It all starts somewhere. For us that somewhere started with a few strings and a little orange paint to denote the area of our site. That’s all it took for the community to take interest. By 9 AM on Monday morning the first visitor stopped by, Melvin. A man who had spent a large portion of his life directly across the road from the Old Abermarle Elementary was now our newest neighbor. He was interested and excited. Soon after Melvin left the city dropped by to dig the larger portion where our future slab was to be. Around 2 0’clock we met Brian. Another local neighbor who was not only excited but insistent on helping in any possible way. We couldn’t refuse him but so many times before we decided one more set of hands and the help of Woodstock, his trusty dog, would only further our cause.
This has been typical of the week, weather it be a local funeral home truck giving a friendly wave or the handful of bikers and joggers stopping to show support we are piquing the interest of the community. Many know who we are and what we are doing but just as many are inquisitive. Every car that rides by seems to slow and do a double take as our pavilion begins to take shape. My only hope is that we continue to see this show of love from the local community and that we get to share the stories back and forth because what is a community without the characters that make up the story. I leave you tonight with the mantis tiller because well, “I just thought ya’ll might be into horticulture.”
–Beej
