The young women bounce over yet another wave in their large blue raft, guiding it over to the edge of the river near a large boulder. Their guide invites them to climb up higher and higher until they reach the top and are invited to jump down into the river.
Most of the young women show some trepidation, but Frantrina is fearless. She marches up to the edge and gazes down into the river below. Taking a deep breathe, she leaps off the edge, at first feeling terror, and then overwhelming joy.
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| The Adventure Club braves the rapids |
Frantrina is one of several young women who are a part of the reignited Adventure Club. Adventure Club allows the young women of AFG to experience the joys of nature through outdoor experiences. The Club was disbanded a few years ago due to a lack of funding, but thanks to generous donations from individuals to our fall appeal last year along with a grant from the Born & Raised Detroit Foundation (BARD), the club has been reformed.
So far, there have been two trips: A skiing trip this winter and a camping trip in Pennsyvania at the end of June. The most recent trip included rustic camping, ziplining, white water rafting, making s'mores, and more.
Jasmine and Frantrina were a part of both trips, and they glow as they recount their adventures. Jasmine loved white water rafting. "It really requires teamwork. I didn't think I would ever get to do that in my life," she grins. Prior to these trips, Jasmine had never experienced camping before.
Frantrina not only loved the activities, but the chance to get to sit back and enjoy nature. "It felt good to just sit there feeling relaxed, enjoying yourself, not really having to worry about anything," she recalls. She loved being able to stare at the night sky without the effects of light pollution. "The stars were so pretty," she remembers. "I just stay outside looking up at the sky forever!"
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| The Adventure Club takes on the ropes course |
While the young women become animated as they describe their adventures, they are equally enthusiastic when talking about the bond they gained as a group. When Jasmine is asked to recall her favorite trip experience, she immediately replies, "Trusting my team. I cried on the zipline, and they helped me get across and let me know everything was OK."
Frantrina shares Jasmine's sentiments. "We learned how to work together to get things done faster," she explains. "We learned support. We cheered each other on."
