It Takes a Village

We all know the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child." I was reminded of this recently as one of my youth programs, The Meadowlake Kids Club, capped off a week of activities by visiting the Albuquerque Zoo.

Some ready to board the train.

A trip to the zoo may not seem like it would be that much of an event to schedule and plan.  Due to geographic, economic, and logistic challenges,
it took a village.

The children, ranging in age from 4 - 15, earned
money to attend the trip by participating in a county road side clean up. After this, the "village" took over.

Our group enjoying lunch.

Extension offices in two counties loaned us
large passenger vans to help in transporting our
youth. A co-worker generously gave up time to
drive a combined total of over 400 miles to assist
as a driver/chaperone. An agency loaned us a gated parking lot to house one of our vans overnight. Community members volunteered to drive their personal vehicles to help deliver our group to the train station so our youth could experience their very first train ride.

It didn't stop there.

Waiting for the seals to be fed.

A train employee gave us a deep discount on our train passes when she learned of our adventure. The Belen Methodist Church donated drinks, two of our Extension Association of New Mexico members, Carolyn and Dee, donated oranges, chips and cookies, and Tom, a volunteer, donated water. A kind zoo employee, Antoinette, gave us a great deal on our last minute group passes.

There were a lot of smiles!

Most generous of all might have been the early morning commuters on the train who were so patient with our very loud, very excited and very large group.  One commuter stopped me as I was walking up and down the aisle passing out snacks and said, "What a neat experience you're providing for those kids."

I smiled and said thank you. But in my head I thought, what a neat experience for which I get to be a part. And in my heart I felt overwhelming gratitude for volunteers, co-workers,
parents and even strangers who make up the village that
raise our children.