What's not to love about a local, independent bookstore? Here in Madison, I fell in love with the sign outside before even stepping through the doors of the store. "Dog Ear Books" it reads -- a thoroughly weather-worn wooden sign, emblazoned with a perky pup who, with one ear pointed up and the other one flopped down, is looking at -- maybe even tousling with? -- a well-worn book. You know a store is going to be good when you can't get over the sign outside.
Inside is owner Jon Tonge, writer, musician and collector extraordinaire. He was made to be surrounded by these stacks -- though his genuine and unassuming social skills are as good, if not better, than his literary ones. And that's why, when the call went out to see if anyone could help him move his bookstore to a new, better, bigger, more-centrally located and possibly haunted shop (yep! that's a bonus for a bookstore, you know...), I was quick to lend a hand. Me and about 180 of Jon's closest friends, that is.
So, like an old-fashioned bucket brigade, we lined the streets and alleys from his old store to his new one. And hand-over-hand, about four books at a time, we passed several thousand books down the row and on to new, improved shelves.
As the call went out to start, the laughter did too. Comments on bookcovers and authors got passed along, too. "The Civil War is starting!" came the shout as we dug into the history books. The little kids, who were meant to play upstairs with toys, couldn't resist joining in and getting their hands on passing the stacks. Jon ran up and down the road shouting encouragement and updating the count on number of books passed. I dare say everyone had a blast. I know I did... I meant to stay about 90 minutes and had to tear myself away at 2 hours.
Jon promised if we came, we'd be a part of history in the making. I like to think, like neighbors at a barn-raising, we were helpful in lightening his load and letting him know what he means to us in this community.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
HOPE FOR HAITI
Pluck a string in even the most jaded of hearts, the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in already-ailing Haiti is just nearly too much to bear. Across the ocean and a long state away, what can we do?
Apparently I wasn't alone in my craving to come together and try, ever how small, to make a show of support for the people in this devestated Caribbean island. Our small town of Madison joined up today at a benefit concert for earthquake rescue and put over $20,000 in the Hope for Haiti coffers. In fact, local resident and Hope for Haiti board member David Land is estimating it will top out around $30,000 as pledges from churches and civic groups are still rolling in.
Hope is not a local charity, but it is a fairly small one, and really, I got the sense from talking to people around me at the concert that they thought it was more of a local deal... all of us getting together and sending our money south.
And it wasn't George Clooney and Wyclef Jean on that stage. It was all locals. Our favorite bands like the Bearfoot Hookers and Chef Ron's big band. Shelby Moss and her teen band from Athens (I didn't know she could sing, by the by, and I go to church with her!) The Gathering Place Band and a few soloists from other local churches.
Town Park was probably the most crammed Madison has ever been on a winter weekday. Kids sloshed in the wet grass playing football and soccer, adults soaked in the sun and chatted in between sets and almost everyone whipped out their checkbooks.
Amazingly, David got the entire thing set up in a day, only three days ahead of the event. The word passed by email and a few posters, nothing more. Even though I left there with a crabby toddler in tow (thanks to aforementioned wet, muddy grass), I also left there with a heart full of pride to be a part of this community effort. A spontaneous outbreak of homegrown giving that might just make a small dent for people in the most serious of need.
www.hopeforhaiti.com
Apparently I wasn't alone in my craving to come together and try, ever how small, to make a show of support for the people in this devestated Caribbean island. Our small town of Madison joined up today at a benefit concert for earthquake rescue and put over $20,000 in the Hope for Haiti coffers. In fact, local resident and Hope for Haiti board member David Land is estimating it will top out around $30,000 as pledges from churches and civic groups are still rolling in.
Hope is not a local charity, but it is a fairly small one, and really, I got the sense from talking to people around me at the concert that they thought it was more of a local deal... all of us getting together and sending our money south.
And it wasn't George Clooney and Wyclef Jean on that stage. It was all locals. Our favorite bands like the Bearfoot Hookers and Chef Ron's big band. Shelby Moss and her teen band from Athens (I didn't know she could sing, by the by, and I go to church with her!) The Gathering Place Band and a few soloists from other local churches.
Town Park was probably the most crammed Madison has ever been on a winter weekday. Kids sloshed in the wet grass playing football and soccer, adults soaked in the sun and chatted in between sets and almost everyone whipped out their checkbooks.
Amazingly, David got the entire thing set up in a day, only three days ahead of the event. The word passed by email and a few posters, nothing more. Even though I left there with a crabby toddler in tow (thanks to aforementioned wet, muddy grass), I also left there with a heart full of pride to be a part of this community effort. A spontaneous outbreak of homegrown giving that might just make a small dent for people in the most serious of need.
www.hopeforhaiti.com
Friday, January 15, 2010
COFFEE AND A CAUSE
After a long day at work (which from my perspective is a whole separate definition of exhausting for teachers who work with special needs kids) imagine spending your free time volunteering for your job....
