The Cave-Dwelling Hairy-Legged Vampire Bats (formerly Raccoon Kits) challenge Arroyo Park

The Raccoon Kits have a new name - They are now the Cave Dwelling, Hairy-Legged Vampire Bats! Say that 5 times fast! The mentors will no doubt refer to them as the Cave Dwellers for short. Last Spring, the boys decided they weren’t kits (babies) any longer, having been an Explorers Club group for 2 fall and 2 spring seasons. They had recently found a cool cave on Galbraith Mountain. You can imagine how it developed from there.

After deciding this in our opening meeting, we proceeded the “back way” from the N. Chuckanut trailhead parking lot in search of salmon inChuckanut Creek. We’re the Explorers Club - why take the established trail when you can explore your way to your destination, right? Well, the trail soon splintered into bushwhacking, following the creek in search of a place to cross so we could pick up that established trail. Funny thing, our beloved November storms have worked their magic; our “bridge” (log across the creek) was under fast moving water so we couldn’t even contemplate crossing there. We searched further, picking through thick underbrush that included WAY too much Devil’s Club, but the only other crossing we considered we decided was unsafe. So, after an hour or so of our “shortcut”, we were faced with a somewhat gut-wrenching decision. Do we press on, further stretching our edge to conquer this unexpectedly challenging route? Or is it wiser to retrace our steps to the trail we know will lead us to our goal, the salmon struggling upstream? Tim and I didn’t plan this into our outing outline, but we welcome any opportunity to work with the explorers to deal with the unexpected. In this case, we employed the STOP (Stop, Think, develop Options, make a Plan) model for handling difficult situations in the wild. Strung along a hillside while peering through the underbrush, we quickly discussed our two options and decided to turn back. The Cave Dwelling, Hairy-Legged Vampire Bats were disappointed, but showed they’re earning the name change as they reacted with good spirit to our decision.

Our planned skills work for the outing was our final shelter building exercise for the fall, but the explorers had done their work for the day with all that bushwhacking so the mentors scratched that element of the plan and presented a second decision as we had lunch - proceed straightaway to a game of Spider’s Web or check out the salmon and then play the game. This time, we were sitting comfortably along a creek not far from the trailhead, so Tim and I simply asked our Tribal Elder for the day to lead the decision process toward consensus. Most of the Cave Dwellers wanted to hike to the salmon run first, but we had a dissenting opinion. Following our flow of asking for input, discussing pros and cons, putting it to a vote and resolving differences to reach consensus, the Tribal Elder managed the process with little input from the mentors, another sign of maturation that supports relinquishing the group’s original name.

Our new course set, we hiked the “regular” trail to Arroyo Park where we were excited to see several salmon struggling against the swift-moving creek on their way to spawn. A few Cave Dwellers wanted to catch a fish but were thwarted as their prey’s focus on that next jump drew him/her away from the muddy shore. I wouldn’t have put money on all the boys coming away without getting soaked in the stream, but that is just how it turned out.

A mental check of our plan (current version!) prompted us to move back up the trail in search of a proper Spider’s Web course. We found our spot and set up the playing field as rain began to fall. Contrary to the weather forecast, we had sidestepped rain to this point. Hundreds of dripping ferns and numerous fallen trees provided so much cover for stealthy flies that the spider had lots of trouble identifying them, but that didn’t stop him from calling us all out repeatedly. Several of us got close, but none close enough as the rain intensified.

The outing had an odd emotional flow to it. We were excited to finally select a name that spoke to our shared experience and the explorers’ growing capabilities; our bushwhacking was first thrilling then disappointing; watching the salmon was humbling as they followed their instincts with all their energy; the game of Spider’s Web was a bit unsatisfying as we got “this close” to the prize only to be turned away. You could say it was a little slice of life, I guess. Through it all, though, the Cave Dwellers embraced change and faced both the good and bad with maturity beyond their years. 

Our Fall schedule concluded with this outing. The mentors are looking forward to more fun and growth come Spring! Check here for the rest of the photos from our day. 

Join us for the Co-op's Community Shopping Day - Saturday, November 21. Shop for Thanksgiving – or just grocery shop at either Coop and 2% of total sales that day will be donated to Wild Whatcom.

