#28 When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

         I stood in my living room on Tuesday the 5th, knowing I wouldn't see it for another 7 months, while my mom was printing out my plane ticket to go back to Sacramento. The lump in my throat got too much to bear and I started to tear up. That's when my dad asked what was wrong and of course it was because I was leaving again. So my mom asked "do you want to go back?". And the question took me by a little surprise actually because I thought that this was a one and done deal, I sign up for it I finish it out. Although the offer did sound intriguing, I knew that if I had stayed I wouldn't be able to learn. Being back home with my friends and family was wonderful because it's what I used to be comfortable to. But over the past two months of being away I have realized that I'm fine with not having that certainty of what will happen the next day or even the next month for that matter. I figured that I will never have this kind of opportunity to learn and see the world again. I said no, I'm just going to miss everyone again is all; and we left to go to the airport.
          I arrived back on campus around 6 and started unpacking. I was pretty tired from the flight so I went to bed. Wednesday through friday were pretty laid back with occasional meetings.
           Saturday my team had an ISP vollunteering for Soil Born Farms again, but this time we were working particularly with Harvest Sacramento. This is a little bit about Harvest Sacramento....
           "Harvest Sacramento germinated from a seed planted by two area residents, Mary McGrath and Robin Aurelius, who were pained by the sight of rotting oranges piled in the streets of East Sacramento every spring.  A grassroots campaign to harvest oranges in the McKinley Park area engaged over 30 volunteers and donated about 3000 pounds of fresh citrus to the Sacramento Food Bank in early 2009.  From this success it was apparent that with more organization and effective outreach, substantial contributions of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the entire year could greatly enhance the offerings of local food assistance agencies.  With the continued support of the founding and new volunteers, Soil Born Farms has taken a lead role in tending this young seedling that we know as Harvest Sacramento."
             How amazing is that! It only took two people with an idea, to change a full city! If that doesnt make you want to make a difference within your community, I don't know what would. Anyways, so my team got to the meeting area and there were about 35 vollunteers there. We talked in a big circle for the first 30 minutes waiting for everyone to arrive; and while we were talking there were lots of people asking who we were and what Americorps is. Once everyone arrived, we were split up into groups and headed out into different neighbor hoods picking from poeple donating fruit from their trees. It was so much fun picking the fruit and talking to the group that I was in. I talked to two girls that were the same age as me and going to a local college. They asked what I do exactly and they kept saying wow, I wish I did that! I was pretty honered to hear that  because never would I think that I would do something in my life that others would envy me for. The last house that we went to was by far my favorite. The lady had a large garden and in the center of it all was a beautiful orange tree, that she told us she loved to look at from her back window. We had about 5 buckets full of oranges that smelled heavenly and tasted amazing. When we were done picking, we packed up and headed back to where we all started. We then took all of our citrus fruits and organized them into the big bins that will go to the local food pantrys. We all left the event with a small bag of some of the fresh fruit that we picked, and a smile. At night we had a small meeting and that was it.
      Today we had a few long trainings that really stunk because the weather was perfect. We also had to pack our green bag up to put into the storage bins. Along with packing the infamous red bag for our second spike that we will be leaving for on tuesday. It always seems to be a struggle packing because when you think your all done, you turn around and realize that you have a pile of clothes that you had orriginally wanted to pack, or a pile of dishes you needed to bring. I'm sure by the fourth spike, I will be a pro packer! but we'll see haha. 
        Tomorrow we have our baselines (where we run a mile and a half, see how many puch-ups, sit-ups we can do, and a sit and reach test). Personally I think we should have done baselines before we left for winter break sense we had the time and because it would have given a more accurate score of how much we had improved from the first baseline. I see it just like in school, when we would take our finals after winter break... its not showing the improvemnt. Along with baselines we will also have our briefing to do in front of our UL and some of the other staff. Then like I said on tuesday we leave for 9 months! I should have comupter access so hopefully will be able to keep up on my blog! 

                                                                                                                                        ~Savannah

Oranges and lemons! yum!

Grapefruit!