Inspire: give new breath; animate
It’s the end of the year, time for a deep breath, time for reflection. What if, for this new year, you could inspire a teen?
We often have such lofty goals toward environmental awareness and activism, civic duty and wholesome community. But not one of these is possible without the first breath of inspiration. It might be the wonder of first spotting a kestrel or hearing the vernal wood frog. Perhaps the first time a crew member stacks stone upon stone for an Appalachian Trail staircase sparks new confidence and self-esteem. Or it could be meeting a new friend during the course of shared work. These are the moments that inspire, that set a course for future success.
Chesterwood has been a longtime partner of Greenagers. For the past three years, Greenagers kids rebuilt and stabilized Daniel Chester French’s Ledges Trail. They hewed from the rocks a path for visitors to access one of French’s favorite spots for reflection, looking at the northern tip of Monument Mountain to the south, the Taconic Range to the west. Each crew then gets to tour French’s studio and see that they are continuing the work of the man who sculpted Abraham Lincoln. What do the kids report first upon coming back? They say, “I didn’t even know Chesterwood was there.”
Your support of Greenagers makes these moments happen. Your gifts get them “there”, to that first point of contact, learning, and adventure.
If we, with your gift, can keep inspiring our kids, they’ll be alright. With any luck, they will give us a little new breath as we head into winter, storing up our energies for spring and beyond.