Saturday, March 21, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Community Field Trip Day
It's field trip day! And like school field trips today was all about learning. And I think I can safely say that we learned a lot!
We began our day at the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum with a tour from a man who spent 28 years in a coal mine and grew up in Benham, a coal mining town set up by a steel corporation (sorry, my mind is blanking on which one!). This meant the company built this town and owned all the homes and buildings and stores. The tour was super awesome because it explained how mining has changed over time and made it a very personal experience to see how life changed and how life prospered in these towns-especially since these towns are in a depression now.
From the museum we made our way up the mountain a bit more to Portal 31 which was an operation coal mine from the 20's to 1963. And we got to go inside! You sit in the little train thing that use to carry people and coal inside the mine and you move through history as you move through the mine. And once again you get to see the advances in mining from using horses and single workers to teams of workers and ultimately machines to do all the mining. This mine exhibit was created by volunteers and is a testament to this towns passion for their heritage.
Another testament is The Bulldog Room. A room of Lynch High School memorabilia that was created by a single man and his wife when they saw the conditions of the memorabilia in city hall. It's now a room full of class pictures and letterman jackets and school newspapers and amazing things like this. I am constantly amazed by these people and their passion for their community. I think this is a passion that is so often overlooked in modern society and I think that's unfortunate because being part of a loving community makes your life so much better. You have a place to belong.
To round out our morning we found this coffee house right across from Portal 31. And let me tell you. We were some happy campers. Real coffee and Wi-Fi - the way to all college kids hearts. But it turns out this coffeehouse is the old mine restaurant that served the miners and their families. And on top of that it is owned by a ministry that reopened it with the goal to create jobs for the community. It was a full circle feeling that we happened to find this coffee shop that was there to help the community. Just like us.
-Alex
We began our day at the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum with a tour from a man who spent 28 years in a coal mine and grew up in Benham, a coal mining town set up by a steel corporation (sorry, my mind is blanking on which one!). This meant the company built this town and owned all the homes and buildings and stores. The tour was super awesome because it explained how mining has changed over time and made it a very personal experience to see how life changed and how life prospered in these towns-especially since these towns are in a depression now.
From the museum we made our way up the mountain a bit more to Portal 31 which was an operation coal mine from the 20's to 1963. And we got to go inside! You sit in the little train thing that use to carry people and coal inside the mine and you move through history as you move through the mine. And once again you get to see the advances in mining from using horses and single workers to teams of workers and ultimately machines to do all the mining. This mine exhibit was created by volunteers and is a testament to this towns passion for their heritage.
Another testament is The Bulldog Room. A room of Lynch High School memorabilia that was created by a single man and his wife when they saw the conditions of the memorabilia in city hall. It's now a room full of class pictures and letterman jackets and school newspapers and amazing things like this. I am constantly amazed by these people and their passion for their community. I think this is a passion that is so often overlooked in modern society and I think that's unfortunate because being part of a loving community makes your life so much better. You have a place to belong.
To round out our morning we found this coffee house right across from Portal 31. And let me tell you. We were some happy campers. Real coffee and Wi-Fi - the way to all college kids hearts. But it turns out this coffeehouse is the old mine restaurant that served the miners and their families. And on top of that it is owned by a ministry that reopened it with the goal to create jobs for the community. It was a full circle feeling that we happened to find this coffee shop that was there to help the community. Just like us.
-Alex
After the much needed energy booster, we proceeded to lunch at a quaint BnB which we learned was actually a school back in the day. After a delicious meal, we were given a tour of the Schoolhouse Inn, where we saw how what used to be classrooms were transformed into rooms. It was interesting how once the school closed down, the building was not left to ruins, but actually used to enhance the community’s economy.
After lunch, we drove up to Black Mountain, which is the highest point in Kentucky at 4,145 feet. When we finally got to the top, it was too foggy to see anything. Our surrounding was completely enveloped in a white blanket. It was nice to see that no one in our team was deterred by that fact and enjoyed that experience just the same as we would have done if we could see the valley below us. After a short drive, we later arrived at the South East Kentucky Community College, where we were taken on a tour of the Appalachian Center, where Beth, a Professor of Appalachian Studies gave all of us a better idea of the history of the area. We also got to see some really amazing photographs and artwork related to the area!
The latter part of our evening was spent at Kingdom Come State Park, which was at the top of Pine Mountain. The view of the town with the the surrounding mountains veiled in a curtain of fog took out breath away. Mr. Roger, our park ranger, gave us a detailed description of the park and surrounding environment. He also did a hilarious reenactment of an encounter he had with a black bear! We then did a quarter mile hike to a natural bridge created by sandstone. Just spending time in the fresh mountain air was a refreshing experience for all of us, since we are too used to the hustle bustle of Maryland. Hiking in the park was the cherry on top of an amazing day of immersing ourselves in the culture of Harlan.
