The Mountain Spirit (50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue 1 of 2)

50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1 of 2

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A Publication of Christian Appalachian Project: Celebrating 50 Years of Faith, Service, & Compassion

Editor’s Letter

Spirit EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Clay Lester

“Home.”

This seemingly straightforward word evokes an infinite range of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual responses, each as varied and unique as those who contemplate it’s meaning. Home represents both universally held concepts of origin and distinctly personal ideals of belonging, family, and community. For some, home is simply a memory—a time, a place, or a person longed for but no longer reachable.

A familiar fragrance, a recognizable hymn, or the weight of a particular book in hand can powerfully transport one’s mind and soul to this place called home. For some, home is a very real, very specific place—a structure, a land, a region.

As Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) celebrates its 50th Anniversary, we are compelled to take this moment to reflect on home. Eastern Kentucky has been our home for 50 years and, to borrow the well-worn cliché, there is no place like it in the world. For 50 years we have worked alongside our neighbors to make this the best home possible. We have worked to provide affordable clothing and caring community (pg. 16). We have worked to repair the physical structures that literally represent home to our neighbors (pg. 19 & pg. 26).

We have worked to be good stewards of gifts compassionately given, distributing donated goods throughout the Appalachian region (pg. 23). This is our home and it has been a privilege and a blessing to serve it.

This special commemorative issue of The Mountain Spirit is dedicated to our collective memory of home and our commitment to build hope, transform lives, and share Christ’s love through service in Appalachia. In addition to the current stories of Faith, Service, and Compassion to which you have become accustomed in this publication, we have included three stories from the archives of The Mountain Spirit.

These stories represent the reporting of a specific time, place, and perspective and serve as glimpses into the CAP family scrapbook.

It is my hope that as you thumb through the pages of this issue you will be reminded of home--not only my home, but yours as well. I encourage you to draw from the well of your own memories, drinking in the rich flavor of familiar people and places and breathing in the aroma of days past. This recollection, this love you feel—it is the same love we feel for Appalachia. Thank you for being a part of our home.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susie Hillard Bullock, Felicia Carter, Lynn Fiechter, Margaret Gabriel, Elizabeth James, Scott Kirk, Clay Lester, Dan Rice, Ben Self CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Clay Lester, Ben Self,

CONTACT US By phone: 859.269.0635 Toll-free: 866.270.4227 Email: capinfo@chrisapp.org Website: www.christianapp.org Mail: Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

SUBSCRIPTIONS The Mountain Spirit is published twice a year. The suggested donation is $20.00. Subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to :

In Peace,

Clay Lester Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director 2

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

The Mountain Spirit Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

CONTENTS

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES I. To promote the dignity and self worth of individuals by promoting self help.

II. To practice and encourage good stewardship of and accountability for all of the resources entrusted to us.

III. To foster individual growth among staff, volunteers, donors, and program participants.

IV. To live out and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ through all of our actions.

V. To foster open, honest, and effective communication both inside and outside the organization.

VI. To involve the Appalachian people at all social and economic levels in developing solutions to poverty.

Copyright, 2014, the Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. The Christian Appalachian Project is a non-profit Christian service organization operating throughout Appalachia. The Christian Appalachian Project is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions.

Financial and other information about Christian Appalachian Project, Inc.’s (CAP) purpose, programs and activities can be obtained by contacting Guy Adams at 6550 South KY Rt. 321, P.O. Box 459, Hagerhill, KY 41222, 1-859269-0635, or for residents of the following states, as stated below. Florida: SC No. CH98 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELPFLA, OR VIA THE INTERNET AT WWW.800HELPFLA.COM. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, from the Secretary of State. Michigan: MICS No. 9993. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED

BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.state. nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 1-888-830-4989 (within North Carolina) or (919) 807-2214 (outside of North Carolina). Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling tollfree, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: From the Secretary of State at 1-800-332-4483. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT, INC. BY THE STATE. Funds received in excess of what is needed to support this ministry will be distributed to other CAP missions. From time to time CAP rents or exchanges its list of supporters with other trusted organizations to benefit CAP’s programs and activities. If you do not wish to participate in CAP’s list rental or exchange activities, or if you wish to modify the frequency of future communications from CAP, please write to us or give us a call at 1-866-270-4227.

