posted Jan 18, 2012 12:01 AM by Casey Loving
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updated Feb 11, 2012 7:17 AM
]
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors January 6 - 18, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Lezhë club below! News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Youth Leadership Conference - February 10-12, 2012 - APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!Club leaders - the application period for the OA Youth Leadership Conference is now open. Applications are due back to the OA committee by January 25th. See attached documents for more information.
***If you can encourage your students to apply in English or translate their applications into English before submission, that will be a significant help to the OA committee!
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Pollution Lesson - attached is a lesson on pollution and its environmental impacts written in both Shqip and English.
Threatened species of Albania - to accompany the Wild Balkans film referenced in a previous news update, check out the attached document on threatened species in Albania.
Funding Opportunity:
Captain Planet Foundation - The Captain Planet Foundation makes grants to small environmentally themed projects, with a focus on schools and non-profit groups. The grant limit is usually around $500. They have confirmed that they do award grants outside of the US, so feel free to apply if you have a project in mind!
Upcoming environmental dates:
Jan 27th - Dita e Shërbimit Pyor Shqiptar
Feb 2 - World Wetlands Day
Club Update - Lezhë
Club Name: OA Lezhë
Nr. of members: 3-4 regulars
Recent/upcoming activity: This fall and winter we've been busy here in Lezhe! In the fall we completed a reusable grocery bag campaign here in town, distributing over 200 bags to the community. We also went on a hike near town in October (see photos below).
Currently we're working with the local high school and the Bashkia to organize a small projects grant competition. We'll host a movie night at the Pallati Kultures in February and the proceeds will fund small environmental projects in the community - all organized by students!
~ Thanks to Laura Hammett for this great update ! ~ Contact Laura at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if you know someone who would like to be added to the Outdoor Ambassadors email list. |
posted Jan 6, 2012 8:33 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors December 22 - January 6, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Burrel club below!
Gezuar Vitin e Ri from Ambasadoret e Natyrës! News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Youth Leadership Training - Mark your calendars for the upcoming OA Youth Leadership training, to be held in Elbasan in February. Applications to come within the next week!Where: Hotel Universe- Elbasan What: A leadership training with an environmental focus for 40 students ages 14-18.
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Wild Balkans Video - The Nature special episode "Wild Balkans" gives a glimpse at the wildlife of the Balkan region, including Albania. It's available in full episode form online at the PBS website. (Note - you may have to use a program like hotspot shield to be able to view it in Albania).
Opportunities for Clubs/Club Leaders:
Grant Opportunity: Do Something Seed Grants - Looking for a small amount of funding to start a project in your community? Are you a PCV who is under 25 yrs old? Consider applying for a DoSomething.orgseed grant for your OA club's project!
Club Update - Burrel
Club name: Outdoor Ambassadors of Burrel Club mission or theme: "I have a dream, and it is green." Nr. of members: 10-12 Summary of past/recent/or planned events: We just finished up a presentation series at two of the schools here in Burrel in hopes of improving our team numbers. They went well as we grew by 5 new members thus far! We went on a small excursion not to long ago with the central theme being "Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit" which had us just out and about in the land, enjoy what it has to offer.
With a new year starting so do new plans for our group. We are about to hold our first meeting of the year this weekend and will be discussing plans for a project this spring to be implemented with the Burrel bashkia.
Pershendetje and Gezuar from Burrel!
Photos from a Fall excursion:
~ Thanks to Lenae Boykin for this great update ! ~ Contact Laura at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if you know someone who would like to be added to the Outdoor Ambassadors email list. |
posted Dec 21, 2011 2:18 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors December 8-21, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Gramsh club below!
Happy Holidays and Gezuar Vitin e Ri from Ambasadoret e Natyrës! News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Peace Corps Partnership Grant is Completely Funded! A big thank you to all who contributed! We reached our funding goal last week, and will be able to hold our upcoming youth leadership training in February as planned. Club leaders, stay tuned for details about when and where the training will be held.
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Astronomy Activities - It's winter and the nights are long. Try getting your club together after dark on a clear night for some stargazing! Find downloadable star charts here.
Club Update - Gramsh
Club Name: OA - Gramshi
Club mission or theme: Environmental stewardship through leadership, volunteerism, and great outdoor adventures.
Nr. of members: About 12 regulars
Recent activity: This summer we said Good-Bye to many of or senior members with a camping trip to Lake Dushkut. We played some football and tried to find constellations in the night sky. Below is a picture of our group on the way back to Gramsh. ~ Thanks to Kim Lancaster for this great update ! ~ Contact Laura at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if you know someone who would like to be added to the Outdoor Ambassadors email list. |
posted Dec 7, 2011 2:03 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors November 24 - December 7, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Koplik club below!
