Preparing for a Volunteer Team in West Virginia

I set to work in the morning getting things in order:  moving desks and mattresses, sorting through bedding, making name signs for each dorm room. In between I got to know the two college interns who are in Beards Fork for the summer working with an environmental organization.

The real fun began when Artie, the SALS worker,  and I headed to the airport for our first pickup;  Kate, and the Sykes family.  Back to Beards Fork, with a quick Kroger stop.  Artie headed out to the airport again, while we got everyone settled, and soon arrived several more families and team members.  Amazing to me that they got here without getting lost, and no complaining about their long travels.  Everyone got settled, making friends with their new roommates.

Dinner started with a hunt for a big enough pot for the 4 pounds of spaghetti and outrageous amount of sauce.  I had planned to do dinner this first night, but next I knew, many were in the kitchen helping  with chopping and cooking and figuring out how to open cans with a poorly working can opener!  No surprise to some, there was tons of food, lots of laughing, and the first attempts to remember everyone’s names. We are 14 total, with four 14 year olds, a 19 year old, 21 year old, and a 23 year old….and then some of us adults.  So far a great crowd, with good chemistry.

As evidenced by the end of dinner, and the rapid clean up……food (lots of food) got stored, dishes washed, and I got my spaghetti sauce badge when one of the 14 year olds aimed my direction when pouring sauce into Tupperware.  I will wear my badge proudly as a sign of a good start to what will be a great week!  Gratefully recorded, Barbara.