“… [A]ll those who come enjoy this place have inherited the responsibility of protecting and maintaining the landscape by interacting with it respectfully. After all, our conservation is a community endeavor. It truly takes a village, as they say.”

“It is more important than ever, following a year spent indoors, isolated, and in front of a screen, that our youth have every opportunity to get outside, be in clean, safe, and natural environments, and live their lives away from the virtual ones they have grown accustomed to. AmeriCorps has helped me do this, and Camp Hale has made it possible for Boston youth to do the same.”

“To me, service is about helping those who are in need, not for the sake of seeking something in return or some favor later down the road; but just helping because it is the right thing to do. The natural world is an entity that is in need. It has a voice that has been suppressed for centuries, it is often overlooked and ignored. Who is listening to the planet, the aquifer, the forests, the ecosystems?”

“I love New Hampshire, I knew that I would miss it as early as December.”

“There are many things that I reflect on and know that I will carry with me into my professional career and personal life- lessons learned, skills developed, and knowledge tucked away for later. These are some of my highlights each tied to a specific memory from my time here that I hope will be useful to future AmeriCorps.”

“It’s nice being able to see how more and more people from the community, as well as out of state visitors, are taking advantage of all that the Grey Rocks Conservation Area has to offer, whether it’s fishing early in the morning or going out on a kayak for a paddle.”

“The New Hampshire mountains are definitely different. Similar to my hometown Darjeeling, minus all the water. I feel embraced by these mountains. Born of the mountains, I am home again.”

“I have seen such stunning views. From waterfalls, mountain tops, animals, and down to the beautiful colors the woods gives you.”

“So how did I wind up in New Hampshire of all places, working on maintaining hiking trails in a national forest? Some may say that I landed here out of necessity, but really this is what I have prayed for, even if it hasn’t looked the way that I thought it would.”

“I feel privileged to be able to spend so much time in the mountains, and I believe that all this time has deepened my love for the natural world and my passion for conserving it.”