For the last seven years, Job Point’s YouthBuild has teamed up with Missouri River Relief to host “Stewardship on the River.” This year, we were joined by AmeriCorps YouthBuild members from St. Joseph and Cape Girardeau. It was an incredibly beautiful fall day on the river, primed for learning, personal growth, fellowship and of course, stewardship.
One of the highlights of the day was the inspirational opening address from Dr. Charlie Nilon during the morning convening that challenged the way students think about nature and the great outdoors.
Dr. Charlie Nilon encourages participants to see nature all around them.
It’s easy to think about nature as a place you have to go find, somewhere far away from people and buildings and the confines of the city. But according to Dr. Nilon, the natural world is all around us. It’s in the drainage ditch at the end of the road, your backyard at home, even the tree planted along a busy street. The wonders of nature are truly all around us and more importantly, they are for everyone. Dr. Nilon reflected on his journey toward a career in Urban Ecology and how his experiences in nature in his own neighborhood inspired him.
After opening remarks, the fun began.
Staff and students from various YouthBuild programs depart together with volunteers from Missouri River Relief to clean up.
Students divided into two groups, the first half focusing on river cleanup. After a thorough safety training, volunteers donned life jackets and boarded their boats. They worked their way along the banks of the river, sifting through sandbars and trudging through brush collecting trash. According to the Missouri River Relief tally, the cleanup crews hauled 24 bags of trash out of the river, and found two tires and a mini fridge!
Director of YouthBuild, Jerrell Morton, poses with students and staff from Job Point on the river.
The second group was divided again with some participants boarding their own boats to learn about the history of art of catfishing from the Missouri Department of Conservation. For many students, this was their first time on the boat, up close and personal with the Missouri River. For others, it was a dream come true – getting to spend the day at the river and sneaking in some fishing along the shore. These students brought their own rod and tackle.
A student poses with the fish they caught while on the river.
The third group arranged themselves along the shore at Cooper’s Landing to explore a different way of experiencing the river: through reflection, observation and watercolor. For those who don’t have an artistic flair (that they acknowledge, at least), it was a lesson in pushing through ego, letting their guard down and allowing creativity to flow. They all walked away with a little bit of peace and a piece of art to show for it.
A participant works on his watercolor painting.
After lunch together as one large group, the groups switched.
YouthBuild groups from Columbia, Cape Girardeau, and St. Joseph joined volunteers from Missouri River Relief for a day of stewardship on the Missouri River.
Participants walked away with a better sense of themselves, an appreciation of the power and beauty of the Missouri River and new friends from across the state.
Trash is staged for pickup after one session of collection along the bank.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who came together with Missouri River Relief and Job Point to help make this day possible. Coordinate activities and food for so many staff and students is no small feat. We are grateful for this partnership and the new experiences and opportunities it creates.
