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#4 The power of a team as we overcome

 The power of a team as we overcome.....

                                  

As I reflect on the 3rd week at the Nature Reserve, I reflect on the power of the team to overcome. That week was like the previous two weeks, where we all planned to volunteer, but that day had different plans for us.

We were working and gathering wood to be chopped when the chipper began to shut down and needed several interventions. We continued to work, and we leaned on each other as a class to make sure that we continued the mission at hand.

                                       
 
To our surprise, the machine decided it did not want to work, so the employees came up with an alternative task, and it was a clever task, but it began to become chaotic as the tools were not working and our plan had to pivot, but the power of the team allowed our time to still be a success.
 
At the end of our shift, we all piled up in the truck to head back to our cars, and we were laughing and chatting about our time together when the chopping machine began to pull on trees. We tried to get the attention of the employee driving, but there was no response. We looked up and saw the bigger tree coming, so we turned our heads to prepare, and in complete surprise, the tree was pulled on us! Ana told me all she remembered was me falling on her and saying, "Lol." I was in complete shock! 
 
That day we left in complete shock and a lack of support from the Nature Reserve, and it was not until the following week that we let the management team know the severity of the situation. So, for a whole week, we had a team, but it was our amazing professor, classmates, and social connections.

                                            
 Then things changed when Dr. Wood became aware of the situation. He and Nick worked to make sure that we felt safe, supported, and secure as a class. He checked in a few days later and even made a personal call on Sunday. Dr. Williams emailed several times a week, and today they all checked on us again and made sure we felt safe volunteering.
 
So, the power of a team to overcome is a strong factor in creating an experience. Our nature experience took a detour, and we could have stayed in that area, but the power of the team allowed for amazing support to be created, and today I was able to stop and connect with nature and with all of the trees and be a part of the progress. Today I saw the team represented in my time at the Nature Reserve, and I am so grateful we chose to stay and continue our experience. 
 
It is a true honor to overcome and provide service with my amazing classmates.
                                      

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