Out in Nature-- From Matt to Harrison

  

So I had a hard time coming up with a service to do on Harrison’s behalf.  I was originally going to sing with the ward choir since Harrison is so musically inclined.  I soon realized that this would be such a disservice to the members of my ward it would cancel out any good in Harrison’s name.  

The next idea has been only partially implemented and I blame Amber.  If she had given me this great idea before there was snow on the ground in December, I would have been able to finish it out.  One of my favorite things about Harrison’s instagram posts has been his newfound love of nature, hiking, and the outdoors.  I had always remembered him as the kid who went on campouts and reunions only to sit in an air-conditioned camper and drive around in Harry’s golf cart.  My service this year was to donate on Harrison’s behalf to the Sawtooth Society (a group that organizes and funds preservation, trail repair and maintaining the wilderness in pristine condition).  

                To let you know a little about the Sawtooths, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) comprises 756,000 acres of public and private land in central Idaho. The size of Rhode Island, the SNRA contains 50 snowcapped peaks exceeding 10,000 feet, 500 alpine lakes, lush meadows, countless species of wildlife, and treasures from our pioneer heritage. The spectacular beauty and varied world-class recreational opportunities are arguably unmatched anywhere in the world.

I would have liked to have gone up and worked on maintaining and repairing hiking trails in the Sawtooth National Forest with the group, but they can’t get back into the wilderness until Spring.  As an alternative for my service, I supported the land and helped some Young Men for High Adventure by spending four days backpacking 30 miles through the Sawtooths.  It was beautiful.  The only area I have visited that is more impressive is Yosemite. I thought that supporting them would be right up Harrison’s alley and hopefully he and I could and we could hike together someday.  I would like one day to get some of the guys and girls from the family up there to see it too. Schultz family backpacking trip anyone?