On the journey to BG, Raging Blueberry hit a milestone of 150,000 miles, of which approximately 2950 had been gained thus far on the Campaign. As is to be expected when only driving one interstate the entire way, nothing else exciting happened.
That is, until they reached the country home of the Weinandy’s. The green and white masterpiece clearly came into focus on its beautiful plot of land as they approached tired and weary. Tom, a master tour guide, showed them the many unique features of the house which had been designed by Tom’s dad, Jim. These standouts included a fish tank in the bathroom wall, 50’s diner-style seats in the kitchen, and actual chairs from a movie theater in the bunk room, where the journeymen slept.
Tom, master tour guide
The fish tank
With all the family coming and going from this place, the Weinandy’s home could better be described as short-term stay country bed and breakfast. Not only did six children live there, but the 4th of July weekend brought out much of the family, so that little nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles were constantly passing through. On the night the stallions resided there, it was estimated that about 12 others also spent the night.
And then there was the food. When Julie, Tom’s mom, heard that these boys were known for their appetite and had gone more than five hours without eating, she and Jim quickly put together an impressive medley of foods that delighted on both appearance and taste. Freshness was the theme of the night, with a cherry-raspberry pie with ingredients picked earlier that day, a cherry jam with fresh cherries, and homemade ice cream also churned just a few hours ago. Yeah buddy!
As the boys departed the next morning, they wished to stay for more of the great tasting foods and warm hospitality that was such a pleasant surprise on their otherwise monotonous journey home.
Thanks Tom!
Nonetheless, the driving time did allow for the stallions to reflect back on their experience over the past eight days and how it had changed them and all they had come in contact with. Surely, the kindness, hospitality, and complete trust of complete strangers had reaffirmed their faith in the goodness of humanity and the character of people who make up this country. Moreover, they learned that everybody they met had a wonderful and worthwhile story to tell, even if it wasn’t always sitting at the surface.
More than the sites they saw, they will remember this trip by the wonderfully diverse and intriguing set of individuals they met and their equally dynamic communities. Yet no matter how differing these people and their communities, the stallions proved that all were connected by a long chain that linked each destination to the previous, weaving everybody they met together through the common thread of community. In a surprising coincidence, they learned that two of their hosts- Pete of Crossville, TN and Melanie of New York- both grew up in Harrisonburg, VA (which was another stop on the Campaign), and even though they didn’t know each other, it’s likely they once crossed paths in a town of 25,000. It was a reminder to these journeymen that no matter how far apart we may seem from our neighbors, we all share something good deep down inside of us.
Every day was a new challenge for the stallions as well as for those lucky enough to cross paths with them. They were forced to approach people they normally would have no reason to talk to, they had to request things from strangers they sometimes wouldn’t even ask their closest friends, and they found themselves in so many awkward situations that they no longer seemed awkward.
Additionally, the community builders hope that they challenged the status-quo of negative perceptions and first impressions that exist in society; for the design of their trip not only challenges them, but all those who choose to help them out. These unsuspecting individuals, whether receiving a random phone call from their friend/family or being approached by four orange-shirted strangers in public, must make a quick decision based on little more than initial perceptions. Even though a large number choose not to take the perceived risk, the stallions were continuously surprised by the high percentage of those who did take the chance. They pondered, what exactly was it inside these people, and themselves, that created an initial level of trust that takes others a lifetime to build? Could it be that ‘good’ inside of both parties is instantaneously recognized by the other?
Just as the community builders learned from every interaction on this trip, they hope that all those they came in contact with experienced some kind of personal benefit as well, whether it was life-changing or simply an opportunity to divert from the daily routine of life.
So after 3675 miles, 9 days, 16 states, new friends, some yummy brownies, plenty of Febreeze, corny jokes, and countless memories, what would the community builders take away from their unforgettable journey? They believe it is this: when the dawn of a new day comes without knowing where one is going to be later that afternoon, the focus of a trip turns to something greater- enjoying each moment as it comes about without looking ahead to the future. The community builders hope to take a piece of this lesson back to their lives; while they may not know what the future holds one month or one year in advance, they can only hope to live each moment to the fullest as they have done on the Campaign For Community 2008.
Thanks for believing and reading,
Brian, Drew, Eric, and Joe
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