I've decided to start documenting my commitment with Americorps through a series of Photo Essays. I thought my work deserved a place of its own, apart from the countless number of pictures I have on Facebook of my friends and I at our local establishments ;) I may even add a few essays from my past travel experiences, too, so stay tuned!

My first post will be from a shoot I did at The Great Visit Florida Beach Walk a few months ago in Lake Worth, Florida. As Americorps volunteers stationed in Palm Beach County, our group decided to take part in an event that promoted tourism in Florida. After the BP Oil Spill in 2010, the stigma that the Florida beaches were covered in oil dramatically effected Florida's tourism industry. Florida volunteers from coast to coast dedicated their day to one mile of beach where they took pictures and later uploaded them to the organization's website. The goal was to have pictures from every mile of the entire Florida coast; that's 825 pictures for 825 miles of beautiful beach! During my day of service, I was able to capture a few shots of the day's events. Enjoy!



Don, an Americorps volunteer, talks about the purpose of The Great Visit Florida Beach Walk to a mother and daughter, locals to Lake Worth, Florida.



The Lake Worth Pier jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean just after sunrise.



Sam, another Americorps volunteer, on his phone rallying up the other volunteers for a beautiful morning of service in sunny Florida!





A native to these waters catches a few waves.











Local kids say they are enjoying the lack of tourism. "We grew up here; surfing, hanging out, sneaking cigarettes under the pier from our parents. It's nice not having the beach bombarded with snobby tourists for a change." [Four pictures above]



Lake Worth Beach, Fl.



Lake Worth, Fl.



A bird perched outside of John G's Diner, a favorite spot to grab a bite among locals and tourists alike!

©laurenmillerphotography