This Week's Project - Projects to Date - Daily Picts - FAQ - Project Invitation - Participants
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Week 40 (7.15.01
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This Week's Project - Projects to Date - Daily Picts - FAQ - Project Invitation - Participants
Week 40 (7.15.01 - 7.21.01)
Volunteer
Volunteer for an activity of interest to you but not related to your professional life.
This assignment came as somewhat of a surprise. After thirty nine weeks of a self-focused project I was already dreaming of the volunteer work I was going explore upon the project's completion. It's funny how hungry you can get for something totally different. So along comes this assignment...
As with many of the projects, the logistics proved to be the most challenging part of the assignment. I started off the week thinking that after a few phone calls to local food banks and shelters I would find a taker for my services. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy. The food bank turned me down because they already had enough volunteers and put me on a waiting list (from which they later used to contact me for financial donations). I then contacted a couple shelters that would welcome me after I went through a volunteer training program. This was a bit unexpected, but understandable. A number of interesting opportunities were out there, but few of them were a week long commitment. "Next year", I told myself, trying to protect myself from yet another commitment this year.
After a couple days of contemplation I decided to act on an offer to volunteer at a regional stable in Ham Lake, MN, that was brought to my attention when I was horse camping in the spring. While not the social service commitment I desired, it was an opportunity to assist a group of truly appreciative people. I ended up working three times at Bandar stables: once learning the routines and unsaddling horses; once cleaning up; and once leading a trail ride. Each experience was very enjoyable, getting to know the people, the horses, and the routines. Bunker is quite a large operation with close to one hundred horses. They lead dozens of trail rides a day and also offer hay rides. The hay rides are now of great interest to me as a volunteer because they will train you how to harness and lead teams of horses. These are not ordinary horses either, these are elephant size Belgian draft horses. Horses that dwarf the Budwieser Clydesdales. I'm hoping that I can find the time this fall to go through the training. No, no... Not another project...
Bunker Park Stables in Ham Lake Minnesota.
Putting on the final touches after the shoveling.
Bringing up the rear in a ten person trail ride with three guides in the very dusty, 98 degree heat.