Spring Break Hiking and Camping

Written by Rocky Xu Cheng

Publish Date: March 14, 2023

Just three days after our formation announcement, on March 14th, a sunny Wednesday in Spring Break, Blossoming In Nature hosted our first event: a light hike in Stephen F. Austin State Park.

Stephen F. Austin State Park, a location I was personally very familiar with due to my weekly excursions there, was the perfect location for our introductory event. Spring had very visibly arrived, and the branches of the trees and the stems of the bushes were colored a vivid green from newly sprung leaves and buds.

Arriving at the trailhead punctually at ten in the morning, we eagerly awaited for the families to appear. Andy arrived first, and then, as if his arrival had sprung open a dam, the other families promptly followed. After a quick announcement thanking everyone for their participation, we began to hike the trail.

The fresh Spring scenery was an endless source of entertainment during the hike, and we were all captivated by the sounds, colors, and smells of nature surrounding us. Winter seems to have wholly passed; the lush green scenery left no mark of the harsh cold just a month earlier.

The flowers and vegetation poking their heads out of the earth were perfect for a unique activity introduced at the start of the hike: collecting photos of the Spring plants. The participants and volunteers were given the challenge of taking as many photos as they could of distinct vegetation located by the trail. As this required everyone to completely immerse themselves in nature, this certainly enhanced our experience.

After we completed the trail, we moved to the picnic area at the center of the park, grilling up hotdogs and making sandwiches for everyone to enjoy.

As the first event, this experience was certainly an enlightening one; we all learned a lot from the interactions between the special children and the volunteers. Furthermore, this hike, and the enthusiasm of all the participants, serve as a confirmation of our aspirations for this organization.

Thanks to the five families with special needs attending the event. The event can only be successful with your trust.

Special thanks to Sarina He, Catherine He, Jinghan Zhang, Yang(Connie) Pu, Jerry Lu, Beige Chen for volunteering at the event and making the experience for every participant even better.