First AmeriCorps Group Project at Ocean Beach with SF Surfrider

Every few weeks, our NHC-SF AmeriCorps members will blog about their 2019-2020 year of service. NHC members will gain invaluable experience while supporting the health care safety net by serving at host sites such as community health centers and Department of Public Health sites to provide health education and care to vulnerable and underserved SF residents.

Last Sunday, we had our first group project at Ocean Beach with SF Surfrider.  We were supposed to have a beach cleanup last month at Baker Beach, but it was canceled due to high winds.  Thankfully, the weather was nice on Sunday, so the event finally happened.  We arrived at 10am and signed in before grabbing bags and gloves.  Hand sanitizer and sunscreen were also provided.  I was expecting only our group to be there for the cleanup, but surprisingly many people from various organizations were present.

While spending a Sunday morning doing a beach cleanup doesn’t sound like the most exciting thing in the world, it wasn’t half as bad as it sounds.  The beach wasn’t very dirty to begin with, since these beach cleanups happen often, so some of us went to the farther end of the beach during our time there.  Lots of people brought their dogs and were having a fun, relaxing time.  All in all, it was a positive vibe with plenty of sunshine and calm ocean water with a slight breeze later on, nothing like the typical chilly, foggy San Francisco weather the day before.

We have one Saturday (or Sunday) group project every month, and if we were to do this again, I wouldn’t mind.  It does get canceled if it rains or gets too windy, so the weather has to cooperate.  I had a great time and enjoyed getting outside at the beach, which I don’t go to very often.  Getting together with all of the AmeriCorps members is always nice, since most of us serve at different host sites and only see each other at the member meetings that occur twice a month.  These group service projects definitely serve as another opportunity for us to bond.