Michael Kuba
In the summer of 2007, I volunteered at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Sausalito, California. When I first got there I didn’t really know what to expect, and I was constantly worrying about whether I’d make friends with the other volunteers or not. My anxiety was soon put aside because I felt very welcomed by my friendly and enthusiastic team leaders. They set a positive and energetic tone immediately for all of us on the team so that we all very quickly began to bond and look forward to our weeks ahead. After the first day I was glad I had come.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is an awesome site. It is the largest urban national park in the United States, and it is vast with abundant natural beauty, sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge, and San Francisco. After seeing all of this throughout my time there I felt so lucky that we got the chance to work in that area. I will always remember my site because while we were working we got an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean.

We worked right by the coast in an area called the Tennessee Valley. Our specific job was to renovate the Tennessee Valley Trail so it wouldn’t flood when it rains. Our work consisted of carrying heavy logs, moving dirt, pounding rebar into the ground, shoveling gravel, and clearing weeds from the sides of the trail. We created turnpikes to elevate the trail so it wouldn’t flood when it rains. This was all meant to keep hikers on the trail instead of walking around it in case it flooded. By walking around the trail many people don’t realize that they are harming the surrounding natural habitat. The work was challenging, but it was also fun because every day I grew closer and closer to the people I was working with. We also went to Alcatraz Island to help restore historical gardens that had begun to wither away.

Aside from all the work, our group leaders also took us into Sausalito, San Francisco, Muir Woods, and Stinson Beach. We even got to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge on a beautifully clear evening. The two weeks I spent with Landmark Volunteers has been the best experience of my life. I met people my age from all around the country and formed friendships with many of them that will never be broken. I have much more confidence in myself now in many aspects of my life, and I have also matured a great deal. I wouldn’t trade my experience with Landmark Volunteers for anything else in the world, and I hope I can do something like it again some day.

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