By Sam Spence, SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps Member
Sub-Zero temperatures. Icy walkways. Snow constantly getting dumped from the sky. These are all things that corps members experience during their stay in Hawley MA. The fashion here is heavy coats, hats, gloves and boots. How can any sane person survive living in the cold Western Massachusetts winters? The answer is that we have to go a little crazy ourselves.
In between snow storms you will find the inhabitants of Hawley MA running around on the frozen lake. Yoga on the lake has become a favorite, yet challenging, pastime for some members. Corps members have been seen getting in viscous snow wars, epic snow battles where regardless of the outcome everyone ends up inside to enjoy some hot drinks.
When the weather gets more adverse we have to find other ways to pass the time. It is not unusual to walk into the kitchen and find a game of Catan happening. It is common to see games of Chess, Scrabble, or other games being played, arguing over rules and trying to forget the stress of service. Games are a great way to pull our community together and get through the tough winters cold.
Though the winters can be difficult it is also an exciting time. Hiking the trails can give a totally different perspective on what the local habitats look like, the snow has this ability to make the bare trees look full and sparkling in the sunlight. Taking advantage of the season and taking a moment to look around can make the cold almost seem worth it.
Want to serve public lands in Massachusetts? Learn more about SCA’s Massachusetts AmeriCorps program.