Most of us here at the Meadows of Hope are sunburned and sore…but our hearts could not be happier! We had a beautiful day yesterday to work on the building of the playground and 5 flowerbeds on our campus! before 8 AM yesterday the trucks and tractors started coming in, cars full of volunteers showed up…we counted around 49-50 all total for the day! Not only did we construct a playground area…we built relationships that will last. Most of the folks here yesterday had never been on our campus or had visited the Boys Ranch group homes. It was amazing to see the awe and surprise when they looked out over our beautiful complex with 2 new homes and one converted group home as well as the build sites for our 2 new homes. The rolling green pastures, ponds and acres of wildflowers against the perfect blue sky was truly breath-taking! With the prep work already done, the volunteers from Lowe’s, United Way Day of Caring, Lions club members, staff and family members were quick to get things underway. At one of the homes, the children are home-schooled, so after their lessons they sat up a small table manned by 5 little ones ages 2-9. They sat out water and cookies for the volunteers with a big sign that said… THANK YOU! One of the sweetest parts of the day for me was watching the interaction of the volunteers and the kids. When one person would sit down, there was more often than not, a child beside them or on their lap talking and giggling together. It was not unusual to see a 60 yr. old volunteer talking with a 5 yr. old, both of them enjoying the others company! Many times a volunteer would be carrying around a toddler on their hip while toting a plant somewhere. A two-yr. old latched on to one of the couples there, One of the Lion District Governors and his wife. She led them by the hand and tried her best to convince them she needed more cookies! Our crew consisted of volunteers from Lowe’s along with folks from the community. Our local School Superintendent, teachers, bankers, real estate folks, housewives, retiree’s, college students, it was an eclectic mix of sweat, muscles and a love for the children and families of the Meadows of Hope. One of the Lions from Elk City brought his big cooker and sizzled hamburgers and hot dogs for the work crew. Whether it was eating, working, or chatting with the kids and parents, people seemed to “catch the vision”. This Foster-care Community is bigger than any of us ever dreamed. The enthusiasm of the community, DHS and our supporters is match only by the love and compassion of our families and staff. As the Lowe’s crew prepared to leave, the children of the Meadows of Hope rushed out to play on the equipment! It brought tears to the eyes of many to see that the effort and sacrifice of the day was worth it all and it was a joy that they could experience the laughter and love of the children who live there Thank you all for a fantastic day!