Tag Archives: Jacktown

street smarts: on the road collaborative.

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burgIMG_1076If Brandy and I could swing it, we’d give a Harrisonburg Action Figures™ award every month. Every week, even. Because the Burg just has that many awesome people going out of their way to improve life in our community. We’ve had an easy time compiling a list of worthy recipients; what’s been hard is deciding who’s next.

Ultimately we did choose; we hired an artist to make the one-of-a-kind trophy; we approached local businesses to donate prizes; we created an attractive certificate; we prepared a speech; we picked up balloons and party blowers and party hats; and we crashed a Thursday night board meeting at The Hub to surprise Brent Holsinger, founder of On the Road Collaborative!

burgActionFigure_Brent_IMG_0669On the Road Collaborative started (sort of) with a program Brent created called Beyond the Bell. It provided extra help and all kinds of enrichment programs to city kids after school for three years. But then the grant ran out and Brent had to put his thinking cap on. He didn’t want to discontinue the program and leave all those kids in the lurch. So he converted the whole thing to a non-profit which he named On the Road in tribute to the late Rita Pierson, a lifelong educator who believed “every kid needs a champion.” Indeed, and every kid deserves one, too. If you’ve ever had to do any kind of fundraising, you know what a roller coaster it is. I groan in agony every time my own kids come home with that Yankee Candle or designer wrapping paper catalog. Imagine that process times 1000. Asking people for money is hard. But Brent did what he had to do to save his program and continue to serve our city’s youth.

burgActionFigure_Brent_IMG_0664 burgActionFigure_Brent_IMG_0672 burgActionFigure_Brent_IMG_0667We marched into The Hub carrying balloons and tooting on party blowers! We handed out party hats to all the board members, who must’ve wondered who the heck we were, and I read a letter to Brent from all of us, thanking him for his courage, caring, compassion, and most of all, his refusal to give up. At the top I scrawled a “+2” and a smiley face in honor of Brent’s hero, Rita Pierson. Here’s the speech:

Brent,
We see you. We see what you’ve been doing. We see the change you’re making. We see the role model you’re being. We see the example you’re setting. And today, we want to thank you for it.

Beyond the Bell was a beautiful initiative that helped a thousand kids get closer to their God-given potential. They performed, they created, they raised money, they cooked, they composed. But most of all, kids who maybe didn’t have a voice elsewhere were suddenly handed a megaphone. You listened.

When that bell rang for the last time, and with no grant to keep the program afloat, you adjusted course. There were more kids to serve; your work wasn’t done. The money was just another obstacle to be overcome. You scrimped and saved, you pitched and prayed, you maybe even begged and buttered up. You buckled down. And now look at what you have created!

On The Road. A program for the kids on the fringe. You understand that starting lines and finish lines aren’t the same for all kids. You understand that kids carry all sorts of problems that aren’t always their fault, and even if they are, you treat those kids with respect and help them get back on the road.

If life is a road and they’re on it, you’re steering. You’re steering because you understand that not everyone has a finely tuned luxury bike. Some bikes have bent spokes. Some have sketchy brakes. Some have a chain that won’t stay on. Heck, some are just lucky to have two wheels. So you sit up front, steering, traversing steep hills and shadowy valleys, doing the hard pedaling while your youngsters practice behind you. You teach them to slow down for curves, to watch out for potholes, train tracks, and miniscule gravel. You teach them to be focused and careful during storms, and to use their tools to fix up their breakdowns. 

One day, all of your students will say, “Hey, can I drive?”
And you’ll ask, “Are you ready?”
And they’ll say, “I’ve been riding with you all this time. I think I know what to do.”
You’ll say, “Well, if you mess up, I’m right here.” And they’ll ride on down the road.

What’s down the road for you… is a day when your students come back as happy, fulfilled, socially conscious adults and thank you for what you’ve done for them. What’s down the road for you are scientists and doctors and teachers and community leaders whom you helped create. What’s down the road for you is not just a hope that they’ll be okay, but a knowledge that they’re thriving.

Brent, thank you for being a tether from the margin. Thank you for giving Harrisonburg students a way back to the circle to which we all want to belong. And for giving them the chance to be A PART of something, instead of standing APART. Thank you for being a Harrisonburg Action Figure™.

We were thrilled to hand him a gorgeous trophy made by our own Elwood Madison and sponsored by Jacktown, and an unbelievable bag of prizes from Beyond Restaurant and Lounge, Larkin Arts, Brothers Craft Brewing, and Lucas Roasting Company. A big ol’ community Thank You!

burgIMG_0648 burgActionFigure_Brent_IMG_0684Harrisonburg has not become what it is by accident or by luck. It’s because of hard work. A desire to improve the community. A brilliant idea hatched between friends over a couple of beers that ultimately turns into action. This award celebrates behind-the-scenes heroes – people who have gone way, way beyond human limits to build something great for this town. People who have sacrificed in uncountable ways, who have lost sleep, time, money, their social lives, and possibly their minds to bring their idea to this side of reality, where all of us can enjoy it. These are Harrisonburg’s Action Figures. We’ll be memorializing all of them on this page of our web site. TODAY, Pure Eats is hosting Burgers With Benefits to support On the Road! You’re sure to see Brent there!  When you see him, give him a hug or a high five. We can never repay all the hugs and high fives he’s given Harrisonburg kids.

