotted and many alligators. We got to see nests full of baby alligators. I was hoping that something dramatic would happen like the mama alligator would come barging through the bush and attack the boat, but it was still fun. The commentator of the boat had a great sense of humor (even if I was the only one laughing) and made the boat ride a great experience. The co-captain also gave me a chuckle by offering me a blanket and accusing me of smelling vodka? Old men are too much.
After the boat ride and a very enjoyable lunch by the park, we swung on the swings with a little boy named carter. Nelson and I had a good time playing around with him but as every day 1:00 pm came around and it was time for some community service. We surveyed many tourists about the springs and as always got a laugh with the elderly crowd. People seemed to be just as concerned about the protection of the Blue Springs fresh water as we were. When speaking to the crowd, someone mentioned that how it was necessary to protect these fresh water springs and also how if we let the government take even a one time proportion amount, it wouldn’t stop them from doing it again. Even though doing surveys didn’t seeming like an optimal way of giving back to the community, it was something that was very necessary for the park. Most people we interviewed were glad to see that The Florida State Park cared to know their feedback. Soon after that, we helped our favorite ranger, Katie with closing up the park. We did our favorite round of picking up trash and cleaning bathrooms. Whoop whoop!!
One thing we’ve learned from reflections is although what you do to help out seems small, that small amount makes a difference. We’ve filled up more than 50 bags of trash found at this park and flagger beach. These are 50 less bags of trash found in the ocean, the woods, springs, any animal habitat. It might seem like simple acts that we are doing, but we are making such difference to the park and the environment as a whole. One quote sums off the main thing we took away from this day, “Do your little bit of good wherever you are, it’s those little bits of good added together that overwhelm the world.”
Hermela and Emily W :-)
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