YP Volunteer Event: Habitat for Humanity Demolition!

WOW! What a weekend! It might've been cold and rainy out on Saturday morning, but while the rest of the town was moping about the weather, an active group of YP and Habitat for Humanity volunteers were up early and ready to work.

A group of us helped a team of Habitat folks take apart a home out on the Old Mission Peninsula that will be town down and rebuilt. All the things we took apart--trim, cabinets, sinks, doors--and everything left in the house that we hauled out ended up in a garage ready for an estate sale. Some of our team spent the day pulling of aluminum siding to scrap, and given the constant downpour outside, let's just say I was totally content to stay inside and pull trim off of walls and remove nails.

The garage was STUFFED with stuff four or five hours later. There were some real gems hidden in that house if you've got the eye for that kind of thing. I all but went ballistic when we came across an original Sega Genesis (complete with Mortal Kombat and Sonic the Hedgehog games)! I'm not sure when the estate sale is, but I may consider driving back up the peninsula specifically to own that Genesis...

I had a great time working with my fellow YPs. We had a lot of hours together this past Saturday morning, and I learned more about all the people there that I don't get to see in passing at the meetings. It's amazing how close I feel to people when I work with them on a great cause, like Habitat for Humanity. There's nothing like sitting on the floor pulling out nails with someone to bring you together, right? And I'm pretty sure we all felt bonded after removing a shelf from an upstairs closet and saw a really old and nasty bagel (with peanut butter) slide off the shelf onto the floor. I mean, those are the things that build friendships, people.

The homeowner graciously cooked everyone up some brats and hot dogs for lunch, complete with potato chips and chocolate chip cookies. How could we not have a good time?! The sun came out for a brief few moments, as did a beautiful Leonberger dog named Bella, who pretty much stole all of our hearts. I may or may not have given her potato chips to show my affection, but I'm pretty sure all she really wanted was a hot dog. Maybe next time, Bella.

There are more YP volunteer opportunities coming up in the next few weeks, so if you're interested in doing good with good folks, keep your eyes and ears open for announcements about upcoming opportunities on our Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who braved the crappy weather to join us, and a big thanks for the Habitat crew for showing us the ins and outs of demolition! (Some of these photos came from the Habitat GTR Facebook page...check 'em out!)

Fall Color Tour in Traverse City! Guest Blogger Aly Jarosz

Guest Blogger Aly Jarosz takes us on a fall color tour of Traverse City and makes a new friend called Bacon! :)

 

The sun is setting on our Traverse City summer, and although the warm weather has followed us into October, the trees are begging to change, and the nights have become much cooler. We’re getting ready for the much anticipated color tours, and the bountiful harvest of fall in Northern Michigan. Expect the evenings to creep up much sooner, as our days to become much shorter, and for the temptation of caramel-coated apples to lurk around every corner.

The landscapes that line each our trails have already been sprinkled with color, and pops of orange, yellow, and burgundy take center-stage amongst the greenery. Not only can you see the colors of fall, you can almost smell this crisp, nutty, aroma in the cool breeze as well.

I’ve been welcoming this change by taking long drives out to Old Mission Peninsula, and returning to the Empire Bluffs, with my dog Khloe, one last time before the snow falls. Living in this area lends such beautiful scenery. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to take a drive along the shoreline, whenever you want to experience the changing seasons and darkening colors of fall.

My one-stop-shop for all of my fall favorites, is Gallagher’s Farm Market! They are located on East Traverse Road, making it my first stop for fresh produce, crisp apples, sweet treats, and choice-pumpkins every year.

As Khloe and I embarked on our hiking adventure at the Empire Bluffs, we made sure to drop in and say hello to an old friend.

It was hard to choose a favorite, but I carefully selected my pumpkins for carving, a big bushel of apples, and even stopped to see an old friend, before I was on my way.

It doesn’t matter how old I am, I look forward to seeing the intricate designs of Jacob’s Corn Maze every year. Jacob’s Corn Maze is conveniently located right across the road from Gallagher’s.

It became so nostalgic to see all of these welcoming signs of fall that I couldn’t help but share my evening with you, in hopes that you would be able to make a visit as well! After all, this masterful maze may have been set-up to stump 8-year-olds, but my friends and I love to compete, and we usually end up treating it as if it were some mad-dash race to the finish!

I found my first fall color tour of the year to be exhilarating. Seeing backdrops of treetops hug every winding corner of the road creates an entirely new experience every time. I’ll be looking forward to pumpkin carving with my friends and family, and homemade apple crisp pie now too!