Hiking & Watching Spring Wildflower

Written by Rocky Xu Cheng

Publish Date: April 28, 2024

The day kicked off with great success as we met up at the trailhead of George Bush Park, the air buzzing with excitement for the adventure ahead. Our volunteers quickly set up tables and unloaded food, creating a cozy picnic spot that was perfect for welcoming families as they arrived.

While waiting for everyone, we gave the volunteers a quick rundown of their duties for the hike. Soon, families started to trickle in, and the children with special needs joined us, sharing smiles and enjoying the spread of delicious food with the volunteers. The area was filled with chatter and laughter as everyone dug into the feast.

Before we started the hike, we had a special moment. Ann, one of our dedicated volunteers, gave an emotional speech about receiving a scholarship for college. Her news was met with cheers and applause, setting a positive tone for the rest of the day.

With everyone in high spirits, we hit the trail. The path took us along a beautiful riverside where we spotted storks, cranes, and even an alligator. The kids were thrilled, but the mosquitoes quickly became a bit too much, so we turned onto the main trail.

We continued on, chatting and laughing as we made our way to a bridge. The sun cast a warm shine on everyone, making it a perfect spot for a group photo. We captured the moment, celebrating our time together.

As the sun dipped lower, we headed back to the trailhead. The return journey was filled with views of even more wildlife. As we wrapped up at the starting point, the day ended with smiles, leaving behind great memories of a fun day spent together in nature.

A big thanks to the six families with special needs who attended the event. The event could only be successful with your trust.

Special thanks to twenty seven volunteers: Srushti Patil, Yifan Wu, Tristan Lin, Utsav Singh, Sophie Kleypas, Son Nguyen, Shravni Rotithor, Salem Shatnawi, Romeo Finley, Oriana Mafioli, Nicholas Ha, Marcelo Garcia-Gonzalez, Kathy Qin, Justin Huynh, Jiahe Li, Jaselle Ballard, Fei Feng, Evan Fang, Esther Chen, Emily Alsup, Elena Alsup, Dennis Wei, Cristian Farias, Carolyn Liu, Ava Fang, Amelia Marin, Aliana Williams, for volunteering at the event and making the experience for every participant even better.