Raccoon Kits ponder a name change

The last time you found yourself stranded in the woods, searching for whatever you could find to help you survive the night in the cold and rain…and you found a shoelace in your pocket, I bet you didn’t think to cut it up and leave “bread crumbs” to mark your trail! Or how about using it to hang your food where a bear couldn’t get it….or, get this, as a shoelace, should one of yours fail!

Each of these ideas and several more were generated out of a survival activity we did on our Fragrance Lake outing. The Raccoon Kits were divided into three groups: each group was given a shoelace and asked how they might put it to good use in a survival situation. Other ideas: secure the frame of an earth shelter; build a snare to catch dinner; create a bow drillkit to make a fire, and more. Very resourceful!

Resourcefulness is a key characteristic when in survival mode. Keeping a cool head is one of the most difficult things to do in that situation; the Raccoon Kits showed the capacity to think on their feet. I, for one, was surprised and pleased at their responses.

The reason we  were able to put the boys into small groups for this activity was that we had an embarrassment of riches when it comes to group leaders. Wyatt is a student in Environmental Ed. at Western and joined us as a volunteer mentor as part of his course work. Jordan and Adrian are part of the Vespula Veterans, one of the oldest Boys Explorers Club groups. They were along as Explorers Club Mentor Apprentices (EMAs). Tim and I scrambled to make the best use of all that help!

Our opening circle was highlighted by an examination of a deer carcass discovered by the ever watchful mentor Tim. Each explorer was offered the chance to bring home a bone. Then on to the outing. Of course, the best way for Wyatt to learn about our program was to participate, so we immediately hooked him into games of Cougar Stalks Deer and Hide! as we hiked along the Interurban trail and onto the Fragrance Lake trail. A quick study, he was soon to be spotted diving into the ferns at the sound of “HIDE!” 

After a short climb, we located two elements that would be important for our outing. First, a good spot to practice building shelters. The land at this bend in the trail features a large “nurse-boulder”, if you will, a muddy pit that one of the shelter teams put to good use making mud packs to secure their shelter, a ditch to explore, and lots of downed branches to use in shelter frames. Second, we came across the two Raccoon Kits who, after arriving a little late, managed to get in front of us on the trail, only to be U-turned after a hiker indicated to the rest of us that she had seen a few boys and a dad looking for a group of eager explorers. (Do you get the sense there was lots of positive energy on the Fragrance Lake trail on Sunday?)

Our work revealed that these boys have learned the process of shelter building, but that the sense of urgency and focus that are required in an actual survival scenario can be in somewhat short supply when we’re practicing. This is common for young boys and may also have something to do with the size of the groups. Six explorers and an EMA can sometimes get in each other’s way and can make for duplicated and confusing task organization. In a few weeks, we’re going to continue this effort and plan to work with smaller groups. We’re also going to bring water to pour onto the completed shelters as a test of their worthiness. Should be interesting.

Our work completed, we played a quick game of Hungry, Hungry Martin, then circled up to give thanks in our closing meeting. I can’t think of a better way to illustrate to a volunteer the values we hold dear in Wild Whatcom and Boys Explorers Club than to invite him to join us in this treasured tradition. We slow down after all that energetic play and work to share apples and voice out loud something for which we are truly grateful. Just as your sons are resourceful about using a shoelace in the wilderness, they’re often thoughtful and insightful about the gifts they’ve been given. 

Before “packs on” for our hike out, we continued our discussion about a new name for our group. You might have heard me say that kits are babies. Last spring, I suggested to the group that they’re no longer one of the younger groups so they might want a new name, perhaps one that captures an experience they had as a group. They’re interested in a name that has something to do with caves because they found a cool cave at North Galbraith in the spring. I’ll present a few final options to them when we get together for our last outing of the fall, on November 14. 

Click here for more photos from our Fragrance Lake outing.

Raccoon Kits Show Short-Tailed Weasels How It's Done at Connelly Creek

There was no better way to welcome October than with a great service outing. The Raccoon Kits, Short Tailed Weasels, and even a Girls Explorers Club group, The Fiddleheads, teamed to form a young, yet formidable foe for the Himalayan Blackberry and Reed Canary Grass. The girls got things going by showing up early, getting a walkthrough from Steve, and breaking up to tackle the various tasks at our Connelly Creek service site. First was tending to the new trees and shrubs that were planted during the Spring season, making sure they had a fresh mulch ring and were properly staked out to prevent any unwanted trampling. Second was to get going on spreading mulch and expanding upon all the hard work from last season. Last but not least; the blackberry removal team. Everyone was working hard when a rascally bunch of boys showed up.