FAITH Proclaiming the Year of Jubilee

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**Hunger of the Heart: Mother Teresa of Calcutta Visits Appalachia

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By Ben Self

By Margaret Gabriel

SERVICE

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A Common Thread

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Making a Home

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One Truck at a Time

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**Home Repair--And More

By Felicia Carter

By Susie Hillard Bullock

By Lynn Fiechter

By Margaret Gabriel

COMPASSION Mountain Movers

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**Our Unconditional War on Poverty

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Gifts That Keep on Giving

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How I Learned to Give

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A Place Called Home

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By Margaret Gabriel

By Scott Kirk & Dan Rice

By Elizabeth James

ARTS + CULTURE 46 Laughter in the Mountains

By Ben Self

**From the Archives

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Step By Step

By Clay Lester

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Would you or someone you know be a great CAP volunteer?

Interested in bringing a group to volunteer with CAP? Here are our needs for the coming months: January 2015*

Our next long-term volunteer orientation will be in January.

Volunteers needed in the following programs: Family Advocacy Housing and Elderly Housing Elderly Services Child and Family Development Grateful Threadz Volunteer Groups

February-July 2015*

Short-term (three weeks or longer) volunteers needed for the following programs: Family Advocacy Housing and Elderly Housing WorkFest and YouthFest (experienced carpenters needed) Grateful Threadz Volunteer Groups Summer Camp

Volunteer Groups

* application process required

Our home repair programs rely on the service of one-week volunteer groups to finish projects faster and serve more families and elderly in need. Groups from churches, schools, civic organizations, businesses, and even families (children must be age 14 or older) are welcome. Groups of all types are welcome May - November. Alternative spring break programs available in March (college) and April (high school). christianapp.org/vol | volunteer@chrisapp.org | 606.256.0973

faith Proclaiming the Year of Jubilee n Hunger of the Heart: Mother Teresa of Calcutta Visits Appalachia n

FAITH

Proclaiming

The Year of Jubilee

By Ben Self

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s many friends of Christian Appalachian Project will know, we are celebrating our organization’s 50th year of service to the people of Appalachia. In the process, we are also launching a “Moving Mountains” campaign to expand and energize our poverty relief efforts in the region. This context provides the perfect opportunity to explore the ancient Biblical notion of the “year of jubilee”.

The word “jubilee” is often used to refer simply to major anniversary celebrations. For example, the Queen of England recently celebrated her “Diamond Jubilee”, marking the 60th year of her reign. She has previously celebrated a “Silver Jubilee” (25 years) and “Golden Jubilee”

(50 years), and may someday even celebrate a “Platinum Jubilee” (70/75 years). As on each of Elizabeth II’s jubilee years, we too feel like Christian Appalachian Project’s 50th anniversary provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that has been accomplished since our founding by Rev. Ralph Beiting in 1964.

Imagine what a celebration such a year would have been for the poor! What an astonishing reversal of fortunes!

Yet, as some readers will recall, the word “jubilee” also has a more profound Biblical meaning—beyond simply “celebration”—a meaning which gives it important symbolic and historical relevance for both Jews and Christians. It is this Biblical meaning that particularly relates to Christian Appalachian Project’s 50th anniversary “Moving Mountains” campaign, which you might even call our “year of jubilee” campaign.

The Original Meaning of “Jubilee” Primary scriptural references to the “year of jubilee” are found in the book of Leviticus, the third of the five books of Moses (collectively known as the “Torah” or “Pentateuch”) in the Hebrew Bible. These books contain what is known as the Law of Moses, given by God for the people of Israel and revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai following his people’s escape from bondage in Egypt.

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THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

FAITH Although many of these laws seem archaic to us now, they do contain important themes that can provide insight into God’s will for all generations.

As on each of Elizabeth II’s jubilee years, we too feel like Christian Appalachian Project’s 50th anniversary provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that has been accomplished since our founding...

The laws relating to the “year of jubilee” are outlined in chapter 25, but the chapter actually begins with a commandment on the keeping of “sabbath years”. Building from the tradition of the sabbath day—a day of rest taken every seventh day—God commands the Israelites to take a full “sabbath year” every seventh year. As we read: “In the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards… Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you.”

This extraordinary concept of the “sabbath year” becomes the basis for an even more extraordinary set of commandments centering around the “year of jubilee”. As we read on: Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years— so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you…

So, every fifty years, beginning on the annual “Day of Atonement”, the people of Israel are here commanded to enact a special “year of jubilee”, an occasion on which liberty shall be proclaimed “throughout the land”. The word “jubilee” comes from the Hebrew “yobel” or “yovel” literally meaning a “ram’s horn” that can be blown like a trumpet, and signifies the sound of the ram’s horn—“a trumpet blast of liberty”—that was to inaugurate this great year of the

liberation as well as celebration. The emphasis on “liberty” was not meant to be simply symbolic or aspirational.