News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Peace Corps Partnership Grant - We need your help! The Outdoor Ambassadors Committee is currently organizing and seeking support for its third annual youth Leadership Training, to be held in February 2012. The training will bring together 30 students from across the country to participate in a 3-day conference to network with environmental experts and community leaders and participate in a project design and management workshop. By the end of the training, participants will have identified their community needs and designed a small project which they can implement upon their return home.
To fund this great opportunity for club youth members, Outdoor Ambassadors has been selected to take part in the Peace Corps Partnership grant program. Currently, support for the Leadership Training can be given online via the Peace Corps Partnership Program's website. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about this project or last year's training, please visit the OA website. As always, we appreciate your support!
Please help support this cause by spreading the word to your friends and family!
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Encyclopedia of Life - Have a question about a local plant or animal species? Share the Encyclopedia of Life(http://eol.org/) with your club. It's a great resource for all things biodiversity. Includes a wealth of links to external resources on conservation and biodiversity topics as well as activity ideas.
EPA Youth Community Service Resources - Contemplating a community service project with your club? Want more information on potential projects? Check out the Environmental Protection Agency's list of community service resources for youth here. Though most examples are from the USA, it's a good place to start if you're looking for ideas (specifically on water monitoring and waste reduction). In particular, the Volunteer for a Change booklet is full of advice and inspiring examples for young environmental volunteers.
Free Films...Just for Fun - Check out the Snag Films website for all kinds of free online documentary films (from National Geographic, PBS, etc.) organized by subject matter and grade level appropriateness. If you don't have an idea for a club meeting and aren't one of the volunteers who has the entire Planet Earth series on their flash drive, showing a Snag science film might be a fun activity!
US Global Change Research Network Lesson Plans - Check out this online database for a wealth of ideas. Includes lessons on a variety of climate change issues, emphasizing how they affect industry, tourism, resource availability and daily life around the world.
Opportunities for Clubs:
Create a Website for your Group! - The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of your OA group. Check out the club pages online at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Every existing club has a page, and you can fill it with updates on your activities. Contact Laura Hammett or Brenna Mickey for more information on how to edit your page.
Alternatively, if you're feeling more mainstream....try creating a Facebook Page for your group. This is a great way to post pictures, plan events and stay in touch with members.
Club Update - Koplik
Club Name: Outdoor Ambassadors Koplik - Malësi e Madhe
Club Theme: Striving to protect the natural beauty of Malësi e Madhe through environmental education, activation, and preservation. Nr. of members: 45 (We have two separate groups; one in the morning with 15 members and one in the afternoon with 30 members) Summary of recent events and/or upcoming and planned events: Woohoo! Koplik has an OA club! After an exciting introductory meeting, using the new promotional video and a bilingual PowerPoint presentation that featured information from the OA Handbook, we have established our target group and we have gone to work! During the first few meetings, each group completed a community assessment, followed by discussions on the state of the local environment. This gave the students a chance to think about Koplik in a different way and identify issues/concerns of importance. We have done several fun ice-breaker activities that have allowed the students to get to know us and each other, which will lay the foundation for successful group collaboration in the future. We all had a great time! Last week we initiated discussion on one of the 9 Environmental Topics - Waste Management - and to highlight the importance of waste reduction, we organized a "No-Sew Recycled T-shirt Bag" activity. This was inspired by the success of the OA group in Çorovodë! We are currently holding meetings 2 times per week on Wednesdays. This week we have an excursion planned during which we will take a walk down to Lake Shkodra (about 30 minutes from the center of town). We plan to continue our discussion on Waste Management, and identify the ways in which the local flora and fauna are impacted due to human activity. Thanks to our friend Diti for helping out with the meetings and activities! Check us out on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outdoor-Ambassadors-Koplik/179966658750482?sk=wall
~ Thanks to Meagen and John Sassman for this great update ! ~ Contact Laura at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if you know someone who would like to be added to the Outdoor Ambassadors email list. |
posted Nov 23, 2011 2:48 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors November 10 - 23, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Rreshen club below!
News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Peace Corps Partnership Grant - We need your help! The Outdoor Ambassadors Committee is currently organizing and seeking support for its third annual youth Leadership Training, to be held in February 2012. The training will bring together 30 students from across the country to participate in a 3-day conference to network with environmental experts and community leaders and participate in a project design and management workshop. By the end of the training, participants will have identified their community needs and designed a small project which they can implement upon their return home.
