Rocky Mountain MDS Engages all ages in Wholistic Wildfire Recovery

MDS Rocky Mountain Unit volunteers respond to Colorado Wildfires

The MDS Rocky Mountain Unit, which serves Colorado and New Mexico communities, has been working to find ways to engage local young people in short term projects (though they also encourage youth groups to sign up for week-long service opportunities with MDS).  Excitement to volunteer with MDS at this stage of life can grow into sustained volunteerism for years to come.  Many Colorado communities have suffered from recent and ongoing wildfires which require a host of wholistic recovery efforts, more than just the rebuilding of structures.  The Rocky Mountain Unit seeks to be part of many stages of this work and found that reforestation lends itself particularly well to short-term project engagement with young people.

Reforestation is an important part of wildfire recovery because without reforesting the areas that have been burned, floods and mudslides create unsafe conditions for rebuilding efforts.  Root systems stabilize the soil in these ecosystems so without reforestation, new structures are at risk of damage in future storms.

This year the Rocky Mountain Unit partnered with Mountain States Mennonite Conference Joint Youth Committee to plan an Arbor Day tree planting event.  On Saturday April 25^th a group of nearly 40 people ages 10-84 converged on the mountainside near Drake, Colorado, a community that had seen four wildfires come and go.  Volunteers bundled up and spent their Saturday being the hands and feet of Jesus in this community. They planted 480 small ponderosa pine trees, restoring hope by transforming a burned hillside.  Volunteer, Carole Suderman, reported that there was so much enthusiasm, some of the young people didn’t even want to stop for lunch!

MDS Rocky Mountain Unit volunteers

We are extremely grateful for the commitment of these volunteers AND the many hours of behind-the scenes work done by Rocky Mountain Unit leaders who plan and promote, order and pick up trees, plan and prepare lunches, and make sure all tools are supplied and cleaned up after the event.  The efforts of Unit Leaders and day-of participants combined to total more than 600 volunteer hours!  Some photos and quotes compiled by Carole Suderman at the tree planting event are included below.

MDS Rocky Mountain Unit volunteers respond to Colorado Wildfires

Lena: “It was fun to plant new life after it was destroyed.”

Annika: “I hope that the forest grows!”

Nora: “It was really fun to do this together as a group.”

Caleb: “It was nice to see the transformation.”

Sarah: “I’m really glad I got to come up and be in nature.”

Delia: “I really enjoyed that so much, planting the trees. It makes a difference, and I like making a difference.”  During lunch, she said, “I want to go back to the trees!”

Hannah (adult sponsor): “We prayed with our bodies!”

Unni: “We did a dance after we planted every tree!”  (And they sang too, a simple song about loving trees!)

By Becky King – MDS Region 3

Administrative Assistant