12 SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
INSIDE TUCSON BUSINESS
LOOKING BACK REMEMBERING TUCSON
1960s era led to founding of Up With People I.T. Genius
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They have performed in four Super Bowl half-time shows, were the first U.S. entertainers to visit and perform in the People’s Republic of China after the Bamboo Curtain fell in 1978, and performed in the Soviet Union in 1990, a year after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Thanks to the vision of John Blanton Belk Jr. along with the support of his wife Betty, Up With People began in Tucson in 1965. “Today, Up With People represents 22,000 young men and women from more than 108 countries who have come together to travel to deliver a common message of hope and goodwill to people around the world. They have pursued global education and personal growth through service, music and travel. More than 180 casts have lived in half a million homes around the world creating a message of building peace around the world,” says Belk in a drawl that gives away his roots from Richmond, Va. Jokingly, he says marrying Betty was an “arranged marriage.” The reality is that while Belk was serving as a World War II Naval cadet, his father asked him to come to Richmond to meet some visiting friends. Betty’s family was visiting from Summit, N.J. She wore a long pleated skirt and saddle shoes. Belk found himself smitten. After his The cast of Up With People on the Great Wall of China in 1978. service, they married. “Towards the end of that summer, 90 of “The world After World War II, Belk worked with them came to me and told me they wanted knows what you Moral Re-Armament, an ecumenical to present their show beyond Mackinac are against, but organization that sought to promote world Island and take it to the public,” Belk what do you understanding. His goal was to create world recalled. “We went to Cape Cod, got an old support?” Belk reconciliation by attempting to bring Japan barge, dressed it like a Mississippi showtold them. “When and Germany back into the family of nations. boat and sailed around the cape performyou are responDuring the turbulent 1960s, a prevalent ing free performances. A group of senators sible for your scene in the U.S. was one of hippies and congressmen, who were at the future, what do occupying university presidents offices. It Kennedy compound, came to see the show you want to was a time of demonstrations, around the MARY LEVY PEACHIN and asked if I would bring the show to build?” world from the University of California in Washington, D.C.” Music was the Berkeley to the Sorbonne in Paris, and to A 72-person congressional committee medium of the generation. He told them to San Marcus University in Lima, Peru. had arranged a performance venue at the bring their instruments. Belk was at a point in his life when he Washington Hilton Hotel. Thousands came from across the U.S. to was ready to take on a big challenge. He “More than 5,000 people attended. Mackinac Island, Mich. gathered student There was thunderous applause and a “We put up tents leaders from half a standing ovation,” Belk remembered, and a had a hootenanBIZ FACTS dozen universities adding that backstage after the perforny,” Belk said, noting n challenging them to Up With People mance, “A member of the committee told that it was four years t find a “positive voice” the Woodstock me ‘Mr. Belk, we’ve got something going. b The performance group Up With People still before as an alternative to Did you see Senator Goldwater sitting next Festival. F exists, though its headquarters are now in what he regarded as to Senator Fulbright?’” Denver. Issues in 1965 the negativism of the Arizona’s Republican Sen. Barry Goldwawww.upwithpeople.org were civil rights, the w times. ter and Arkansas’ Democratic Sen. James war in Vietnam, and w “I decided to do 1-877-264-8856 or (303) 460-7100 Fulbright were about as politically oppostie a dichotomy between something about it. I Former cast members hold annual summer the as two senators could be in those days. t old and the wanted to feel like I reunions. Next year’s reunion is scheduled Encourage by the reception, “Betty and I young, which could y could do something from July 25-28 at the Westin La Paloma took a great leap of faith and said we’ll keep be characterized by b that would make a Resort and Spa. them singing. At that time Herbie Allen, the t young people’s difference in the Steve, Paul and Ralph Colwell and Don expression “Don’t e world,” he said. Birdsall were helping me. That in a sense, was trust anyone over 30.” In 1964, Belk met with four student body the beginning of Up With People,” Belk said. The get together on Mackinac Island presidents to tell them that he would like to Up With People started with no outside resulted in an amateur show called “Sing hold a summer conference. “What are the funding, so the group had to come up with Out 65.” rules?” they asked.