Why does Power To Be matter? On the surface, this seems like an easy question. I can very quickly provide a list: We break down barriers to nature; we promote inclusion, and we foster community and belonging. But who does that matter to?
The beauty of Power To Be is the attitude of “we”. We are a collective of Participants, Volunteers, Staff, Donors, and Community Champions. We are all meaningful contributors to the essence of Power To Be. For me, Power To Be provides a platform to promote community; a space to share and care wholeheartedly about the earth, participants, colleagues, volunteers, and supporters. Each of us brings a unique perspective, experience, and story to the collective.
Because I cannot claim to speak for the collective “we”, an explanation of why Power To Be matters must include other voices. I reached out to a few of our Wilderness School Alumni to get a participant perspective. The youth who replied to my request did so almost immediately, with very little hesitation. Here is what they had to say:
“Power To Be matters because it gave me the possibility to experience outdoor skills and leadership, as well as [travel] to many beautiful places on Vancouver Island. Power To Be also brought me to meet such amazing leaders and friends by going on these trips.” – Dante
“Power To Be matters because it teaches you to believe in yourself !!” – Katie
“Power To Be matters because it gives you confidence in yourself that you never knew you had!” – Ryan
“Power To Be matters to me is because it allowed me to learn and explore more. If it wasn’t for Power To Be I probably wouldn’t be as happy as I am today knowing I was able to do it with an awesome team of people” – Eli
“Power To Be matters because it felt like I was part of another little family. I learned life skills that will never be forgotten” – Emily
“Power To Be matters because it gave me an appreciation for how beautiful the place I live is. Also it was a healthy escape from the adolescent issues that plagues many 14 and 15 year olds. It was by far one of the coolest experiences of my life! And I know how to tie a tarp now!” – Dave
During challenging times, memories of the experiences and the people we meet along the way help to anchor us to what matters. Our goal at Power To Be is to continue to provide connection, comfort, and support to our community. We will continue to do this through check-ins, and online activities such as guided meditations, new recipes, and funny videos. As one of our participants, Breyn, explained to me:
“Power To Be matters because it gives people the chance to be out in nature and explore their local surroundings, it also give people a community to be part of and in times like these, that might be the most important thing.” – Breyn
Join us, as we navigate this journey together, because community matters, nature matters, and Power To Be matters, now more than ever.
