My first deployment is…
I don’t even know where to begin. This week started off terrible but slowly turned itself around. Monday was a much needed and well deserved day off! Tuesday the members were assigned to their specialty roles which is something they have been looking forward to since their arrival to campus. The specialty roles consist of the following: VST (Vehicle Safety and Tools representative), CRR (Community Relations Representative), SLI (Service Learning Initiator), HAWC (Health And Wellness Coordinator), LAA (Life After AmeriCorps) and the ATL (Assistant Team Leader). I have loved watching my team find their niche and I look forward to leading them as they thrive this year!
My team went from 6 to 5 members due to a member being dismissed. Tuesday night I collected all of their equipment and let them know that the next morning at 7:15am they would have their room check and we would leave for the airport around 7:30am. After a restless night of sleep, I woke up Wednesday morning and was ready to get this member out of here and to the airport. Little did I know the morning was about to be straight out of a horror film. I was knocking on their door for 20 minutes before realizing that the door was unlocked. I hesitated briefly - very briefly - before opening the door and guess what I found? AN EMPTY ROOM. Of course my first instinct was to call the member but the calls were not going through. Then after sending many texts, I realized the texts were not delivering. The ex members phone was either off or dead. That is when we all started to panic and freak out. After watching security cameras, we became aware that they RAN AWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!! We did not hear from them until 2pm and to sum up that phone call… they ran away, missed their flight, and planned on staying with a friend in California until further notice. After my team and I had a chance to process, we were thankful that this ex member was okay but angry for what they did and that is when they got the nickname… THE RUNNER. While this was one of the scariest most stressful days of my life, I am thankful that it brought my team closer and now we really feel like a family that can lean on one another for support!
Okay now for the part you have probably been waiting for since you read the title of this post! We got our deployments and…. JADE 4 IS HEADED TO FEMA HQ IN WASHINGTON D.C.!! We will be working on a project with the Office of External Affairs and we are so dang excited! Now for the crazy part… we have 6 days to get from Sacramento, CA to Washington D.C in our 15P van and guess who planned the road trip?? ME! As of an hour ago I have an outline of our travel plan and let me just say, it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait to share our route and what we will be seeing along the way with everyone once it is finalized later this week!
If you take one thing away from this weeks post I want it to be this: YOU can do hard things. Even when you don’t think you can, you can! I believe in you and I’m cheering you on!
Rose: finding out our first deployment location and project!
Bud: I’m so excited for FEMA basic academy next week! Also, my cousin is picking my boyfriend and I up from campus and taking us back to her house for Labor Day weekend! I am looking forward to some much needed family time!
Thorn: the lack of sleep I have been getting… I look and feel like a zombie! Thankfully I’ll get to sleep in one morning this week so I will be cherishing those extra few hours!!
I’m so thankful for everyone who is following along as I grow as a person and a leader over the course of this year!
xo, L