We are zonked and still all smiles after an AMAZING second day on GIVE WEST! After davening and breakfast, we headed out for our first West Coast adventure. Upon boarding the bus, we finally met Carlos Rios, our bus driver who will be with us for the entire summer.
First stop: Grand Canyon! The ride was long, but we kept the fun rolling with “Story Time”, snacks, and GIVE WEST cheering. While riding, we also introduced a new daily learning initiative in the spirit of the Three Weeks. Each day, a staff member will lead us in reading a passage from the book Chofetz Chaim: A Lesson A Day about guarding our tongues and demonstrating Ahavat Yisrael. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, we were greeted by five amazing guides who took us on a hike around the Southern Rim of the canyon. We learned all about the site as we explored: length, depth, rock formation, wildlife, and more. How crazy to be staring in person at one of the Seven Wonders of the World?! The views were like a postcard and we captured lots of breathtaking photos. Before leaving, we gathered together one last time around the stunning canyon and recited the bracha “oseh maaseh bereishit”, recognizing the G-dliness in the nature around us. On the way back to the hotel, we made a quick shopping stop at WalMart and davened mincha outside as the sun set before us. What a day! We closed off the night with dinner, a spark of Torah from director Leah Moskovich, and a hilarious and competitive night activity of “Minute to Win It” led by programming coordinator Sarah Lederer with help from our amazing advisors.
What a day! We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings on GIVE WEST 2015.