Copyright © 2012-16 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.

 

back in jack: billy jack’s. again.

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burgBillyJacksIMG_4830When the weather turns colder, I’ll do just about anything to get and stay warm. In the winter I sometimes take three showers/baths A DAY. I wear double socks. I keep my coat on at work. I have an electric blanket on my bed. And I want spicy food.

And since our favorite wings joint had recently experienced some upgrades, Brandy and I decided to do a SECOND post about Billy Jack’s Wing & Draft Shack. That’s right, folks — this is the first time we’ve ever returned to a business for the sake of reporting on it AGAIN. So this’ll be a short-ish little ditty about what’s new at BJ’s.

Of course, I usually start with the backstory. On the way downtown, Cal asked how old he would be when Bree started high school. This led to a discussion about what high school would be like, and whether Bree would be driving herself. And I replied that yes, I would probably get her a car so I wouldn’t have to drive her all over the place. And she said, “Well, I’d really like a VW Bug. There’s so cute, and I bet they get good gas mileage.” My practical girl. And Cal said, “Really?? They’re so small! I want a limo. …Because I’m gonna have LOTS of babies.” And apparently he wants them to travel in style!

So the big news is that Billy Jack’s now has an oyster bar! They had to remove the Donkey Kong arcade game, but I think we’ll be okay. You can order 1/4 dozen, 1/2 dozen, or a baker’s dozen, and you can get them with champagne if you’re feeling really dignified. They’ve added other things to the menu, too. Like a 10-napkin burger with 25 toppings to choose from. And the BJ’s Boxes (which maybe aren’t that new, but I didn’t know about them) — including a Sticky Nuggs box, Fried Pickle box, Fried Mac-n-Cheese box, and a BOX FULL OF JUST APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON. And of course, they’re now serving brunch, which I haven’t yet tried but I heard it’s off the heezy, so you can just go ahead and count on a third post about Billy Jack’s.

burgBillyJacksIMG_4838 burgBillyJacksIMG_4842 burgBillyJacksIMG_4857 burgBillyJacksIMG_4859 burgBillyJacksIMG_4863 burgBillyJacksIMG_4864 burgBillyJacksIMG_4878 burgBillyJacksIMG_4881Copyright © 2012-14 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.

basted, roasted, smoked, and sauced: jacktown’s brew-b-que throwdown.

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The day started ominously. It was rainy that July morning and unusually cool. I remember because it was the morning of Art in the Park with Blake Somers and LEGOs. (By the way, he is still collecting LEGO donations, and he won’t stop until he has enough for his sculpture, so now’s as good a time as any to give him some.) And, we all remember Harrisonburg’s last beer fest back in April… who can forget that downpour and the nature-made slip-n-slide? Would Jacktown’s Brew-B-Que Throwdown suffer the same messy fate?

Thankfully, no. At least, by the time we got there it was warm and sunny and all shades of happy. The event took place in the lot next to Jack Brown’s. For a mere $10 admission, you got a beer (provided by Abita) and a plate of food–pork butt, chicken wings, or pulled chicken. If you wanted more, you could purchase more wooden nickels.

Folks were eating and drinking, playing corn hole, hula hooping, and dancing to a reggae band, Inner Visions. I liked them. They were so positive and smiley.

We ran into lots of folks we know, starting with Jake Melvin, who recently returned from Belize and who’s been a nomad of sorts for quite some time. He’s been to forty-nine state, and when we asked which one he’d not visited, he replied, “The one that’s not attached.” To which Brandy and I simultaneously blurted, “Alaska!”

Turns out it was Hawaii. I always forget about that little guy, all tucked away in the middle of the Pacific.

Then this bizarre “Six Degrees of Brandy and Katie” thing occurred, starting with Shannon Dean, whom we work with. Then we saw former BHS students Katrina Hudy and Daniel Mumbauer. You might know Katrina from Wine on Water where she works as a manager. We did a post about them not long ago. Daniel and I commiserated for a bit about always being remembered as the tall one… “You know, she’s that tall girl…” I get that a lot.  Then we ran into Phil Carr, who graduated high school with Brandy. What you might not know is that I was a long-term substitute for Brandy’s twelfth-grade English class. Phil Carr was in that class, too. And when the regular teacher returned from maternity leave, the class presented me with a cake that said, “Get The Hell Out.” It was really touching. And delicious.

there’s sassy Shannon, what with her wedges and her wrist band pushed up! :)

phil and friends.

And then we saw someone who seemed so familiar… he knew Jeremiah Jenkins, whom we also know… and I threatened to refer to him in this post as Nicodemus Schmidt if he didn’t just tell us his name already. Tim. And then when we told him where we work, it all fell into place. Turns out we work with his dad, Jim Peters. Tim was instantly mortified and begged us not to tell his dad that he’d said a couple bad words. Heh heh. School’s back in in a couple of weeks, my friend! :)

we know your dad!

All this socializing was making me hungry, so we gobbled down some wings with blueberry sauce and pulled chicken with buffalo sauce. YUM. All locally sourced and very fresh. And we listened to the band and chatted, and before long it was all over.

Thank you, Aaron and Jeremiah and the Jacktown staff for an evening of succulent food and mellow music, interesting conversations and weird coincidences. Can’t wait to do that again, so plan something soon, will ya? Before it gets cold.

Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.