Redefining What Family Really Means
For many, when we think of the word “family”, a fairly conventional image comes to mind - two parents and children, living together. But through interacting with such a diverse, interconnected community over the last (nearly) thirty years, we’ve seen just how broad and inclusive the definition of family can really be. On this family day, we’d like to celebrate all the incredible individuals and families we have had the honour of connecting in nature with, and the larger Power To Be family that has emerged because of these connections. Whether you’re a big family, a couple, a solo parent family, or a chosen family filled with new and old friends, we are here for you. And we thank you for letting us into your life.
Last year, our Prospect Lake site was brimming with families. Our Family Roots program, celebrating its 18th year, immersed solo parent families into adventure and play, connecting participants to the natural world to strengthen family systems with the support of clinical counsellors and friends at Human Nature Counselling. Monthly Have A Go days saw families of all generations connecting through birding, fishing, canoeing, eating ice cream in the sunshine, and walks through our nature trails with exciting partners like the CRD and Rocky Point Bird Observatory.
We are grateful to be there for early morning parent drop offs through our site partners EPIC and Thriving Roots, and watch the kids frolicking around the outdoor play space, and learning and creating in the barn. Wilderness School families gathered together at the end of their cohorts and celebrated the incredible growth and adventure their children have enjoyed for two years, gaining impressive skills that allow them to venture into new landscapes.
Our alumni programs and Inclusive Adventure social nights reconnect friends and families from many years past, and facilitate the creation of new friendships. Through our Ferns and Salal programs, we not only see children connecting outside with our program staff, but witness the special relationships that form between parents and caregivers, connecting and supporting one another around shared experiences. And participants continue to join us with their chosen families, as well as create new family from the connections made on Power To Be programs.
As life ebbs and flows and support needs look different from year to year, we’re ready for you when you are - and we’ll be here waiting for you, your friends, and your family - whatever that may look like. We hope to be a constant throughout your lives, cheering you on from the sidelines and welcoming you with open arms when nature is calling you home.
When you support Power To Be, you are supporting families (and family) in every sense of the word. You help expand what the idea of family means, and remind us of the importance and power of community. And for that, we are grateful.
Thank you for being a part of the Power To Be family - whether you’re on Vancouver Island, the Mainland, or beyond - we look forward to another year filled with family, community, and nature.
