Earth Day/ Service Day

Eric and Ethan working

 Today we had a stake youth activity.  We partnered with the community and helped the Anacostia Watershed Society clean up the waterfront, and weed and plant around the Anacostia River.  Our 200 joined with others for a morning of dirty work.

Rob took the kids as I had a meeting to go to.  When my meeting was over I drove over to join them. They were working hard!

It was interesting to me, twice in the last two days I drove into the DC area.  Last night into Alexandria which is beautiful and picturesque.  We walked around the streets enjoying the sights and shops.  At 10:30pm we left Gatsby's Tavern and crossed a large square where couples were strolling and restaurants were still busy and Teresa, Robin and I along with our 7 little charges felt perfectly safe.

This morning I drove into Anacostia, in broad daylight, to meet up with our group and I thought "wow, this is a rough neighborhood.  I'd better lock my door".  By geography they are only a dozen miles apart but by every other standard they are worlds apart.  Poverty is a tough battle to overcome, and it's tough to help.

Dixie took this picture of some of the kids in our ward working away.

My little Earth Day helpers waiting to go to the celebration after. One of them was "cold, tired and hungry". The other two were in good spirits.