To fund this great opportunity for club youth members, Outdoor Ambassadors has been selected to take part in the Peace Corps Partnership grant program. Currently, support for the Leadership Training can be given online via the Peace Corps Partnership Program's website. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about this project or last year's training, please visit the OA website. As always, we appreciate your support!
Please help support this cause by spreading the word to your friends and family!
OA Promotional Video! - Thanks to the Sassmans and Brenna Mickey (and many club leaders who submitted student interviews and photos), there is now an OA promotional video online. This is only the first of several that may be made from the wealth of footage we received. Thanks to all who participated!
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Community/Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items found in your community for students to "collect" in teams. Your list can be organized by type (collect things that fall into categories such as spiky, blue, strong, edible, pollutants, etc.) or can be more specific. Debrief by discussing what students found/had trouble finding/didn't find at all. What does this show about the health of the community and its natural environment?
1 Meter "Hike" - This activity encourages increased awareness and perception of your environment by taking a closer, detailed look. If you have good weather one day soon, it's a good variation on Students should each be given a piece of string/rope 1 meter in length. In a natural area or park, each student places their string on the ground and carefully explores the area that stretches along its length. Things to look for include: signs of animals, birds or insects; distinctive characteristics of any plant along the trail; textures of soil or sand; colors, patterns, etc.; evidence of human interaction with the environment. Students can record their findings and share them with other members of the group. A variation of this activity is to create a square with the string and examine the area inside. [Adapted from Sanborn and Rundle's 101 Nature Activities for Kids]
US Global Change Research Network Lesson Plans - Check out this online database for a wealth of ideas. Includes lessons on a variety of climate change issues, emphasizing how they affect industry, tourism, resource availability and daily life around the world.
Opportunities for Clubs:
Get together with a neighboring club - Clubs all over the country are holding regional activities. If you are at a loss for what to do in the winter months, consider contacting a neighboring club leader and organizing something with your students together!
Create a Website for your Group! - The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of yourOA group. Check out the club pages online at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Every existing club has a page, and you can fill it with updates on your activities. Contact Laura Hammett or Brenna Mickey for more information on how to edit your page.
Alternatively, if you're feeling more mainstream....try creating a Facebook Page for your group. This is a great way to post pictures, plan events and stay in touch with members.
Club Update - Rreshen
Club Name: Outdoor Ambassadors Rreshen (we're working on something more catchy)
Club Theme: "Lindur Gati!" Number of Members: We're "facebook official" at 30 members
Recent and Upcoming Activities: We've done a few hikes and have been trying to get the logistics figured out with such a new group. Most recently we had elections and hosted a sort of mixer with the kids from Divjak that they had met during a camp last August. Our next project/activity is a hike to Rubik and building bird houses.
Some photos from our Fall hiking adventures:
~ Thanks to Zoe Bambery for this great update ! ~ Contact Laura at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if you know someone who would like to be added to the Outdoor Ambassadors email list.
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posted Nov 9, 2011 1:03 AM by Casey Loving
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updated Nov 9, 2011 1:07 AM
]
Ambasadoret e Natyrës Outdoor Ambassadors
October 27 - November 9, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Shkodra club below!
News & Updates
OA Promotional Video!
- Thanks to the Sassmans and Brenna Mickey (and many club leaders who
submitted student interviews and photos), there is now an OA promotional
video online. This is only the first of several that may be made from the wealth of footage we received. Thanks to all who participated!
Outdoor Ambassadors Peace Corps Partnership Grant - The
Outdoor Ambassadors Committee is currently organizing and seeking
support for its third annual youth Leadership Training, to be held in
February 2012. The training will bring together 30 students from across
the country to participate in a 3-day conference to network with
environmental experts and community leaders and participate in a project
design and management workshop. By the end of the training,
participants will have identified their community needs and designed a
small project which they can implement upon their return home.
To fund this great opportunity for club youth members, Outdoor Ambassadors has
been selected to take part in the Peace Corps Partnership grant program.
Currently, support for the Leadership Training can be given online via
the Peace Corps Partnership Program's website. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about this project or last year's training, please visit the OA website. As always, we appreciate your support!
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
Build a Bottle Bird House: Give
the birds something to look forward to this winter. Bottles are easy to
come by, and if you don't have a drill, you can still do the activity
using an awl or knife (make sure to be safe!). See: http://www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com/soda-bottle-bird-feeder.html
Erosion, Flooding and the Environment
- Get your students involved in a discussion about all the recent
flooding in Italy (and past years' floods in Albania) and its impact on
the local environment. You can read up on current articles about the
flooding online and explore what causes flooding by discussing erosion,
talking about climate change, etc. - see this lesson plan for more ideas.
