Volunteer Success Stories - continued
One bright spring morning after another fruitless deer search, we were driving out of the park when we spotted it - a young deer by the side of the road, nonchalantly munching on grass. I parked close by and we watched it for a long, enjoyable time. There are many regulars who hike the park and I am on a nodding acquaintance with many and speaking terms with several.
Jody is slowing learning to enter this informal social circle and with lots of encouragement, she will now smile at people we meet. So far, she has been hesitant to greet people with her big, beautiful “Hi!”, but we’re working on that. We work up quite an appetite hiking and we sometimes eat our lunch in the park, but most often head out to MacDonald’s for a bite. I’m not sure how Jody managed to persuade me to do this – as a crunchy-granola, organic kind of person; I have boycotted MacDonald’s for several years. Further evidence of her persuasive powers is the fact that she gets me, a rabid environmentalist, to use the drive-through! My rationalization is that the procedure to get her and her wheelchair in and out of the van uses up our valuable time and energy. I have made up a poster with various MacDonald’s menu items on it and Jody uses that to point to her choice for the day. We hang out in the van while Jody eats and people-watch and giggle a lot.
It’s the end of October and the snow will soon be falling and blocking our trails at the park. For the winter months, Jody and I will head out to Mainway Arena for the Special Needs skating. Wheelchairs are allowed on the ice and Jody and I have an excellent time skating numerous laps. Corners are fun as Jody’s wheelchair adds a bit of “crack the whip” momentum to our turns. We both will be longing for spring though and our return to nature.
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