Just Hanging Around

Today it was my turn to test gear. Here I am in the hammock, keeping warm in about 5 degree temps. The hardest part was getting back out and putting my feet into my camp shoes- crocs. Sorry about the slightly fuzzy presentation- time for a new camera.

At a dinner meeting last night, I heard Sarah talk about the homeless teens of Fairbanks. She estimates that there are about 500 of them, living wherever, eating whatever and hanging out. Lots of the kids go to the library during the day where there is a laissez-faire attitude and many people go there to keep warm. On Mondays from 3-5, she is there in the conference room with soup and a casual atmosphere for networking. Most of the kids don't go to school anymore. 70% of the kids are boys, 60% are white and about 1/3 of them are victims of abuse or neglect. This seems like a tough place to winter over without a home. I understand that some of the kids find each other and live together, sometimes 8-10 in one apartment. She told of one group of 3 couples- 2 with children and the other one pregnant, sharing a one room efficiency apartment. If you want to donate soup (for the meetings), nutritious packable food (like peanut butter) or warm clothes, sleeping bags or hygiene items, drop them off at Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption.

This morning I got up early and went to the Westmark Hotel for the Arctic Wings Breakfast, hosted by the Alaska Bird Observatory. They do some great research on birds and work with young people on getting out into nature and becoming young naturalists. I recall several community service projects that I did with kids for them. One group of 8th graders went over to the ABO and cleared a path for a handicapped accessible trail. Another couple groups of kids made birdhouses and bird feeders. The ABO is always looking for volunteers to sew bird bags- cloth bags of various sizes with a drawstring top to hold the birds that are captured in nets. It calms them down to be enclosed, and after they are checked, weighed and recorded, the birds are released.

I'll be walking up to the University later to start a regimen of walking up and down stairs in Fairbanks' highest building, Gruening with 8 floors. The Christmas lights are already lit and will look inviting for my 4:45 walk.