After a long week of classes and work, I love to finally de-stress
on the weekends by getting off campus either by doing service or going on adventures
with my dear UD friends. The Midwestern Outdoor Experience, MOX, was the
greatest event I was a part of this semester; one which let me both volunteer
and get outdoors. It was an event sponsored by the Five Rivers Metroparks which
promoted outdoor recreation. Involved was everything from snowboarding, to
yoga, dog competitions, camping and of course kayaking. I attended the event to
help teach people to kayaks and to speak at our beloved river mobile.
I loved the event
because I appreciated seeing so many people enjoying the great outdoors and
participating in a healthy, active lifestyle. The River Steward Institute
focuses on creating awareness about the rivers and the environment to the Dayton
area, but this event was so much more than that. 20,000 people attended this
event from all the major cities ranging from Cincinnati to Indianapolis and Louisville The
fact that so many people with shared interests came together for one event put
into perspective how grand our efforts could be and how many people we can
reach.
To begin the day I watched happy families fill up kayaks and
play-around on the river, as I helped people get in and off the docks and
taught first timers the proper kayaking techniques. Sharing a passion of
mine with these eager folks was a great start to such a beautiful Saturday.
Then I walked over to our brightly colored River Mobile. Talking
at MOX was different than giving tours at schools because I got to talk to adults
as well as children. I loved talking to everyone, no matter their age, but
while doing so I realized what a difference in knowledge there is. I liked
meeting people who really knew a lot about conservation and the dams because we
would have deeper conversations. But just as much as I liked those, I also found
it rewarding to talk to people who weren’t as informed. I felt like through
talking to those who came through the mobile I was giving a voice to the river
and water we so heavily rely on.
MOX was a wonderful, fun, and educational event; and to
anyone who finds themselves still reading this, I would highly recommend you go
out and explore it next year.
See you there
Léa
