“Wow, that trip was great. Thank you,” is a common compliment heard on several SPLORE trips. In today’s busy world, sometimes it’s easy to over-look the importance of such compliments, but SPLORE takes life at a slower and more appreciative pace, transforming everyone’s experience into something magical.
“Family and friends are always welcomed on SPLORE trips,” I remember telling one participant, ‘Jane.’”
“That’s great!” Jane replied. “I really think my dad will enjoy going with me. We used to raft a lot together when I was a kid, but we haven’t in years.”
Jane and her father would often raft, camp, fish and spend a lot of time outdoors together when she was younger. Their outdoor recreation time with one another was their bonding time together. Then, when Jane became a young adult, she was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. Her time spent outdoors with her father started to dwindle as her behavior and side-effects from her medications made it harder for her father to plan outdoor trips together.
Everyone met at Dewey Bridge for the rafting trip. Jane and her father came down early so they could camp out the night before; it was the first time they had gone camping in several years. The whole group was excited to get on the water and go rafting. Jane and her father were the first ones to hop into the rafts that morning. “This is going to be so much fun,” they both exclaimed. The duo enjoyed the scenic views of the Fisher Towers, the rowdy water fights, spotting great blue herons taking flight and skimming the top of the river, sleeping under the stars, campfire songs and getting splashed from the rapids. They enjoyed all of these experiences in the company of each other and all of the other participants, volunteers and staff.
All in all, it was a pretty common SPLORE trip, until the rafting ended on the second day. After a lot of fun on and off the river, it was time to say our good-byes. I was standing with Jane and her father on top of a hill. We were gazing off into the distance, taking in the dramatic views of the red sandstone cliffs with a storm rolling into the background and the Colorado River still rumbling below.
In an excited voice I asked, “Did you guys enjoy the trip!?!”
“Wow, yeah, the trip was great. Thank you SPLORE,” her dad replied in a whisper. He couldn’t turn to look at me when he said that; perhaps because he was too mesmerized by the beauty of southern Utah before him; or maybe it was because his eyes started to swell-up with tears as his daughter hugged his arm and said, “That was a trip of a life-time, thanks for coming Dad.”
SPLORE provides life-changing experiences to people with disabilities, as well as their family and friends throughout the year, but this time I realized I was a part of their experience and it in turn also gave me a life-changing experience.
“Family and friends are always welcomed on SPLORE trips,” I remember telling one participant, ‘Jane.’”
“That’s great!” Jane replied. “I really think my dad will enjoy going with me. We used to raft a lot together when I was a kid, but we haven’t in years.”
Jane and her father would often raft, camp, fish and spend a lot of time outdoors together when she was younger. Their outdoor recreation time with one another was their bonding time together. Then, when Jane became a young adult, she was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. Her time spent outdoors with her father started to dwindle as her behavior and side-effects from her medications made it harder for her father to plan outdoor trips together.
Everyone met at Dewey Bridge for the rafting trip. Jane and her father came down early so they could camp out the night before; it was the first time they had gone camping in several years. The whole group was excited to get on the water and go rafting. Jane and her father were the first ones to hop into the rafts that morning. “This is going to be so much fun,” they both exclaimed. The duo enjoyed the scenic views of the Fisher Towers, the rowdy water fights, spotting great blue herons taking flight and skimming the top of the river, sleeping under the stars, campfire songs and getting splashed from the rapids. They enjoyed all of these experiences in the company of each other and all of the other participants, volunteers and staff.
All in all, it was a pretty common SPLORE trip, until the rafting ended on the second day. After a lot of fun on and off the river, it was time to say our good-byes. I was standing with Jane and her father on top of a hill. We were gazing off into the distance, taking in the dramatic views of the red sandstone cliffs with a storm rolling into the background and the Colorado River still rumbling below.
In an excited voice I asked, “Did you guys enjoy the trip!?!”
“Wow, yeah, the trip was great. Thank you SPLORE,” her dad replied in a whisper. He couldn’t turn to look at me when he said that; perhaps because he was too mesmerized by the beauty of southern Utah before him; or maybe it was because his eyes started to swell-up with tears as his daughter hugged his arm and said, “That was a trip of a life-time, thanks for coming Dad.”
SPLORE provides life-changing experiences to people with disabilities, as well as their family and friends throughout the year, but this time I realized I was a part of their experience and it in turn also gave me a life-changing experience.
