By Brent McGrath | Aventurero
The Aventureros are celebrating our third consecutive year of exploration, curiosity, discovery, and growth. Every week we find ways to work alongside our families, community, friends, and fellow Aventureros to not only care for our very special surroundings, but to also learn more about them and perhaps share our love for them with the rest of the world!
The generosity shown by the GlobalGiving community has taken our breath away over and over in 2023. The funds made available have allowed our participants to not only dream big, but to experience the joy of ushering those big dreams into reality. We are humbled and inspired by your recognition. So inspired, in fact, that we have committed ourselves to triple the funds we raise locally in 2024.
The Aventureros are always eager to welcome new guest instructors to our program. Our most recent two guest instructors donated their time and resources and opened our eyes to the excitement of playing the guitar and backpacking into the wilderness.
Jesus is the father to one Aventurero and stepfather to another, he is a fisherman by day but has a passion (and a talent) for teaching children. He explained to us the importance of discipline in setting, achieving, and exceeding your goals. Jesus worked for two weeks teaching an introduction to music, using acoustic guitars on loan from the community. According to parents, the most requested Christmas gift among Aventureros who attended the course was an acoustic guitar!
The final volunteer guest instructor of 2023 was Ela, a returning VSI intern from the Summer session who was welcomed back like family by the Aventureros who she befriended during her stay. Ela taught the ins and outs of fitting backpacks so they can be used safely and repairing damaged tents and sleeping bags, she also led three challenging hikes into the mountains behind the bay to practice navigation, radio communication, and general safety practices. Every participant of Ela’s course walked away with more confidence and admiration for the trails right in their back yard.
Just after the new year, Aventureros and parents accepted a very special invitation to spend the weekend as guests of a local cattle ranch to be immersed in the old ways of rural life in Baja California. The group was guided through ancient native sites, an oat farm, through a canopied mesquite forest, and spent two nights around the campfire receiving the oral history of the area.
Finally, we are celebrating one year of dedicated service from our full-time Aventureros Coordinator, Claire. Claire was an important volunteer for years before picking up the torch in 2023 to manage our ever growing program. She motivates and encourages every participant with personal insight and genuine excitement to learn and explore along with the Aventureros.
Thank you for your interest in our program, it is an honor to be able to continue to share with you our dreams and accomplishments and to know that we have your support. If you are interested in being more directly involved, please consider visiting Bahía de Los Ángeles as a volunteer guest instructor in 2024!
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