Colorado Outdoors - Nature and Kids for Mind, Body, and Spirit by David Padilla

Middle and high school youth from the Partners Youth Mentoring Engagement Program experienced rafting on the Gunnison River this summer. Outdoor experiences like this help them develop their social skills, teamwork, and ways to be resilient so they can be successful when facing life’s challenges. 

Growing up in the small town of Olathe Colorado where the population of cows overpower the population of people, it was sometimes hard to find time for outdoor recreation. Luckily, for us we are a short drive to some beautiful hiking trails, rivers, and lakes.  The towering Rocky Mountains of Colorado have some amazing hiking trails from easy to extreme. Many popular places to recreate locally are in the San Juans, a nearby rugged mountain range. Mt Sneffels, our closest 14er, is a popular destination for people who enjoy a tough yet beautiful climb.  A very popular local hike is to Blue Lakes, named for their turquoise coloring, nestled beneath the 14,150 ft. Mount Sneffels. A great place to chill and hang out is Ridgway State Park – where hiking, fishing, camping, and waterboarding can offer a family friendly place to recreate and create lasting memories.
 
Rafting has become quite popular with families and youth in our area offering a variety of river experiences from relaxing floats to challenging fast flowing rapids. Many sections of our local rivers can be relatively tame and offer a very exciting place to get away from it all for a few hours, an entire day or even a multi-day adventure.  This summer, some of our local youth were able to do just that! Friends of Youth and Nature offered a raft trip on the Gunnison River in the Gunnison National Conservation Area for local youth that have not had that experience before. Here are some of their responses to this impressionable experience:
 
Antonio was super excited being outdoors and being in the river. It was the first time he had ever been rafting. He said, “It gave me such a feeling of freedom and peace. Life is sometimes difficult at school and home, and the river was so calming!”
 
Also experienced his very first river trip, Gael described his experience.  “I had such a blast with my new friends that I made over the summer. We got to experience something that none of us have ever experienced before! The sound of the river made me feel so calm. The most fun part was the water fight!”
 
Sabastian said the whole trip was super exciting. ”It was an experience I will never forget and I want to get out and do it again next year. They gave us lunch at the end of the trip and the cookies were amazing!”
 
“We should have worn different clothes! I wore sweatpants and they were way too hot. It’s a good thing we had a water fight to cool us off," Monica shared.
 
“From the beginning to the end of this raft trip, these kids were so respectful. They felt welcomed and comfortable with the group. I so enjoyed how all the kids bonded together. Watching them experience something for the first time was so fulfilling. I never got the chance to do anything like this when I was young, so it made this experience especially rewarding,” said FOYAN board member David Padilla, “Without Friends of Youth and Nature and Partners Mentoring these kids would never have these opportunities. Most of these kids came from the Engagement Program in the middle and high school programs in Montrose County. Experiences like this help them develop their social skills, teamwork, and ways to be resilient so they can be successful when facing life’s challenges.”
 
FOYAN chair Anita Evans shared, “I have never received so many hugs at the end of one of our outdoor events. These kids were so genuinely thankful. It filled my heart and made it even more worthwhile.”
 
Outdoor experiences like this particularly for youth during the challenging years of middle and high school can be thrilling and fun. But, these experiences also help develop new friendships, teamwork and self-confidence. Outdoor activities can play a crucial role in building resiliency and promoting mental well-being in our youth. If you would like to help us get more kids outside to experience new outdoor adventures like this, please consider a donation to FOYAN
  
Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building one-to-one mentoring partnerships between young people and responsible, caring adults. Youth with a mentor in the Partners programs benefit from increased self-esteem, academic improvements, pro-socio bonding. Having a mentor opens a world of opportunities for a youth, shaping a successful future one experience at a time.  Partners serves youth ages 6 -17 that could benefit from a positive adult role model. Interested? Learn more at www.partners-west.org