We've updated our road trip map. You can use the map to chart our progress and find the stories that have already aired. We have more stories to come from the southern Illinois area, and we'll update soon. As always, let us know where we should pull over. Comment below or email us at meetyourleader@npr.org.
Vox Politics
The meetyourleader@npr.org email isn't working...
Kirkland, WA resident Stu Clarke is 79 years old. He just finished helping our neighborhood build a 500 foot gravel trail through a forest we are restoring. He put in at least 160 hours on this project. He taught the volunteers, aged 6 to 60, how to build the trail, how to use tools safely, how to scrape brush. He often put in 8 hour days doing work that would cow a younger man.
Before that he built another trail in another local park - he saw the need and jumped in, doing most of the work single handedly. The Parks Dept. loves him.
When he isn't building urban trails he is volunteering with the Washington Trails Association, keeping some of our beloved Cascade Mountain trails useable in this time of federal budget cuts for National Parks and Forests.
When he's not doing that, he's helping run a school he helped found at his church. Or hiking. Or traveling (he just returned from a 6 week trek through Scotland).
Or sharing his philosophies with whoever will listen. Which is most everyone, because he is wise and kind and interesting. He has the storyteller's gift, and many stories to go with it.
And all of this perhaps pales in comparison to one of his crowning leadership achievements - the incredible story of how he saved a local swimming pool! I won't do the tale justice if I summarize by saying that he was able to create an unlikely coalition of local politicians, citizens, and a disabled charity and prevail against seemingly hopeless odds.
And there is much more.
Stu is an inspiration to everyone he meets. I hope you will give him a chance to tell you his story!
Karen Story
Kirkland WA
Admittedly, Corpus Christi, Texas is out of your way, but you HAVE to come down here to meet a great American.
His name is Lorenzo Knowles.
Nearly every school year this decade, he has provided after school tutoring and feeding for a group of children in the most economically challenged area of one of America's poorer cities. For many years, he did this without any help or support. He saw a number of African-American youth who reminded of himself when he was young, saw them falling through the cracks in society, and, rather than shaking his head and saying 'someone should do something,' he decided to do something.
His efforts extend considerably beyond simply baby sitting children. He knows the teachers and administrators at the schools the children attend. He knows parents, who are often part of the children's program. Simply put, he gets things done.
In the past few years, his efforts have been noted, and he's received tutoring support from some local non-profits and help from the local Food Bank in providing hot meat for children. His efforts have been so successful, other places are trying to imitate what he's doing. But Lorenzo continues to work, and it's clear that, as long as he draws breath, he will dedicate the energies he's got to helping the children in his community.
He is, as I said, a truly great American, a leader in every meaningful way.
You should meet him.
Sincerely,
Chuck Etheridge
Corpus Christi, TX
Hi Karen --
That email address should be meetyourleaders@npr.org (plural leaders, not singular leader).
We look forward to hearing from you!
Hi
I was listening to your broadcast yesterday and thought of someone who might make for an interesting story. Her name is Colleen O'Sullivan and she lives in Weaverville, California - way up in northern California about 250 miles north of San Francisco.
She was responsible for establishing the Weaverville Community Forest which is a model for bringing divergent interests (environmentalists, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, loggers, politician, interested lay persons) together to develop a long range plan for the forests around Weaverville that promote all resource values (logging, recreation, fish & wildlife, verdant views, and more) and protect the forest from disastrous wildfires. Her diligent and creative efforts have generated a model which is being exported to other communities around the Pacific northwest which are surrounded by large tracts of federally owned timber lands.
The Weaverville Community Forest is now a fixture and under the caring management of the Trinity County Resource Conservation District.
http://www.tcrcd.net/w-ville_forest/wcf_index.htm
I would encourage you to visit with Colleen and get the details of this rather remarkable but unsung story of someone who made a very significant difference in the way Forests can be managed to meet everyone's needs and expectations.
Sincerely,
John Veevaert
Weaverville, California
I tried too, wanted to nominate someone in KC for the correspondent to talk to and my message was returned (twice).
An interesting person to meet in Little Rock Arkansas, would be Larry "Poo" Betz. He is the Grand Poobah of All Things Kickball. He started and runs the Little Rock Kickball Association (www.lrkickball.com). This is one of the largest adult kickball leagues in the nation but he works tirelessly to build a proactive, community involved social organization that promotes community service. He started the league in memory of a few friends who passed away and is very passionate about what he does. He has inspired many people and has given many of us an opportunity that we did not have in out lives: We get to have fun and do good in our community. He works hard to see that the league is open for people of all ages from all walks.
Running the league of nearly 100 teams occupies much of his time but he still works teaching college writing full time.
His famous catch phrase is "If you do good, good things happen." He also started and runs an associated 501 C3 to help raise money for charities. Since I have been involved here are some of the community/charity activities he has helped organize:
Fall 2005- Schools supplies for Iraqi Children for Operation Iraqi Hope
Spring 2006- Collected approx. $8k worth of supplies for local animal shelters
Summer 2006- 2nd Great THV Kickball Tournament raised $12k for Hearts and Hooves
Fall 2006- Collected 120 backpacks for the kids at Phiefer Camp
Spring 2007-
Collected approx. $12k worth of supplies for local animal shelters
Donated $500 to Joesph Phiefer
Summer 2007-
3rd Great THV Kickball Tournament raised $12k for Hearts and Hooves
The LRKA Rock'n Kickball Carnival raised $10k for Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Fall 2007-
Collected 190 backpacks for the kids at Phiefer Camp
Crawl for the Balls Pub Crawl benefiting Our House $3k
Donated $500 to Youth Home
Spring 2008- Collected approx. $15k worth of supplies for local animal shelters
He has a great sense of humor and makes for a great interview. I would recommend talking with him.
Summer 2008- 4th Great THV Kickball Tournament raised $16k for Hearts and Hooves
Fall 2008- We will be collecting backpacks for CASA
I'm hoping that once you've made your way to Arizona, you'll head down Highway 89A (Oak Creek Canyon) from Flagstaff to Sedona. From there you can continue south to Cottonwood, then head over to Hwy 17 which will take you to your endpoint, Phoenix. Northern Arizona is very beautiful and, surprisingly, a fairly diverse collection of people live there.
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