Essentially Meredith, Fran and Jean do just that. Jean takes her students on fieldtrips one Saturday a month. Fran spends her summers with them, carting them to all the fun summer activities she can dig up. Meredith, as CEO of Hand in Hand, is working hard to secure a financial partner to begin Phase II of their housing project. All three have been endlessly working on the fundraising -- a Festival of Trees at Christmas, a benefit concert last fall, and soon, the coffee shop profits, they hope.
They've explored a partnership with Camp Twin Lakes, a regional camp in Rutledge that hosts camps all summer for kids with various needs and illnesses. The property there is an option, and a good one, where these adults could live, interact, garden, go to chapel and some of them hold jobs. Community groups would have easy access for partnering and mentoring these high school graduates. A win-win, given the right financial backing.
Over a really tasty, steaming coffee yesterday, I got to meet the women at the heart of this project. I got to see their eyes gleaming with excitement and pride when they talked about their dreams. For their students and for their cause. I got to visit right at ground zero for something that just two years ago was only a suggestion,a pipe dream, not even a fully formed idea. It's infective, this energy, this coming together for such a good cause, helping to meet such an important need.
I'm starting to see how this homegrown giving takes root.
Hand in Hand Ministries
P.O. Box 1378 Madison, GA 30650
706-474-0247
www.handinhandministries.com
Essentially Meredith, Fran and Jean do just that. Jean takes her students on fieldtrips one Saturday a month. Fran spends her summers with them, carting them to all the fun summer activities she can dig up. Meredith, as CEO of Hand in Hand, is working hard to secure a financial partner to begin Phase II of their housing project. All three have been endlessly working on the fundraising -- a Festival of Trees at Christmas, a benefit concert last fall, and soon, the coffee shop profits, they hope.
They've explored a partnership with Camp Twin Lakes, a regional camp in Rutledge that hosts camps all summer for kids with various needs and illnesses. The property there is an option, and a good one, where these adults could live, interact, garden, go to chapel and some of them hold jobs. Community groups would have easy access for partnering and mentoring these high school graduates. A win-win, given the right financial backing.
Over a really tasty, steaming coffee yesterday, I got to meet the women at the heart of this project. I got to see their eyes gleaming with excitement and pride when they talked about their dreams. For their students and for their cause. I got to visit right at ground zero for something that just two years ago was only a suggestion,a pipe dream, not even a fully formed idea. It's infective, this energy, this coming together for such a good cause, helping to meet such an important need.
I'm starting to see how this homegrown giving takes root.
Hand in Hand Ministries
P.O. Box 1378 Madison, GA 30650
706-474-0247
www.handinhandministries.com
Thursday, January 14, 2010
HAND IN HAND
I met today with three dynamic women at the Bulldog Brew, Morgan County High School's coffee shop, who were somehow managing to whip up pumpkin spice cappuccinos, chat with me and calmly keep their special needs students in line and on task all at the same time.
Right off the bat, I'm digging deep on the big questions of this blog. Who are these superwomen and where in the world do they get the energy? But the final question is answered. As superwomen with super-human energy, they're more than capable and so they just DO. Because they can BE no other way.
What these women are doing goes beyond school. The coffee shop is a way to teach their students the vocational skills they need to get a job when they graduate. And the students are gaining independence. Confidence. A higher status in the school. (They're baristas after all. Who doesn't love a good barista?) A sense of purpose. And best of all, coming soon, a paycheck.
But most importantly, they are hoping the Brew will do so well, it will raise money for Hand-in-Hand ministries, which is another project of these superwomen--to build a housing community for these kids when they graduate high school. Teachers with their own non-profit. Now that's going beyond school.
Right off the bat, I'm digging deep on the big questions of this blog. Who are these superwomen and where in the world do they get the energy? But the final question is answered. As superwomen with super-human energy, they're more than capable and so they just DO. Because they can BE no other way.
What these women are doing goes beyond school. The coffee shop is a way to teach their students the vocational skills they need to get a job when they graduate. And the students are gaining independence. Confidence. A higher status in the school. (They're baristas after all. Who doesn't love a good barista?) A sense of purpose. And best of all, coming soon, a paycheck.
But most importantly, they are hoping the Brew will do so well, it will raise money for Hand-in-Hand ministries, which is another project of these superwomen--to build a housing community for these kids when they graduate high school. Teachers with their own non-profit. Now that's going beyond school.
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