Page 17 - summer 2019

16 Friends oF red rock canyon Friends oF red rock canyon 17

The Friends’ photographer now has given Zyniah youths that eventually attend college, enter the mili-
the same camera that opened her eyes to Red Rock tary and even join the police department.
with confidence she can do just that with her life.
But, to reach such heights, it takes a combination
The inaugural year of Outdoor Adventures raced of experiences like Outdoor Adventures and mentors
by so rapidly – capped by a celebration in May at willing to contribute their experience and compas-
a Friends’ membership meeting – that it is hard to sion.
imagine how its origin was so serendipitous.
It’s why Friends will renew Outdoor Adventures
By Glenn Ritt “A sergeant in the Community Engagement office for another year, along with the Summerlin Rotary,
was walking by the open door of REI’s conference which contributed another $1,000 to help subsidize
room when he overheard the Friends’ board discuss- hiking shoes and other equipment. REI has also
ing ways to work more closely with youth,” recounts joined in the partnership through a $5,000 grant to
s they ascended the calico cliffs, the dozen “By engaging with youth in our community, it former board member Rob Tuvell. “He waited until Friends to expand and enhance the program.
Ateenagers felt a range of emotions – excite- develops a trusting relationship. We can help kids we were leaving to introduce himself and suggest the
ment, awe, trepidation, even fear. “I don’t think I can make better choices to stay out of trouble and reduce police department and Friends might work together, “Interacting with natural environments allows
do this,” one said to another. “Sure, you can,” her juvenile crime,” explains Officer Glen Taylor, who inviting the board to visit him and his colleagues children to learn by doing and experimenting with
friend responded. Two hours later, no one wanted to supervised the Outdoor Adventures program along- at the central police department offices near where ideas,” said Taylor. “Nature enhances a sense of
leave their perch high above the canyon after labori- side Friends. many of the eventual Outdoor Adventures teens live peace, and often brings out nurturing qualities in
ously removing graffiti that had around Martin Luther King Boulevard.” children. Often, when involved in nature, even bois-
scarred the multi-hued rocks. “One way we succeed more often than not is by terous, active children may slow down and learn to
establishing community-wide relationships with pri- Soon, with the financial focus on being gentle.”
“Isn’t there more graffiti?” a vate and public sector partners,” he explained. “It’s support of the Summer-
student asked Tom Lisby, one of not only about reaching these kids before they make lin Rotary Club, the 12 Zion epitomized
their escorts on this next-to-last the wrong choices, but equally to open up avenues of selected teens were at REI gentleness. He would
Outdoor Adventure. opportunity they might not imagine are possible.” being fitted for hiking boots often lag behind his
– part of a full set of equip- colleagues and observe
Before this crystal-clear From the very first hike in early fall of 2018, ment, from hiking gear to them, along with all the
spring Saturday, the only graffiti Zyniah took charge with her huge smile and outward water bottles, provided by beauty around him. At
these teenagers had ever seen personality. Halfway along the trek, she approached Friends. the end of the graffiti-
was the kind scarring buildings one Friend’s member who had volunteered to chron- removing expedition,
and walls in their inner-city icle the year through photography. “Can I have your Taylor, a 24-year police veteran, has lived in Las Friends’ member Pat
neighborhoods. There, if they looked to the west, camera?” she asked. “Do you know anything about Vegas for 48 years. “We are personally invested and Williams arrived at
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
they might see Red Rock Canyon. Now, photography?” “I like it,” she responded committed to these young men and women, along the Red Springs picnic
the rocks would forever form memories with innocent confidence. with hundreds,” he said. “We see the results of our area with lunch which
and so much more – beauty never before work and the impact it has on their families, who included hot soup.
encountered, empowerment through team- It was an expensive camera, and are more inclined to trust law enforcement in their
work, friendships forged by hard work. the moment represented a test for this community. Before this year, these teens probably As the group was ready to leave, he was a bit
Friend’s member - one that would bond never saw a cactus up close. They never encountered beside himself. “Where is the woman who brought
These dozen kids were selected by the the two and offer life lessons even for the kind of quiet they experienced along the trail,” he the soup?” he asked. “I don’t see her. I need to thank
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Depart- someone who had experienced five de- observed. her. That was the best soup I ever had.”
ment for the inaugural Outdoor Adven- cades more of life than had Zyniah. After
tures program because they stood out a five-minute tutorial, Zyniah now was Taylor measures success of the department’s Com- “Yes, it was,” one of the Friends member agreed.
among their peers for their potential and the official, albeit only, photographer on munity Engagement office by the number of at-risk
sensitivity. To a person, they exuded wide- the hike and beyond.
eyed wonder and infectious smiles. All of the teens
are part of the department’s Office of Community Her photos that day and
Engagement.. for subsequent Saturdays
displayed an intimacy and
They never stopped thanking the Friends of Red perspective that only she
Rock Canyon volunteers who escorted them along could have introduced.
Saturday morning hikes, canyon cleanups and graf- They were shot within,
fiti removal expeditions – all sandwiched between not outside, the tight-knit
breakfasts and lunches. group. She induced candor
and comfort as a peer. Her
As Friends got to know each teen better and better photos displayed child-like
through successive adventures at Red Rock Canyon, wonder. “Maybe one day I
it was increasingly difficult to imagine that each one can be a photographer,” she
stands on a more challenging perch than a calico declared on the last adven-
cliff. ture of the year.

the Rock - Volume 9 Issue 4 Summer 2019