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100 Acre Adventure

In typical Friday fashion, Forever-Fit took another excursion—this time to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Little did we know, we would not be spending the day among AC and art.

Team Building

The scavenger hunt began with a team-building activity—under a piece of art entitled “Team Building.” Coincidence?

The IMA, though home to several masterpieces, is also home to the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres—known for its woodlands, wetlands, and contemporary art. We already learned that our little group was not the most nature-loving crew from our trip to Eagle Creek, but everyone was in fairly good spirits when we arrived and ready to tackle the scavenger hunt that was organized for us—for the first 10 minutes at least.

You see, everyone anticipated going to the IMA, so no one took the necessary pre-hike bathroom break. We made it to our first task of the scavenger hunt and already a handful of campers had said they “gotta go.” Since I, too, anticipated the small conveniences that come with being indoors for an afternoon, I gladly volunteered to take them to the visitor’s center, about a half-mile in the opposite direction of where the rest of the camp was headed. This was my setup to eventually spend the entire trip with only three campers, of whom I will refer to as the Scarecrow, the Tin (Wo)Man, and the (not that) Cowardly Lion.

The Oz crew

Hiking along with the Oz crew.

When we were finished at the bathroom, we had to try our best to catch up to the rest of the group, but this meant high-tailing it through the hiking trails. We were definitely off to a rough start: the Scarecrow’s heavy steps caused her to trip over herself multiple times, the Tin Man’s carelessness made it hard to get her moving, and the Cowardly Lion’s inhibitions had her ask if every leaf we saw was poison ivy. I didn’t falter, and soon enough, the Scarecrow was marching alongside me as the Cowardly Lion pulled ahead to explore. The Tin Man told everyone to stop complaining and enjoy the beauty of nature for a second. Looks like they made it through their setbacks after all …

We never caught up to the rest of the camp on the trail, so I can’t say much for the other campers (or sadly show much in pictures). However, I can say that the Oz crew certainly earned their medals. They overcame their inner obstacles and kept up with my brisk strides. We made it around the perimeter of a 35-acre lake in possibly 20 minutes—a major feat for these campers who at the beginning of our hike couldn’t walk three steps before the “I’m tired” sigh began. They were able to look inside themselves and discover what was there all along: agility, esteem, and courage.

Although the Oz crew accomplished a lot that day, it was a welcome exit from 100 Acres. Because we all know, as much as we’ve grown in one day or one year, there’s no place like home.

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