An update from California! :)

Hello all!

Here is the long overdue update about my experience so far in California :)

I arrived in CA at the end of March and was greeted by the rest of the TLs and some cake :) (they must have been spying on me- I LOVE cake!)

It was a great start to an amazing week. My first week on the job I was able to attend a media event at a homeless shelter. My fellow STLs and a local team were able to stand behind Arnold Schwarzenegger while he gave a press conference and afterward we had the chance to meet him! We also heard from and met the Secretary of Volunteerism in California, Karen Baker, and the Mayor, Kevin Johnson! It was an awesome day! :)

Other weeks in California haven't been quite as exciting, but every week always brings out the unexpected. Throughout the last six weeks, I was able to make a few "Turn around trips." This means that I helped drive a cargo vehicle from Sacramento down to LA/ San Bernardino and dropped off Cargo and then turned around and headed back. I went to LA/ San Bernardino area the first time with Sandra- we had quite the exciting drive down 5- we actually saw tumbleweeds and sand cyclones. We were also able to stop and have ice cream with a college friend of mine (Jessie Stapleton) because we were passing through her area- I hadn't seen her in ages, so it was really nice to vist! We spent the night in Long Beach outside of LA and then dropped off a team (they were headed to Catalina Island- lucky people!) and then drove back to Sacramento the next day. Again, an exciting trip up 5--a tumbleweed actually hit the side of our truck! Yesterday I just returned from picking up those teams in the LA area. We drove down on thursday (Katie went with me this time) and I was actually able to stay overnight at my friend Jessie's house. It was great!! In the morning we picked up the teams cargo and headed back to Sacramento-- this time, we were witness to a grass fire along 5. Always an adventure. The turn arounds are lonnnng trips (17 hours of driving and you end up right where you started...) but, its a nice change up from the office!

Another time, I was able to do a turn around trip up to Northern California. We (Olivia and I) drove six hours north to the Hoopa Indian Reservation. We stayed overnight in the beautiful mountains! It was absolutely stunning! The next morning we worked on the reservation helping to restore campsites so that they could rent them out to tourists. It was soooo amazing visiting the reservation and learning about the Hoopa Tribe. We drove back to Sacramento in the afternoon. :)

I've also been able to make a couple trips into San Francisco. Our STL team rode into SF early one Friday morning to participate in "Change the World Day." We worked at the Presidio (a National park by the Golden Gate Bridge) and helped them do some landscaping maintenance (read---helped them pull weeds...) It was fun and really nice to be working near the Golden Gate Bridge! We were able to drive around SF before heading back to Sacramento and we saw the "Full House" house. :)

Sacramento itself has a lot to offer and always has something going on. One of my favorite things that I have been a part of out here has been KABOOM! KaBoom is a nonprofit that works to build playgrounds in low income areas or at local schools and youth organizations that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to build playgrounds. I volunteered with the organization for a build out here in Sacramento. I was a 'build captain.' I went to the site a few days before the build and helped with the prep work and then on build day I was able to help lead a group of volunteers in painting the mural that was put up at the playground. The mural was huge! (4 full pieces of plywood) and it commemorates Cesar Chavez and the influence he has had. In addition to the playground (complete with swings and slides) we also put in three edible gardens. It was so amazing- especially since the whole thing was all put up in a DAY! Nearly 400 people came out to help and to witness and be a part of the transformation of the vacant lot to a playground was amazing! If you ever get a chance to be a part of KaBoom- Do it!

I have also had the opportunity to help clean up bike trails in the area, volunteer at a local elementary school (those kids are SO cute), and attend festivals like Earth Day Festival.

Working in the office has also been fun. We put up an "elefun ring toss" on my door (toss rings onto the trunk for points) and the Unit Leaders and STLs compete to beat one another... My fellow STLs are also awesome. One day we decided to have an "STL Prom" and we dressed up in fancy fancy outfits (William even wore a tux), got flowers, and headed down town for a fancy dinner and then went to the Lions Gate (local hotel with a bar) for drinks (or Fizzy water in my case) afterwards. It was a blast and everyone looked so nice!

The weather here has been great and I have headed out to the American River for hiking and lounging a few times and have spent lots of time at the local pool :) Its only May and already pretty hot... June and July will be super warm! (the way I like it!)

In the last 6 weeks I have also been able to take a trip back to Dallas and one back to Milwaukee. Both trips were amazing. I spent Easter in Dallas and it was one of the best weekends ever. The Wilsons and I hung out, grilled dinner, watched movies, ate at my favorite restaurant, relaxed, had a great Easter lunch... it was fabulous. My weekend in Wisconsin was also A-mazing! I surprised my sister for her birthday (she had no clue I was going to be there). My family and I spent the Saturday down town milwaukee and went to the museum. We saw the Titanic exhibit and then stayed at a hotel down town and swam and relaxed. Sunday we walked around the lake front. I spent the rest of my time in Milwaukee visiting friends and family and then headed back to Sacramento early Tuesday morning.. It was so nice to see everyone!

There are only 2 months of AmeriCorps left. I graduate from the program on July 22. I have a billion and one things going on between now and then, but it makes life super exciting.

I am volunteering at California Central HOBY and the WLC again this year and I am definitely looking forward to it. I am also going down to San Diego to visit my aunt Mary :)

This summer will go by quickly... I have to be at University of North Texas in Denton by August 14th... (I am going to be an RA wooowhooo!) and am looking forward to the road trip to Texas with my Grandma and my mom. :) My grandma says she wants to get a cowboy hat and go to a honky tonk. It'll be an adventure.


I'll try to post again soon.

Until next time,

Have a great Memorial day weekend and a lovely start to summer!
xo
Cassie