Kicking off the service outing for the boys were the Raccoon Kits. Not only was it a surprise that they were going to be the eldest group today, but mixing in girls too?! Despite the lofty expectations set upon this young group to introduce proper tool usage to the Short Tailed Weasels, demonstrate a strong work ethic, and be role models, they took it in stride and flourished. After a slow start due to the necessary introductions to the Short Tailed Weasels of where our service site is, what we’re doing here, and why we are doing it, everyone jumped right into the work. The Raccoon Kits were eager to get to hacking back the blackberries and digging up the massive root balls. As for the Short Tailed Weasels, they kicked off their illustrious service careers with a classic; shoveling mulch.

As the hours ticked away, the girls departed after putting in some tremendous work. Left to their own devices, the Raccoon Kits took this opportunity to attempt to unearth a massive root ball. It took the whole group, but eventually they got it, and in only a few hours erased years of growth by the Himalayan Blackberries. Not even wanting to stop for lunch, the Raccoon Kits showed an outstanding drive and superb work ethic that impressed all the mentors present.

For the Short Tailed Weasels, they also had a strong day of work, however it was broken up by a little more play, jokes, and even experimental cooking. As they dug into the mulch pile they noticed the vast warmth that was imitating from within due to the decomposition process. Just as mother crocodiles incubate eggs in large mounds of debris, some of the explorers decided to test the warmth with a chunk of cheese (which completely melted) and a container of apples (still to be decided on cooking effectiveness). After all was said and done the Short Tailed Weasels had some fun, but finished strong by moving the majority of the mulch that was left by the parks department for us to use. Not a bad start for their first service outing.

As the torch has been passed from group to group, tending, nurturing, and caretaking Connelly Creek has become a Boys Explorers Club Legacy, a legacy that is now fortunate enough to add Girls Explorers Club and the Short Tailed Weasels alongside the veteran Raccoon Kits. Mulch was moved, blackberries battered, roots were wrangled and there was even enough time for some laughs to be shared as well. What a wonderful day and strong beginning to our service work at Connelly Creek.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos in our Photo Gallery!

The Raccoon Kits build an Earth Shelter at N. Lake Whatcom

Picture this: You drive out to Deming and up into the mountains to the Ridley Creek trailhead, all the while nervously watching the sky for signs of a break in the storm. As you assemble and hoist your packs into place, there’s a promising brightness in the southern sky and your group decides the weather will cooperate. You gamely strike out onto the trail, across the creek and into the mountains for a long-awaited backcountry adventure. 

After several hours of exploration you return, soaked and tired, to the creek, which is now raging and cresting its banks. 3-4 inches of rain in 5 hours will do that to a creek. You quickly determine that you're unable to recross the creek to get to your faithful bus servant, Stubbs, for the ride home.  You're stranded in the Cascades and it’ll be dark in a few hours. Your adventure is now a matter of survival (Refer to the survival “Rule of 3’s – 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food)! Your heart rate amps up and your breathing gets shallow as panic begins to set in.

Fortunately, this is a story not of what did happen but of what could have been. The older Explorers Club group that was scheduled to hike the Ridley Creek trail that stormy August Saturday will have to wait until October for that hike. And, to be honest, I don’t know that the creek swelled as depicted in the scenario, but it made for an interesting introduction to our skills focus for the fall – shelter building. 

A well-constructed shelter will repel rain and provide a warm place to sleep, and is a difficult task, especially in inclement weather when you're in a panic. Over the course of the fall, our goal is to get to the point where the Raccoon Kits are able to build a shelter in which they could sleep.  

We began on a beautiful Sunday morning by recounting our summer adventures and welcoming a new Explorer to our group. Then up Stewart Mountain in search of a place to work on building shelters. After a few games of Hide!, we discovered a shelter that had been constructed by a different Explorers Club group and critiqued their work as a way of putting our minds in a place to launch into the task at hand. We then talked about what makes for a good shelter location (free of “widowmakers”; access to resources such as “Y” sticks, ridge poles, leaves and more; clear of water runoff) and searched for the spot for our shelter. Note that we spent 20-30 minutes doing this, time that would've put us behind the 8 ball in our Ridley Creek scenario. 

