Round 2: The Road Home Homeless Shelter (Salt Lake City UT, Jan 9th - Mar 8th)

Round 2 had begun and we had left sacramento during the most amazing sunset

We were on our way to Utah! But we had a two day road trip threw Nevada to get there . That being said, every single gas station we stopped at in Nevada was complete with a full casino. Amazing.

After 2 days of sweaty van driving, we had made it to SLC. Stunned by the beautiful mountains that surrounded the city.

The Road Home - Is the largest homeless shelter in Utah. The Road Home provides shelter and homeless services for single men, single woman, and families. Our main goal for the two months we spent there was to help them through there crisis winter shelter.

The shelter served around 500 men, 100 women, and 100 families. a little over 1000 people every night.

Because they had so many families, and that the shelter had just started their rapid re-housing program. the shelter opened an off site shelter in Midvale, UT. Every day three people from our team went out to work there.

It was basically just a warehouse full of beds.

To help the shelter, we assisted staff with checking in clients. That included checking bags, handing out blankets, mettle detecting for weapons, and if necessary, breatholizing.

At the shelter they have a zero tolerance for alcohol. If a resident is intoxicated, they were sent over to St. Vincent De Pauls across the street. "Vinny's" was known as the drunk tank. Every night two people from our team would help out there as well.

At first it sounded scary. But once you got used too it, it wasn't that bad. Just smelt of beans and feet.

In our off time we explored the beautiful city, and saw some amazing views!

We also got some Ice Cream! (this is sam. a great fiend. and an AMAZING violinist)

Sam and I also enjoy acting like hipsters.

Sam could tell that i was missing something from my life. So she got me a mini-version of it...MY CAR.

Uncanny resemblance 

We also got to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Cause if you're in SLC...everything is mormon.

Every night at the shelter, this amazing man and his daughter would bring soup to the shelter for the residents staying in the crisis shelter. He was notoriously known as the "Soup Man"

Our last week in SLC was a special one. Three members (Including me) of my team had gotten onto "Composite teams" which means we were leaving our team for one round to work on a different project. Kim and Jen were going to work in Death Valley, CA. And I was going to be working on a farm in the puget sound.

We had a farewell dinner...with a special guest. THE POPE!

On our last day at the shelter, before we left four our two day road trip back to sacramento. the shelter staff gave us a little something to remember them by...

It was a letter stating that because of our actions. We had been exited from the shelter until further notice.

Green 6's next project was in Alpaugh, CA working with the BLM. However because i had gotten onto the "Composite Team" I was going to be working with an organization called "Sunfield Education Association". A Biodynamic farm and walforf elementary school located in Port Hadlock, WA

Next Stop. The Puget Sound! with my new team, Green 8!

Round 1: Sugar Pine Christian Camp (Oakhurst CA, Nov 3rd- Dec 16th)

           So Round One Began! We started it off with a BANG! and some ice cream. Our Round One project was at Sugar Pine Christian Camp Just outside of Yosemite National Park. Our main objective was to clear the brush, fallen trees, and having limbs around the camp to make it safer in the chance of a forest fire. The first day we got there we were greated by a blanket of snow!

As well as THOUSANDS OF LADY BUGS! (Lady bugs are cool but there were so many it was kind of frightening.)

Durring out first week of work at the camp we helped them take down there tent cabins. which was basically just a normal cabin frame, a door, and a tarp over the top of it.

        After the tent cabins were all taken down and stored away we started working on the fallen brush around the normal cabins and around all the roads leading up into the camp.

Fuel Reduction - Movings sticks. Then disposing of them either in the means of burning.

                                    Or. By shoving them into a wood chipper :D

This is one of my team mates Sakara enjoying fuel reduction at its finest, and rocking the chainsaw chaps!

One thing that was stressed during this project was safety. They wanted us to wear out protective equipment like it was apart of us. We took this to heart. Even if the task didn't even need it. Like vacuuming. With a steal toed boots, hard hats, gloves, and ear plugs.

Along with all the fuel reduction the camp had some old run down trailers that they needed to dispose of. They wanted us to do so with CROW BARS. Needless to say. we all had a lot of fun.

Unfortunatly it wasn't until after the trailer was dismembered that our site supervisor "Sugar Bear" informed us that the trailer was made in the 60's...and most likely with asbestos. Oh well :D too late!

We spent a lot of our off time doing ISP's (Independent Service Projects) mostly at clothing drives...

But we found some cool clothes and met some cool people

We also took a trip to Fresno and helped the city organize there christmas parade! I looked Official! I had a Clip Bored!!!

As the project moved along we were all getting used to the routine of fuel reductions. However the bears in the area had another plan for us. One night a cleaver bear got into the dumpster outside of the kitchen, grabbed a trash bag, and proceeded to coat the area with it :D

We spent that day picking up the trash, and look! Steve made a trash kabob!

Steve is a man of many talents. One of them includes juggling!

                          

As the project was leaning towards a close some of the work tasks were changing. We spent a lot of time splitting wood. By the end of the project we had split a little over 6 chords of wood.

Chord of Wood - the amount of wood measured 4' X 4' X 8'

As well one of the last things we helped with at the camp was running there "Christmas on the Mountain" event. This gave us a chance to work with kids!

Of Corse we couldn't be so close to Yosemite with out visiting some Giant Sequoias! 

And El Capitan! ...With Aviators!

Project Reveal! We were given our info about out next project! We were told we were going to spend the next two months living and working at a homeless shelter called The Road Home. They needed extra help running the shelter during there busy winter season. We were all excited to finally get out of the forest but at the same time we all knew that this project was going to be a very challenging one.

We went back to Sacramento for our first transition and a quick trip home to see the fam! Ready for the next project, we all had some down time to prepare and get pumped! until next time! 

See ya in Salt Lake City!

The Green 6 Mascot. Screaming Elks.