Facelift in Yosemite?

If you're scratching your head after reading the title to this column and wondering what a facelift and Yosemite have in common, you're probably not the only one. So let me enlighten you. Facelift is a 22-year-old event held at the end of September in Yosemite. It was originated by a group of rock climbers who were tired of seeing the debris dropped by climbers at the base of the rocks they were climbing, so they decided to do something about it. Over the years, it has grown into a huge event where hundreds of volunteers come to Yosemite to pick up litter. I know, right? It's like being in Heaven, at least for me it was – being in Yosemite with hundreds of people walking around picking up litter. It was definitely a dream come true. There were families with children. Young and old were there, with everyone showing up for the same purpose. It rained, but that didn't matter, the Facelifters were out in full force. It was beautiful to see. I ran into Rueben Cochran, the ranger who enlightened me about the social contract. It was great to see him and share with him the positive response my last article on the social contract brought. We had a long talk during visitor check-ins. Rueben can usually be found at the kiosk at Campground 4 if you're ever in Yosemite and want to have a deep philosophical conversation. Milan from Berlin and Simone from Chile were some friends I made. They were on bikes and met randomly in Portland, Oregon, on their way to Yosemite to rock climb and participate in Facelift. They decided to ride down the coast together, feeling they made a lifelong friendship. At the end of the day during Facelift, there is a big raffle giveaway for participants. I won a bag I really couldn't use so when I ran into Milan that night, I gave him my prize. He was so grateful, as Simone won something that night and Milan was feeling left out. He now sends me pictures of his bike with his new travel bag, as he is on his adventure back to Berlin. If you love Yosemite and dislike trash, come to Facelift next year and meet a bunch of likeminded people. All you need to do is make your reservation to camp or stay at one of the beautiful hotels and show up at the Quad by the museum. They give you the bags and grabbers. So that's the lowdown on Facelift in Yosemite. However, every day can be a Facelift day, wherever you are. If we all stick to our social contract and pick up after those who aren't quite aware of it yet, the world will be a better place. Please be kind and patient with each other and help out whenever and wherever you can. You never know what someone is going through, and your kindness may make all the difference to them. Remember to spread kindness like it's confetti and to Pack it in, Pick it up, Pack it out. Every Litter Bit Counts. Kristi Meyer is a Realtor at Granite Real Estate in Auburn. She has been serving the foothills for 20 years. If you have questions about real estate or need a Realtor, you can call or text her at 916-847-5128, or email her at ItMattersToKristi@gmail.com.