Location decided, we set about gathering materials and building. The discipline and focus that are so critical in an actual survival situation were in somewhat short supply at first, but the Raccoon Kits rallied to complete the shelter frame (our goal for this first outing). Their self-critique exposed a few issues that we’ll work to rectify on a future outing. They likely would not have spent a warm, cozy night while waiting for Ridley Creek to subside, but given the reality of their situation, they did well. 

Our work completed, we turned our attention to the serious business of play. A stimulating and fair game of Spider’s Web begins with agreement on the course layout and rules (yes, they tend to vary from group to group and even outing to outing for a given group). Our tribal elder (has the job of facilitating our group decisions) received lots of “help” as he led a lively discussion to resolve these issues. Agreement reached, the “flies” proceeded to crawl around the hillside, failing to breach the spider’s defenses, but managing to avoid capture. Final outcome- draw. 

While we were busy with that, mentor Tim worked to strengthen our shelter, setting the stage for our challenge for our next exploration outing – a shelter that can withstand the weight of one or more Raccoon Kits. 

A time check dictated we move quickly to our next activity, a Sit Spot. Work and play behind us, the mentors wanted to provide the space for connection and reflection, and some of the boys actually took advantage! Learn more about Sit Spots here. 

We end every outing be giving thanks and sharing apples, as gratefulness is a core principle (see Mottoeshere) at Wild Whatcom. On this day, our circle of thanks exhausted our time; the Raccoon Kits’ penchant for telling jokes would have to be sacrificed, as would our discussion of a possible name change for the group (kits are babies and we are no longer among the younger Explorers Club groups). We’ll have to be sure to reserve time for these important tasks when we next meet (Saturday, October 3; 10:00 - 2:00 at Connelly Creek)! 

Look here for the complete gallery of photos from our exploration, as well as a photo history of the Raccoon Kits. I suspect you'll see why a name change is in order for the group as they grow and connect.

Off trail on Galbraith Mountain

Honor reveals itself in the margins.

We played two full games of Spider’s Web in a secluded area of Galbraith Mountain on Saturday. For those of you not familiar with the game, a few rules:
* The course has a “food source” (bandana) at one end and a “web” (tree or bush marked with, wait for it, abandana) at the other,
* There is a Spider and the rest of the boys and mentors are Flies,
* The flies attempt to secure the food source and return it to the web (I know - doesn’t make sense - but it works) without being spied and called out by the spider,
* The spider wins by sending all flies to the web at the same time and before the food source is brought to it,

Preparation for the game involves reviewing the rules. Sometimes we adjust them. For instance, there might be two spiders. We usually decide on “no-go zones” for the spider to prevent “puppy-guarding” the food source or web. In this case, the restriction was set at 10 feet.

For the flies, the game is often about stealth. A good course will have sufficient foliage (sword ferns work great) for cover. Speed is often penalized as the spider’s eye is drawn to the movement and the fly sent to the web. Kinda like real life in nature, no?

Strategy is more the name of the game for the spider. Do I roam or stay hidden to surprise flies? Guard the food source or focus on keeping the flies on the web once they’ve been called out?

Our second game ended in conflict. The flies accused the spider of hanging around too close to the web, which prevented the flies from returning the food source without being called out. The spider replied that he went no closer than the invisible 10’ “bubble” stipulated when we started playing. Cue the margin!

Misunderstandings happen often in life. Communication between people issubject to interpretation. That’s why we have courts, and mediators, and contracts, and, unfortunately, bad feelings. At Explorer’s Club, we believe behaving with honor is a critical characteristic of an virtuous man, so we use these situations to work with your boys on constructive ways to handle conflict. In this case, with the help of our two Explorers Club Apprentices (EMAs), 5 minutes of conversation yielded a further clarification of the 10’ rule. Specifically, that limit applies when the spider is moving through the area. If he chooses to station himself to spy flies, the limit is “like, 30 feet”. Once that was worked out, hard feelings dissolved and we moved on. The Raccoon Kits handled themselves with honor in this particular margin. Take a moment to recognize that with your explorer.