The rest of the chapter in fact outlines four concrete commandments God has for God’s people as part of the “year of jubilee”, as follows:

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The “year of jubilee” shall again be a “sabbath year” in which the land is laid fallow and the people abstain from their usual work, living simply on what has been preserved and what can be found growing wildly (Leviticus 25: 11-12).

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In the “year of jubilee” all properties shall be returned to the original owners or to their heirs (Leviticus 25: 13, 25-28). This way, ancestral lands would not be allowed to pass permanently out of the possession of the families/tribes to which they were originally allotted.

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In the “year of jubilee” every Israelite shall be released from his/her debts; in most cases, this would mean being released from indentured servitude (Leviticus 25: 39-41).

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Finally, all slaves shall be set free (Leviticus 25: 54).

Imagine what a celebration such a year would have been for the poor! What an astonishing reversal of fortunes!

Overnight, with but the sounding of a ram’s horn, the exiles regained their ancestral homes, the debtors were released from their debts, and the slaves were freed!

Not surprisingly, scholars doubt whether the “year of jubilee” was ever practiced on a large scale, at least in full accord with what is commanded. At the same time, one assumes that the laws relating to the return of ancestral properties and the release of slaves and indentured servants must have at least resonated with the Israelites, particularly at the time they were first handed down. After all, God had only just brought them out of slavery in Egypt! It’s also hard to argue with the rationale that God provides to Moses in the text as the basis for these extraordinary acts of liberation to the land and to people: namely that all things belong to God. As God tells Moses: “The land is Mine and you reside in My land as foreigners and strangers”, and later, “[all people] are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, for the Israelites belong to Me as servants.” An old offertory hymn puts it thus: We give Thee but Thine own,

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FAITH Whate’er the gift may be; All that we have is Thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from Thee.

At the very least, the commandments and principles associated with the “year of jubilee” must have provided important guidelines to the people of Israel, helping to inform the way they interacted with one another on a personal, if not always political, level.

The Theme of “Jubilee” Down the Centuries

for the poor and oppressed, and foresees a time in which God’s dream of “jubilee” shall indeed be realized, when the poor and downhearted shall be lifted up and the captives set free, a time of both inward and outward liberation.

The theme of “jubilee” is also later revisited by Jesus. In fact, according to the Gospel of Luke, the very first thing that Jesus speaks about in His public ministry is “jubilee”.

After being tested for forty days in the wilderness, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, where, on the sabbath day, He stands up in the synagogue before all of the townspeople and reads an excerpt from the passage above in Isaiah. Astonishingly, upon rolling up the scroll, He tells the

Even if the “jubilee” laws were never upheld on a large scale, they offer powerful insights into the character of God and God’s vision, not just for the Israelites but for all generations. The themes from chapter 25 in Leviticus have inspired Jews and Christians in a variety of different ways down the centuries, a few of which are worth highlighting here.

First, the idea of a “year of jubilee” is revisited in important passages later in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. In Isaiah 61, reflecting on the experience of the Israelites in the period of Babylonian captivity (long after the Egyptian captivity), the prophet Isaiah heralds a new “year of jubilee”, what he calls a “year of the Lord’s favor” for his people: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the

Given the rich symbolic significance of the concept of “jubilee” for Christians, the theme has often been used to inspire and convict the faithful. day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

In this famous passage, Isaiah reaffirms God’s compassion 8

crowd: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

According to Jesus, it is He who has come to fulfill at last the “year of the Lord’s favor” (or “jubilee”)!

Many Christians believe that Jesus inaugurated a new Kingdom, the Kingdom of God—a “jubilee” Kingdom— through His life, death, and resurrection. It was no mistake, as we read in Leviticus, that God originally intended “jubilee” years to begin on the “Day of Atonement”, a day on which Jews still repent for their sins and seek God’s pardon. For Christians, “atonement” is fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and represents the start of a kind of spiritual “jubilee”—a liberation from the bondage of spiritual debts, just as “jubilee” traditionally implied liberation from financial debts, from exile, from poverty, from slavery. It is this liberation from spiritual debts that Christians believe opens the way for love to begin to more fully take hold in our lives, and by extension, in the world

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

FAITH Given the rich symbolic significance of the concept of “jubilee” for Christians, the theme has often been used to inspire and convict the faithful. The Catholic Church, for example, has declared official “jubilee” years approximately every 25 or 50 years since Pope Boniface VIII first declared a “year of jubilee” in A.D. 1300. While focusing on all the themes noted above, “jubilee” years in the Catholic tradition have also often involved either some special pilgrimage, or have taken on some other commemorative or inaugural significance.

