On Saturday Feb. 18, a group of more than 20 Guardian Angels from Central Catholic High School got together at OP Schnabel Park on the northwest side of San Antonio to participate in the 28th Annual Basura Bash. The group met up at 8:00 AM and went on a hike throughout the park led by Mr. James Bendele, a certified master naturalist. While on the hike, the group was able to learn quite a bit about the flora and fauna of the Texas Hill Country, as well as environmental concerns (such as plastic pollution).
After the hike, the group partnered up with well over 100 other volunteers from around the city to help clean up trash within the Leon Creek Greenway.
One week later, on Feb. 25, a group of 16 Guardian Angels met up at the Saddle Light Center for another community service project. The Saddle Light Center is a facility that houses horses which are used for equestrian therapy. This is a special type of therapy where horses are used to help children with Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy. There is A LOT that goes on at the Saddle Light Center, so volunteers are always needed.
Once again, the group arrived a half hour early for Mr. Bendele to give a lesson on horse anatomy and physiology. After the lesson, the group spent the rest of the morning cleaning out the horse stables. It was an honor being able to volunteer at such a remarkable place!
On Saturday, March 4, a group of Guardian Angels volunteered at the Providence HS 5K. (While at the project, Mr. Bendele pointed out a population of black-bellied whistling ducks that had made the River Walk home!)
One of the coolest things about all three projects is that we were able to get our students to experience the outdoors in a way that might have been entirely new to them and that is a big part of what the Marianist Encounters program is all about!