What is so special about the Southwest Service trip?
This trip is special on several different levels. First, the people that we encounter. We will work directly with members of the Navajo Nation learning more about their culture and history. Second, we will be performing necessary service for this community including helping a local medicine woman, a WWII Code Talker and an immersion school. We will also be invited to spend time on a working farm in Canyon de Chelly – this is quite an honor. This area of the Southwest has always been considered a special, if not sacred, place by the Native Americans.
What kind of service work can I expect to perform?
We will be performing a variety of service projects on our trip. Each year the service projects vary depending on the need that is expressed by the members of the Navajo Nation. We have discussed various needs from this upcoming year including helping restore a medicine woman’s house, assisting with renovation improvements of a disabled WWII Code Talker’s house, and working with several elders in the improvement of ceremonial Navajo structures. We also work in Santa Fe on a local farm harvesting crops and then bringing them with us to a local food bank where we will then prepare the food for shipment to those in need around Northern New Mexico. The activities vary from year to year depending on need, but we will always work with a project that is beneficial to the local people – infusing labor, time, energy, and financial resources into an impoverished area in the Southwest.
How many hours of service will I perform on the Southwest Service trip?
All participants will earn 40 hours of community service on this trip. You will be issued a certificate of service following your summer experience.
What’s the weather like this time of year?
Santa Fe and the area of Canyon de Chelly are situated in the desert of the Southwest, but due to the relatively high elevation of this area (roughly 7,000 feet above sea level) temperatures remain very comfortable. On average the temperatures remain very comfortable. On average the temperature during June and July is roughly 75 degrees (ranging from 60 degrees to 90 degrees) with relatively low humidity. During these months there is less than two inches of rainfall with many sunny days.
Do I need to have experience whitewater rafting?
No, we will teach you everything that you need to know. We will also supply any gear that might be necessary this activity.
How will I get to know more about my leaders before the summer starts?
Before the summer starts your leaders will be sending you a letter introducing themselves. They will include information about their background as well as some details about the service work you will be doing this summer.
What kind of food will we eat?
Your fellow trip participants, with help from your leaders, will create the menus for your trip. Everyone will be involved in this process to ensure a wide variety of food choices that provide a balanced diet to fuel our bodies. We shop in regular grocery stores and teach you how to plan for and obtain great food for camping expeditions. The food is delicious, healthy, and there will be plenty of it.
Will we be taking showers and doing laundry?
Yes! After each service section or activity we will be taking showers and doing our laundry. It’s also a great time to write a letter home to tell your family and friends about the backcountry section you just completed.
What will my group be like?
Your group will be the most important and memorable part of your Wilderness Ventures experience. Your group will have 13 students with two leaders, one male and one female. Our groups are co-ed and made up of students from all over the country and internationally as well. The other students in your group will be just as excited as you are about the Southwest Service trip and the activities you’ll be doing.
What states will I visit on the Southwest Service trip?
On the Southwest Service trip you will get to explore two states. The service work we do is in two areas; in New Mexico we will be working with local organization in Santa Fe and doing trail work in Bandelier National Monument and it Arizona we will be working with the Navajo Nation. We will then make our way back to Santa Fe to end our trip with a day rafting the thrilling Rio Grande River.
