Though Highlands County, Florida is oft referred to as "the heartland", it's not the easiest place for people our age to love. The 18-24 year old 'AmeriCorps demographic' is scarce, as is recreation without fear of gator-tacks. But we found new ways to have fun this week, and a newfound appreciation of this quiet retirement community we currently call home.
Also check out Joel Harmon's video "Blackwater Burns" about his wildland firefighting experience.
Week 3 Acknowledgments: THANK YOU Alan for the juicy watermelons, Nadia for your advice and weekly visits, Matt for coming out to meet us, the Sebring Historical Society for all the info and literature, White Fox tattoo for being right across the street, Panera for the free wifi, the Young Women's Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the generous lunches, Highlands Hammock State Park for being amazing, and a special shout out to Lake Francis alligators for letting us swim in peace Thursday afternoon:)
Sunday: Most of the team ventured out to Highlands Hammock State Park for an afternoon hike through several trails of 'the real Florida'. While there we visited the Florida Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum to learn more about the organization that our program (the National Civilian Community Corps) was based upon, and even encountered a family of alligators from the safety of a raised bridge above their swamp. (A bridge that was most likely built by the CCC...)
Monday: After work we attended our first Habitat home dedication ceremony and watched 3 separate families get the keys to their newly finished homes. We were impressed by the great turnout from the community, and by the gratitude for Habitat and its volunteers expressed by the proud new homeowners. The experience helped motivate us for the rest of the week by showing us what an impact our daily hammer-swinging makes.
On the ride home, we stopped to deliver some 'roadside service' to a woman whose belongings started blowing off the back of her truck. She pulled over when she realized that papers were flying all over the road, and was pleasantly surprised to see ten uniformed strangers file out of a gold passenger van to help pick it all up...
Tuesday: The team split up between two sites and enjoyed working in somewhat cooler weather (only like 87 degrees!).
Wednesday: With all team members back in action (2 were out sick Tuesday) we quickly built up the wall-frames for the Heppner Ave site (the site we poured concrete for on our first day!).
Thursday: We continue framing the Heppner Ave house (quicker now that we've done it before); Rhea and April visit Lake Placid High School to share AmeriCorps information with students; and the team gets some great afterwork exercise kayaking and canoeing courtesy of the Lake Placid 4-H camp (video coming soon...).
Friday: We get ready and pumped to install roof trusses again, but are stopped when site supervisor Frank realizes that the pre-assembled trusses are the wrong size (oops). We redirect our energy towards Tyvek-wrapping the house and building interior wall frames for the rest of day. AND we get a visit from News-Sun reporter Matt Murphy: Seth, April, and Sarah get interviewed for a follow-up article to his April 18th piece on the Denver NCCC team that served with Highlands County Habitat before us. That night we explored the local mall, lakefront seafood, and 'Chronicles of Narnia 2".
Saturday: Though the highly anticipated Blueberry Festival was cancelled, we still went out to Lake Placid's Henscratch Farms for free food, bluegrass entertainment, fresh strawberry milkshakes, and roaming free-range hens. Later in the day, Rhea, Tracey and Sarah went back to Highlands Hammock to spread the NCCC word during a "Music in the Park" jam-band event (with over 400 guests), while other members of E5 celebrated the end of a successful week with cosmic bowling.
Seth and Amiee talk about the State Park, Summer of Service, and her pageant years, with a slideshow at the end:
Also check out Joel Harmon's video "Blackwater Burns" about his wildland firefighting experience.
Week 3 Acknowledgments: THANK YOU Alan for the juicy watermelons, Nadia for your advice and weekly visits, Matt for coming out to meet us, the Sebring Historical Society for all the info and literature, White Fox tattoo for being right across the street, Panera for the free wifi, the Young Women's Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the generous lunches, Highlands Hammock State Park for being amazing, and a special shout out to Lake Francis alligators for letting us swim in peace Thursday afternoon:)
Did you know...
- Actors Walter Mathau and Robert Mitchum were both members of the CCC?
- Potential Habitat homeowners must complete 400 "sweat equity" hours?
- E5 Team Leader Sarah Mahan spent 3/4 her last stipend on scrapbooking materials?
- Corps Member James Ruppert dives like a dolphin-ninja?
- Boiled peanuts (which taste like beans) are a popular snack in Florida?
Well now you do.
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