13 Nov Reno Staff Retreat and more planned meet ups

The National Partnership Office hosted a staff retreat in Reno, Nevada last month. It was great to not only speak to old friends and finally put faces to people, but also to walk around and enjoy Lake Tahoe. We started our trip with an excursion to the Lake Tahoe Meadows in Nevada to see the lands firsthand that the forest service is protecting. We then spent the majority of the week having speakers talk to us about their work and us performing team based trainings. What stuck with me the most was hearing from one of the organizations who do community outreach for poc kids and introduce them to national parks in their area. It struck me personally due to my past of growing up far away from any national forests. I never even thought about them until I had my own personal vehicle. It made the Reno staff retreat memorable.

Another staff retreat is being planned and this time I wont have to move around for it. Everyone will be coming in to the D.C area for the tree lighting. I don’t have to plan anything since I live here which works out great. Work has picked up as well. I have been in communication with the Arizona office and we are planning a on site training. This would have me gone for 9 days as I train with the Coconino staff. I am hoping something permanent comes from the site visit. I am also hoping that nothing bad comes up on November 17th. A government shutdown would halt everything.