How Are You Keeping Active?

Jan & Fred Morris, Messiah Village Residents

Jan and Fred Morris’ journey together has been anything but ordinary. Their passion for being active, staying in shape, and exploring new places has led them to some extraordinary locations, including stays in Utah, North Carolina, and Delaware.

Recently relocated to Pennsylvania, their life together is a tapestry of exploration, learning, and staying active. Their interest in the outdoors blossomed during their time “work camping” in the West, where they explored iconic destinations like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, and Kanab, Utah—a town steeped in Old Western history.

Work camping combines camping and working seasonal jobs at national parks, state parks, national monuments, and other locations, allowing the Morris’ to enjoy an active lifestyle in community with nature. These experiences fueled their passion for hiking. Each location has brought a new adventure for the couple.

Their love for wildflowers began when hiking in North Carolina, where a friend led weekly hikes and began pointing out and identifying wildflowers along the way. They were hooked and began searching for wildflowers during their hikes.

Later, during their time in Delaware, they photographed and cataloged all of the state’s wildflowers. Jan, a former special education teacher, even found a second calling as a seasonal naturalist in Delaware’s White Clay Creek Preserve.

Fred, a retired chemical engineer, also enjoys identifying and photographing the animals found on their adventures. He and Jan recall one tense experience coming face-to-face with a bull while in a Utah canyon. They slowly backed away and decided to explore that area another day.

Now living at Messiah Village since May 2024, the couple appreciates the ease of living in their new community. When not hiking or biking, they enjoy photography and sharing their adventures. Though PA’s trails are less challenging compared to the rugged West, the Morris’s stay active with community hikes and biking. They’ve also joined a local day hiking group and are eager to explore more trails in the Central PA region soon.

Click here to read the full, digital version of Spring 2025 Unscripted Magazine.