US Global Change Research Network Lesson Plans - Check out this online
database for a wealth of ideas. Includes lessons on a variety of
climate change issues, emphasizing how they affect industry, tourism,
resource availability and daily life around the world.
Opportunities for Clubs:
Get together with a neighboring club - Clubs
all over the country are holding regional activities. If you are at a
loss for what to do in the winter months, consider contacting a
neighboring club leader and organizing something with your students
together!
Create a Website for your Group! -
The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of
your OA group. Check out the examples of the Peshkopi, Kukes and Fier (and now Corovode!)
clubs online
at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Get in touch with Laura Hammett at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if
you or students in your club are interested in setting up one of your own!
Alternatively, if you're feeling more mainstream....try creating a Facebook Page for your group. This is a great way to post pictures, plan events and stay in touch with members.
Club Update - Shkodra
Group Name: Outdoor Ambassadors Shkodra
Number of members: We're little but mighty with 2 charismatic youth leaders.
What have we been up to?
We started off the school year with a "Picnic in the Park" where we
shared American goodies, talked about our goals for the school year and
played frisbee. The students are trying to get more involved in the
community so we are focused on local volunteerism and recruiting and
promoting OA within two schools in Shkodra. We are also excited for the
opportunity to help new clubs start-up in the northern region, Vau
Dejes and Koplik. The students are currently working on a brochure and
short video to show classes in Shkodra. In the short term we plan to: - Build a stronger member base
- Support the new start-up clubs in the north
- Create media to support public knowledge of local environmental issues
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Have two recruitment/fundraisers within the next six months
- Last but not least, HAVE FUN!
A photo from our day in the park:
~ Thanks to Tiffany Priest for this great update ! ~
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posted Oct 26, 2011 6:33 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës
Outdoor Ambassadors
October 13 - 26, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Pogradec club below!
News & Updates
Outdoor Ambassadors Peace Corps Partnership Grant - The
Outdoor Ambassadors Committee is currently organizing and seeking
support for its third annual youth Leadership Training, to be held in
February 2012. The training will bring together 30 students from across
the country to participate in a 3-day conference to network with
environmental experts and community leaders and participate in a project
design and management workshop. By the end of the training,
participants will have identified their community needs and designed a
small project which they can implement upon their return home.
To fund this great opportunity for club youth members, Outdoor Ambassadors has
been selected to take part in the Peace Corps Partnership grant program.
Currently, support for the Leadership Training can be given online via
the Peace Corps Partnership Program's website. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about this project or last year's training, please visit the OA website. As always, we appreciate your support!
Activity Ideas & Resources
Resources for lesson planning:
All Hands On Earth from the Nature Conservancy - This new web campaign
from TNC has a selection of small but effective project ideas for easy
things to do to help the environment and your community.
Opportunities for Clubs:
Create a Website for your Group! -
The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of
your OA group. Check out the examples of the Peshkopi, Kukes and Fier (and now Corovode!)
clubs online
at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Get in touch with Laura Hammett at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if
you or students in your club are interested in setting up one of your own!
Alternatively, if you're feeling more mainstream....try creating a Facebook Page for your group. This is a great way to post pictures, plan events and stay in touch with members.
Club Update - Pogradec
Group Name: Të Gjelbërit (The Greenz)
Nr. of members: 17
Club mission or theme: Jeto Jeshil (Live Green)
Summary
of recent, past and/or upcoming events: Most recently we made bags out
of t-shirts and played American football. I also took a group of them
up to Shkoder to participate in an ultimate frisbee exhibition. The
next activity we plan on doing is doing environmental lessons in the
9-Grade Schools.
See photos below from our frisbee competition, football fun and t-shirt bag making.
~ Thanks to Brad McDonald for this great update ! ~
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posted Oct 12, 2011 7:56 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës
Outdoor Ambassadors
September 29 - October 12, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Librazhd club below!
News & Updates
OA Video Promotion Project! - Club
members who are interested can provide a short video testimony in Shqip
or English about their experience with OA and create their OA legacy!
These video interviews will be filmed by club leaders (or members) and
used to create promotional materials for OA clubs and camps in the
future. Contact John Sassman at johnjsassman@aol.com for a list of interview questions, details on how to submit video materials and more information.
Activity Ideas & Resources
Project Ideas:
Wondering what in the world you can get up to in your community with OA? Here are a few ideas for fall projects:
- Hold a photo exhibit or poster competition in your community... - Host and environmental film night at your local Pallati Kultures... - Encourage citizens to think critically about the environment in your community by engaging them with a "wall of statements"
- a blank sheet or series of blank cards that people write on freely
based on a prompt and post publicly. This could be displayed in the
library or at a local event.
