Earlier this summer, I went on my first hike through Forest Park and got to join a brushing work party as part of FPC. I am new to the Pacific northwest, and I had never before seen so much green in my life! It was exhilarating to be in such a big group and giving back to mother nature. I am grateful that I got to tag along with this group of experienced volunteers who were graciously giving their time to give back to the park. Their joy and determination were infectious! They made the whole event so much more fun for me.
Having only visited Forest Park once previously on a brief tour for work, mostly in a car, actually getting out into the forest and feeling connected to mother nature gave me a memory I will not soon forget. The air itself felt entirely different from anything else I have ever experienced, the different shades of green throughout the forest, the multitude of songs from the animals that never truly graced us with their presence, the feeling of peace that came alongside the moments of brief silence, or the closest thing you can get to silence in the forest; the entire experience was something that I had only ever read about.
In addition to getting to experience such an amazing place, getting the opportunity to meet some of the veteran volunteers who work with FPC was nothing short of an inspiration. They put all their energy into something they were passionate about. Seeing this gave me faith that I am doing something that matters. Not only to me or my group of friends, but to people among all generations and races. This experience of meeting these volunteers reminded me that at the end of the day, we are all people and should be joyous and diligent in everything we do. Putting this new epiphany into practice, I decided to pick up a brush and helped get to work on the trails with everyone else. And while doing the work wasn’t very strenuous, the aftermath was diabolical. The next day I slept well past noon; something I don’t do very often.
The hard work made the hike after a bit difficult for me, on top of the hills and altitude. However, my amazing co-worker, Coda, pulled me along to the finish. After reaching the end of the trail and saying our goodbyes, I got to experience a love for each other that the group had built up over years of teamwork. It made me look forward to building bonds such as these for myself in the future; as an FPC employee and volunteer alike!
Want to join us on the trails and meet our wonderful volunteer community? Visit our Events Calendar and find your volunteer opportunity today. And if you want to help fund our work so we can continue to care for Forest Park and Marquam Nature Park, consider becoming an FPC Member and donating today.