-Sandaru
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Day 5 - Kids, Hope, and Food
We started the day like all days: oatmeal and instant coffee! Little did we know what the day would have in store for us. We rolled out of camp and drove a short distance to Rosspoint Elementary School. Some of us went inside of the school to clean the giant trophy cases. While doing that, we noticed how much the school values their academic and athletic achievements. The other group went to organize the school's food pantry, which serves about 40 of the students. They are able to go to to the pantry every Friday to take home some food if their families are struggling to provide for them. After we were done, it was time for a bit of fun. We were given the opportunity to read to the students and interact with them. We saw a new face of Harlan in the energy and excitement of the children, who were quick to welcome us into their classroom. After spending time in the classrooms, some of us were able to talk with the school resources coordinator, Patty. She told us about how some of the students come from very difficult family lives...some live in foster homes, sme come from families who can't always afford food or school supplies. Many children come from homes where substance and alcohol abuse is a problem. She explained that it was obvious that some kids had not showered for days from their smell and appearance, but the most she could do for them is provide a change of clothes.
After another short drive, we arrived at our next destination: a center for women recovering from drug addiction and alcoholism. We were welcomed by a peer mentor and former participant in the program. She gave us a tour of the facility and helped us understand the steps, stages, and individual stories of the recovery process. Many of us felt uneasy as observers, but the women were honest and welcoming to us, and made us feel that we were witnesses to their success. We had a special connection with one of the women, who shared her journey of addiction, loss, pain, and reinvention. Her vulnerability made a lasting impact on us.
We were feeling pretty somber when we got back to camp, still processing our experience at the center. We decided to go on an impromptu hike through Blanton Forest up to Knobby Rock. The hike was surprisingly challenging, a 2.2 mile trek up steep hills, through rough, muddy terrain, and across rivers. Arriving at the top made it all incredibly worth it. The view was breathtaking, and we were proud of ourselves for reaching the top. We were surrounded by a panorama of mountains, which seemed to stretch out across the horizon for eternity. To quote the great modern philosopher Miley Cyrus, "It ain't about how fast I get there...it's the climb." We knew that the difficulty of the climb paled in comparison to the beauty of the view, just as the struggles of the Harlan community never deter the passion and kindness of the Harlan people.
When we returned to camp, sore and sweaty, we were surprised with a buffet of homemade Southern cooking laid out on the table in our cabin. Some of the community partners we had in town made the fantastic meal for us out of their gratitude for our service. The hospitality of the Harlan people confirmed to us that we were here for the right reasons, and reminded us what we love so much about building connections through service. We will never forget their generosity and their stories.
-Meg and Janna
After another short drive, we arrived at our next destination: a center for women recovering from drug addiction and alcoholism. We were welcomed by a peer mentor and former participant in the program. She gave us a tour of the facility and helped us understand the steps, stages, and individual stories of the recovery process. Many of us felt uneasy as observers, but the women were honest and welcoming to us, and made us feel that we were witnesses to their success. We had a special connection with one of the women, who shared her journey of addiction, loss, pain, and reinvention. Her vulnerability made a lasting impact on us.
We were feeling pretty somber when we got back to camp, still processing our experience at the center. We decided to go on an impromptu hike through Blanton Forest up to Knobby Rock. The hike was surprisingly challenging, a 2.2 mile trek up steep hills, through rough, muddy terrain, and across rivers. Arriving at the top made it all incredibly worth it. The view was breathtaking, and we were proud of ourselves for reaching the top. We were surrounded by a panorama of mountains, which seemed to stretch out across the horizon for eternity. To quote the great modern philosopher Miley Cyrus, "It ain't about how fast I get there...it's the climb." We knew that the difficulty of the climb paled in comparison to the beauty of the view, just as the struggles of the Harlan community never deter the passion and kindness of the Harlan people.
When we returned to camp, sore and sweaty, we were surprised with a buffet of homemade Southern cooking laid out on the table in our cabin. Some of the community partners we had in town made the fantastic meal for us out of their gratitude for our service. The hospitality of the Harlan people confirmed to us that we were here for the right reasons, and reminded us what we love so much about building connections through service. We will never forget their generosity and their stories.
-Meg and Janna
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
First day of service
"I hate this place... Why would you come here on your Spring Break?"