Resources for lesson planning:
Earthrise - For inspiration and a film to show your group check out Earthrise, Al Jazeera's new environmental channel featuring short films about positive initiatives worldwide.
Youth and Environment Europe - The YEE website has well organized tips about what YOU can do to help the state of the world environment that are geared towards youth.
Opportunities for Clubs:
Create a Website for your Group! -
The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of
your OA group. Check out the examples of the Peshkopi, Kukes and Fier (and now Corovode!)
clubs online
at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Get in touch with Laura Hammett at secretary@outdoorambassadors.org if
you or students in your club are interested in setting up one of your own!
Alternatively, if you're feeling more mainstream....try creating a Facebook Page for your group. This is a great way to post pictures, plan events and stay in touch with members!
Startup Club Update - Librazhd
Group Name: Outdoor Ambassadors Librazhd
Number of members: Currently recruiting, but as of now 17+
What have we been up to? We're just starting out, so we did a quick poll to see what kind of projects the members
would be interested in doing in the future. Some of them are: clean-ups for
neighborhoods and streams, environmental education, making a green space
at the high school, water-testing, and tree planting.
Currently we're getting help
from the students in making posters and informational materials for an upcoming project. It's an
event that will be held at the Saturday market with a focus on two
topics: Raising Awareness of the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park and
Environmental Protection.
~ Thanks to Alex Lee for this great update ! ~
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posted Oct 4, 2011 12:49 AM by Casey Loving
This week Outdoor Ambassadors received a Peace Corps Partnership grant to fund an upcoming training for youth from around Albania. Peace Corps Partnership is funded through online donations on the Peace Corps website - all of which are tax deductible.
The grant will fund a Youth Leadership Training that will enhance the capacity of 30 high school students in two areas: environmental education and project design and management. Similar to the 2010 Leadership Training, participatory sessions will be led by PCVs, representatives from local government as well as environmental experts. Upon learning about the environmental challenges facing Albania, participants will be challenged to identify the most pressing concerns in their community and to design projects that address these concerns. At the conclusion of the training, each club will have a project proposal outlined, with written goals and objectives, generated timelines and identified avenues for building community support for projects they will subsequently implement in their own communities.
Students working together on project design - Leadership Training, November 2010
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posted Sep 28, 2011 11:20 AM by Casey Loving
Ambasadoret e Natyrës
Outdoor Ambassadors
September 16-28, 2011
Don't miss the Club Update on the Corovode club below!
News & Updates
Congratulations to the new Outdoor Ambassadors Committee! The
following G14 PCVs have been selected to be the next OA Committee. They
will serve as "shadows" to the current committee before transitioning
to running all national level events themselves starting early next
year. Thanks to all who applied!
President: Ian Reynolds
Secretary: Casey Loving Treasurer: John Sassman Materials/Web Coordinator: Brenna Mickey
Training Coordinator: Emily Olson Camp Coordinator: Lenae Boykin
Activity Ideas & Resources
Lesson Planning Ideas:
Plant Material Packaging: Thanks
to Libby Horwitz for the attached lesson plan! It details an activity
that encourages students to question why packaging exists in the forms
that it does, what happens to it after you throw it away and what
alternatives may exist. Also attached is a file with several images you
can use as examples during the lesson.
Opportunities for Club Members:
EarthCorps International Corpsmember Opportunity (opportunity in the USA) -
For non-US citizens who have finished university, this EarthCorps
international programs provide a 6-month service learning experience for
emerging environmental leaders to develop skills in environmental
service, community building and leadership in the US.
For more information and to apply, see
http://www.earthcorps.org/hiring.php?articleId=497
Create a Website for your Group! -
The OA website has space to host a page highlighting the activities of
your OA group. Check out the examples of the Peshkopi, Kukes and Fier (and now Corovode!)
clubs online
at www.outdoorambassadors.org . Get in touch with Laura Hammett atsecretary@outdoorambassadors.org if
you or students in your club are interested in setting up one of your own!
Club Update - Corovode
Group Name: Outdoor Ambassadors of Çorovodë
Number of members: Currently 25+ What have we been up to? We
recently made our own reusable bags out of old t-shirts using the
design included in a previous OA Update email (can be found at http://www.leethal.net/zine/?p=1344 )
AND - to celebrate September as Yoga month, we have also started to do
Yoga in the afternoons! See photos below for a glimpse at the fun!
~ Thanks to Lauren Burke for this great update ! ~
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