The Raccoon Kits did more than resolve conflict on Saturday. They stress-tested several mountain bike jumps by running them!; they explored a very cool cave discovered by a few flies as they were sneaking through the underbrush in pursuit of the food source; they paused to commune with nature by sitting alone and silent for 10 minutes in an Explorer’s Club tradition called the sit spot.

Note: The boys did themselves proud with the way they focused their attention and energy during our opening, closing and conflict resolution meetings. We also work through decisions at trail junctions and other points when a decision is required. They have improved in this area noticeably since the fall.

Finally, they considered that after several seasons of EC outings, the nameRaccoon Kits (raccoon babies) might not fit any more. We began a conversation about a new name for the group. The name doesn’t need to involve raccoons, although that would make sense. Ideally, it will come from an experience the group had on an outing. (Example; the Daredevils Club got their name after a rough encounter with Devil’s Club.) It needs to be appropriate and to pertain to the land and the exploration thereof. A few interesting ideas were put forth on Saturday; the mentors asked the boys to think on it some more. That’s something else you can ask your explorer about. We’ll revisit in the fall.

Check here for the complete set of photos.

That wraps up the Raccoon Kits' schedule for the spring. Thank you for sharing your explorer with us this wonderful season of rebirth. I appreciate the energy and humor your boys bring to Explorers Club.

Watch for information on registration for the fall. And consider a summer camp, if your explorer isn't already registered. The long, slow, warm summer days provide an excellent environment for nature connection!

Vespula Veterans and Racoon Kits serve Connelly Creek

Sunny Skies greeted the mentors as they unloaded gear and prepared tools and paperwork for a day of tending the land at the Connelly Creek service site.  Mentors look forward to the service outing for a number of reasons, but above all is a chance to give back to the land.  In both the Explorer’s Club and the Four Shields Program we utilize the land as a teacher.  Our mentoring community firmly believes that our boys learn best when they can leave the trail behind and immerse in the forest or beach.  Inevitably our exploring has impact upon the land.  There are undoubtedly small plants that are stepped on, and birds that are disturbed, but we tread with care and a deep respect and gratitude for the places we visit and the opportunities provided by them.  Our service outings are a way we can say thank you and offer our hard work in exchange for our hard play and exploration.

This outing marks the 5^th season of service at the Connelly Creek site for the Vespula Veterans and the 3^rdseason of service for the Raccoon Kits.  Our eldest group, the Vespula Veterans, arrived at 11:00am and carried the tools over to our site.  After quickly unpacking and organizing them for the work ahead, the boys took the first hour to practice some of the wilderness travel skills they will be using in their upcoming overnight outing at Racehorse Falls (and for some their summer backpacking trip to Olympic National Park).  The boys practiced lighting stoves, and setting up Wild Whatcom’s new Backpacking tents.  Mentors offered insights and suggestions about technique, but the boys took on the responsibility to practice the skills and gain comfort with these pieces of equipment.

After a brief capacity test of the tents, some of the boys decided to have stealth sit spot and see if they could scout the Raccoon Kits as they arrived.  Other Vespula Veterans worked on their fire by friction skills and got a preview of saw skills, which they will be learning on their trip to Racehorse falls.  Once the Raccoon Kits arrived we gathered in a large circle to forge our service team.  Since all had done service at Connelly Creek before we quickly reviewed tool safety and our service goals.

Bellingham Parks department, who overseas our work in the park, tasked the boys with two primary jobs: first to “walk down” the invasive Reed Canary Grass, and second to mulch over it.  In the past we have cut the grass back, however it appears that when it is cut it grows back with even more vigor.  So we set out to trample the grass and spread the mulch.  Last season the Boys Explorers Club planted several alder trees, as well as some small shrubs.  All of them survived our mild winter and appear to be growing.  Currently their biggest threat is getting stepped on by a well-meaning explorer in the midst of doing service.  To reduce this possibility the boys enhanced rings of mulch around these vulnerable plants to make them more visible and to help retain moisture near them as the weather warms this summer.

The mentors were impressed at the boy’s ability to move mulch.  Without prompting several teams emerged and began to move the mulch from the pile to the plants and the trampled grass.  One group shoveled the mulch into buckets and trash cans, another was hauling the mulch, another was spreading the mulch, and yet another was weeding grass around the plantings.  After moving the entire mulch pile, it was time for the Vespula Veterans to say farewell to the Raccoon Kits and have and have their closing meeting.    The Raccoon Kits stayed for another hour and transitioned to digging out stubborn blackberry roots before finishing their day with gratitude and apples at their closing meeting. 