I should probably become more comfortable with not knowing what to say, because this question is among a number of things encountered in my first day of service that left me unsure of how to proceed. This one came from Carl, a local resident who I met during the course of a project. He is only a few years older than me, and he sees a Harlan that is broken and struggling, and has been for as long as he can remember. His full time job puts him in the minority, but his dark outlook for the area is a little more common. I could see why - in recent years, floods and the decline of the coal industry have led to mass exodus from the area, leaving a fragmented economy and many people stuck at an apparent dead-end.
But I'm not looking back on today and seeing darkness, and instead I've had the opportunity to see Carl's sentiments in a broader context.
Sam is older, a baseball coach and an active community member, among many other things. We met him later on in the day, on the baseball field where he and his former little-league teammates now watch their own kids play. Family connections run deep, and there is a strong feeling that everybody knows everybody, and everybody knows Harlan. Sam shared some of the same unfortunate facts and stories as Carl had observed, but there was a sense that his perspective can see back behind what Harlan is today, and also forward to what it could become. His stories of the population and economic decline shared the same close-to-home sadness as Carl's, but Sam's experience also revealed a hope and faith in the resilience of his home community. It takes a lot to tear apart a community where "you can call up the family down the street and tell them that Junior's outside smoking a cigarette, and then in the same phone call ask for a cup of sugar." Where there are these connections, there is community, and where there is community (and baseball), there is strength.
Finally, we met Matt, whose memory goes farther back than Carl's or Sam's. Like both of them, Matt grew up in Harlan and has either stayed here or returned here. Like both of them, his recounting of the history of the area is full of difficult times and boom times which have settled into today's slump. Like Sam, Matt loves Harlan and coached baseball. In fact, Matt was Sam's coach. Sam encouraged us to be open and aware, and to be prepared to let Harlan surprise us. Hope, pride, resilience, community and history are all deeply connected here. There are a contentedness and joy concentrated among some members of this community that is as inspiring as it is surprising, and I have to work not to take it for granted. The beauty of this mixture, and my goal for the rest of the week, was perhaps best summed up by Matt -
"I love this place, and I hope that you will see why."
In a way, I already do. And I'll also try to take to heart his advice-
"Don't just try to do good, try to do the right thing. No matter what you do, even if it's nothing, there will be consequences. The people who succeed are the ones who take ownership of that."
(The names of characters in this story have been changed because it kind of seemed like a good idea, and also because it makes me feel cool.)
I should probably become more comfortable with not knowing what to say, because this question is among a number of things encountered in my first day of service that left me unsure of how to proceed. This one came from Carl, a local resident who I met during the course of a project. He is only a few years older than me, and he sees a Harlan that is broken and struggling, and has been for as long as he can remember. His full time job puts him in the minority, but his dark outlook for the area is a little more common. I could see why - in recent years, floods and the decline of the coal industry have led to mass exodus from the area, leaving a fragmented economy and many people stuck at an apparent dead-end.
But I'm not looking back on today and seeing darkness, and instead I've had the opportunity to see Carl's sentiments in a broader context.
Sam is older, a baseball coach and an active community member, among many other things. We met him later on in the day, on the baseball field where he and his former little-league teammates now watch their own kids play. Family connections run deep, and there is a strong feeling that everybody knows everybody, and everybody knows Harlan. Sam shared some of the same unfortunate facts and stories as Carl had observed, but there was a sense that his perspective can see back behind what Harlan is today, and also forward to what it could become. His stories of the population and economic decline shared the same close-to-home sadness as Carl's, but Sam's experience also revealed a hope and faith in the resilience of his home community. It takes a lot to tear apart a community where "you can call up the family down the street and tell them that Junior's outside smoking a cigarette, and then in the same phone call ask for a cup of sugar." Where there are these connections, there is community, and where there is community (and baseball), there is strength.
Finally, we met Matt, whose memory goes farther back than Carl's or Sam's. Like both of them, Matt grew up in Harlan and has either stayed here or returned here. Like both of them, his recounting of the history of the area is full of difficult times and boom times which have settled into today's slump. Like Sam, Matt loves Harlan and coached baseball. In fact, Matt was Sam's coach. Sam encouraged us to be open and aware, and to be prepared to let Harlan surprise us. Hope, pride, resilience, community and history are all deeply connected here. There are a contentedness and joy concentrated among some members of this community that is as inspiring as it is surprising, and I have to work not to take it for granted. The beauty of this mixture, and my goal for the rest of the week, was perhaps best summed up by Matt -
"I love this place, and I hope that you will see why."
In a way, I already do. And I'll also try to take to heart his advice-
"Don't just try to do good, try to do the right thing. No matter what you do, even if it's nothing, there will be consequences. The people who succeed are the ones who take ownership of that."
(The names of characters in this story have been changed because it kind of seemed like a good idea, and also because it makes me feel cool.)
-Chris
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