Our time on Lopez Island has passed, giving me time to reflect on this magical little island. Being camp hosts at Spencer Spit State Park for the past six weeks gave us time to get to know the island at a leisurely pace. This is unlike what many of us are faced with when we pull into a new destination, having only a few days or a week to explore, and a list a page long of all we want to see.
Volunteering has given us that luxury, for which we are grateful. For us it is not just about having more leisure time to explore or getting a free site in exchange for work, although that is pretty sweet. It is important for us to give back in some way while on the road, as we feel so blessed to have the time and resources to travel this beautiful country of ours. Lopez Island has been a wonderful place to give back, and staff and park visitors alike often expressed their appreciation for the work we did.
As I perused photos capturing the wonderful memories we made on Lopez, I felt compelled to write this short post. Time and again we saw how one couple touched lives here on the island, both with the locals and park visitors alike. That couple was Laurel and Eric, two people who we are pleased to call our friends.
Laurel and Eric acted as the park’s Interpretive Hosts, planning and facilitating the Junior Ranger Program and a program they developed called Coffee with the Birds, geared towards adults. For those who have seen a child being sworn in as a Junior Ranger or watched as they ran around a park completing their workbooks, you know what a heartwarming experience it is. They are fully engaged, serious about their assignment.
As I watched Laurel and Eric conducting their weekly programs, pure delight is what I saw on the faces. These two touched lives each time they gathered visitors together around the tables.
And we saw first-hand the connection they’ve made with the local community as well, when we sat in on some of the jam sessions they had with other musicians on the island. They have touched many lives, ours as well. We are so grateful our paths have crossed.
Paint Your Landscape 
What a lovely post. I hope we get to meet Eric and Laurel one day.
Thanks! I hope you do too. They are a lovely couple.
What a wonderful tribute to Laurel and Eric. Sounds like you found some true friends.
I have so enjoyed following your post of your volunteering. What a gorgeous area.
Thanks Marsha. We feel blessed to have met Laurel and Eric. One day we hope to meet you and Paul.
We are looking forward to that day also! Enjoy the adventure.
You too! 🙂
How nice that you got to spend so much time on the quaint island with two wonderful people:)
We feel fortunate for the time. And we would like to spend a little more time with the two of you. 🙂
We would really like that, too:)
We’re deeply touched by your lovely post, LuAnn. We definitely felt as though we had encountered kindred souls when we first met you and Terry in Anza Borrego last winter. And we consider ourselves very fortunate to have shared a Lopez summer with you. You guys are the perfect co-camphosts, as well as the most excellent friends and companions in our various island adventures. Here’s to many more shared adventures! Love, Laurel & Eric
We are so grateful for our time together this summer and so thankful that our paths have crossed. You two are the perfect Interp Hosts for Spencer Spit. They will certainly feel a loss when you two decide it is time to move on. Here’s to many more shared adventures! Love you guys!
Sounds like you had a splendid time there, LuAnn. Looks like everyone had lots of fun, especially the little ones. 🙂
The Junior Ranger program is such a great program for the little ones. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the wonderful time you had and beautiful people you met. Lovely post, LuAnn. 🙂
Thanks Amy!
A wonderful tribute to these two generous friends you have made. It sounds like a wonderful time.
The islands are really special, as are Laurel and Eric. 🙂
What a lovely tribute to good friends.
Thanks Lisa!
What a lovely tribute, LuAnn. It sounds like you found another slice of paradise once again. 🙂 Happy travels, Terri
Yes we did Terri. Seems there are lots of them in this beautiful country we live in.
Im blessed to have met Laurel and Eric, they are wonderful people and really good birders. I hope to meet them again down the road.
I know they feel likewise about the two of you. 🙂