The Boys Explorer’s Club and Four Shields Mentoring Community would like to thank Mentor Jake Ray for stepping in as an alternate in Brian’s absence.  The mentoring community would also like to extend our gratitude to all the boys and their families.  Without all of you we simply wouldn’t be able to do this work and for that we are

The Raccoon Kits conquer the Teddy Bear Traverse

As part of our preparation each week, the Boys Explorers Club mentors write an outline for each outing. The process helps us connect with the boys with whom we’ll be working and consider the unique possibilities of the place into which we’re venturing.

Underlying the games, the conflicts, the cuts and scrapes we inevitably experience are the lessons the boys, and the mentors, learn on and from the land. Our club mottos express what we hope the boys will take away from their club experience. Therefore, a key element of the outline is the Guiding Mottos we select for the outing. For our Teddy Bear Cove traverse on the 29th, our mottos were the following:
* The map is not the territory,
* It’s about the journey, not the destination (we are where we are going),
* The only way out is through, and
* Expect the unexpected.

So let’s examine each of these mottos in light of Sunday’s exciting outing. My hope is that this reflection will provide insight into what we do out there, how we do it, and, most important, why we do it.

“The map is not the territory.” Maps and other tools for helping us find our way (compass, GPS, etc.) provide great reference points for us to use as part of our analysis of where we are and where we should go from that point. However, too much reliance on the tools at the expense of one’s innate awareness of the land can result in unfavorable outcomes. Example: a colleague and I were in Arizona on a business trip and relying on the rental car’s GPS to get us to our meeting. However, the software was unaware of the construction project that prevented us from getting on the freeway we needed. Without that access, we were hopelessly lost and the GPS was similarly frustrated. It was only when we turned it off and problem solved our way out of our predicament that we were able to find our way to the meeting place, albeit somewhat tardy. So, we use the tools to augment our own ability to listen to the land and navigate based on our understanding of fundamental constructs such as the position of the sun in the sky at 2:00 pm on a late March day. On this late March day, we first navigated across “uncharted” (for us) territory using our wits. Then, we checked the map to better understand where we had been. The photo galleryfor the outing captures that moment pretty well.

“It’s about the journey, not the destination (we are where we are going)”  Our greatest challenge on this hike came shortly after we began bushwhacking through moss-covered logs, slippery rocks, muddy soil and - all together now - devil’s club! We were in never-developed light forest and moving along a hillside without a trail in sight. I anticipated the boys would fan out and find their own way, but we largely proceeded in a single file. That alignment told me several of the boys were feeling overmatched by the terrain. It’s at moments like this that you notice leadership emerging in an explorer who steps to the front or group cohesion happening through peer support or confidence growing as the boys adapt to the land and continue to work their way through the challenge before them. Destinations are fine. In fact, it was high fives all around when we emerged out of our bushwhacking adventure. But the action happens in the test. The Raccoon Kits passed this test and I anticipate they’ll be stronger individuallyand as a group as a result.

“The only way out is through”  Sometimes we face really challenging internal and external obstacles. Often the best way out of the stuck place is to not go around it, or walk away from it, but to go through it, to the other side. This requires perseverance, which is "the hard work you do when you get tired of the hard work you already did." “Most of our obstacles would melt away if instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.” O. Marden (Alright, you got me...lifted from the Wild Whatcom mottos page.) Our physical test on this hike was matched by the psychological and emotional challenge many explorers faced when we were high-stepping over natural obstacles and dodging devil’s club.

“Expect the unexpected”  Brian and Peter told them it would be tough, but who amongst us hasn’t underestimated the task upon hearing it described?Confucius is credited with saying, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” These boys now understand their capabilities a little better.

Interestingly, we never made it to Teddy Bear Cove on Saturday. We played games, overcame challenges, collaborated with our peers and wore ourselves out, but we never made it to the water. Does that mean we didn’t achieve our objectives for the day? On the contrary, this Teddy Bear Cove-less day was a smashing success!

Next up - Service at the Connelly Creek site. Check here for the Raccoon Kits' Spring schedule and here for the complete set of photos for this outing.