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Students spend Break at ARK
They're not in Kansas anymore
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER
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| STAFF PHOTO BY PHIL REYNOLDS Hard at play Youngsters from the Central Community Church in Wichita, Kan., cluster around the bird cage at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) at The UT-Austin Marine Science Institute as they help ARK director Tony Amos capture birds before cleaning out the cage. The group of 16, ages 11-16, spent much of their Spring Break weekend helping Amos get some postponed tasks done at the ARK. For many, the weekend was their first glimpse of saltwater. |
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For many, it was their first glimpse of salt water. The 16 youngsters from Central Community Church in Wichita, Kan., were in Port Aransas for Spring Break, but it wasn't the kind of Spring Break most students are spending here.
"We decided back in October that we were coming to Port Aransas for a Spring Break trip," said Candy Bergman, who was in charge of the group. "We got in touch with the city to ask if there was anything we could do, and they got in touch with Richard Safford (pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Port Aransas) and he e-mailed us."
What the kids - aged 11 through 16 - ended up doing was working for Tony Amos at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep at The UT-Austin Marine Science Center.
They mucked the algae out of the pelican tanks at the ARK.
They took down the plywood and canvas erected during the winter to keep cold breezes out of the turtle tanks.
They power-washed the "gulleria," the cage used to protect injured birds.
They transferred birds to the ARK's "bird house" to clear the way for other tasks.
They power-washed the patio beneath the turtle house.
They cleaned some of the items Amos will offer for auction in the upcoming Spring for the ARK fundraiser.
"We arrived here Saturday evening," Bergman said. It was a 13-hour drive from Wichita, including times to stop and eat and "some time when I got lost in Port Aransas," she said.
Are the kids unhappy because they spent so much time working?
"They're really excited," Bergman said. "They're seeing marine animals - we don't get to see them at home. They love it."
Besides, not all the time was spent working. The visitors went to the beach on Sunday, although it was "kind of windy," and spent some time shopping and relaxing.
Plans were for the group to leave for home around noon on Tuesday, March 18, although some were somewhat reluctant to do that.
"It's really warm and nice down here," commented one worker. "It's cold up home."
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