Another interesting historical example of the use of the concept of “jubilee” is that of the Civil War and pre-Civil War era in the United States when the idea of “jubilee” gained particular relevance as part of the abolitionist movement. “Jubilee” was referenced in well-known antislavery poems of the age such as William Lloyd Garrison’s “The Triumph Of Freedom”. Garrison’s poem was used at the conclusion of one of Frederick Douglass’s most famous speeches—“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July”—given the day before Independence Day, 1852. The poem opens with these lines:

but God’s will that something concrete be done to help them. What matters most for us today is not so much the letter of the laws surrounding the “year of jubilee” but the spirit, and clearly, through the “jubilee” laws, God intended to provide a means by which the poorest people in Israel could be given a chance to start over with a clean slate.

The radical vision for society that is presented by the “year of jubilee” means that we all have a responsibility to help lift the poor from the bondage and despair of poverty, in all its forms. For 50 years, Christian Appalachian Project has been committed to helping fulfill that responsibility in its own little corner of the globe, providing the kinds of relief and support many of Appalachia’s poor need for a fresh start.

And even with all the progress that has been made here, we hope to continue to provide help in Appalachia as long as it is needed. So as we embark on our 50th anniversary “Moving Mountains” campaign—our own little “year of jubilee” campaign—we remember that in the fight against global poverty, which goes far beyond what we are doing, and relies on partnerships between people and organizations of all kinds across the world, every year should be a year to proclaim the Good News of “jubilee”. n

God speed the year of jubilee, The wide world o’er!

When from their galling chains set free, Th’ oppressed shall vilely bend the knee, And wear the yoke of tyranny, Like brutes, no more;— In more recent years, beginning in the 1990s, the idea of a “jubilee” for debt was adopted by “Jubilee 2000”, a coalition movement in over 40 countries that called for the cancellation of a large percentage of third world debt by the year 2000. The movement aimed to wipe out $90 billion owed by the world’s poorest nations, and was supported by the Anglican Church and a number of well-known celebrities such as Bono and Muhammad Ali. After 2000, the movement split into a number of smaller regional or national organizations that are still active to this day.

The Lessons of Jubilee To most readers, the ancient laws associated with the “year of jubilee” will seem utterly impractical for modern societies. But we know that God still desires for the captives to be freed, for the poor to be released from debts they cannot pay, for refugees to be able to return to their homelands, and for both land and people to experience regular “sabbaths”. While the “year of jubilee” is only occasionally referenced in the scriptures, the Bible is packed with the themes of “jubilee”—themes of God’s compassion for the less fortunate, and not only compassion for them, CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

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FAITH from the ARCHIVES Originally Published in The Mountain Spirit SeptemberOctober 1982 Issue

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FAITH from the ARCHIVES

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FAITH from the ARCHIVES

Originally Published in The Mountain Spirit September-October 1982 Issue 14

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service A Common Thread n Making a Home n One Truck at a Time n Home Repair--And Moren

SERVICE

A COMMON THREAD

By Felicia Carter

I

f you travel to Mt. Vernon, KY and walk into the Grateful Threadz thrift store, you can expect to be greeted as soon as you walk through the door. Since 2008, the staff and volunteers have been building an environment that thrives off of building relationships.

There are many services offered to the families of Rockcastle County by Grateful Threadz. Vouchers are provided for families that experience emergency situations, such as loss of a home due to fire, flood, or other natural disasters. This also opens the door to other CAP programs, where the staff can then refer those families in crisis to other programs and agencies for additional assistance. But anyone can shop at Grateful Threadz; it is open to the public and draws customers from all over the county, as well as visitors from various parts of Kentucky and even other parts of the nation.

“It usually starts with simply exchanging pleasantries, discussing the weather, and moves right into talking about their families. Eventually we’ll find ourselves arranging

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outfits that we agree would look good together,” Carolyn Lindsey, manager of the Grateful Threadz thrift store, explains about the importance of getting to know the participants. “The relationships we build are what keep the participants coming back.”

“I think that is the basis of all CAP programs--building those strong relationships with the participants.”

As a result, participants have grown to love the level of interaction that comes along with shopping there – so

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

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Grateful Bread Food Pantry

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One of CAP’s earliest thrift stores, “The Attic”

much so, in fact, that there are a handful of people who come in every single day. Lindsey says she will ask, “Are you going to buy anything today?” And they’ll say, “Nope, just came in to visit!”

Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) has always had thrift stores available to the public, but it was not until 2008 that the current store received the permanent moniker, “Grateful Threadz.” Prior to Grateful Threadz, CAP’s thrift stores were always referred to as “The Attic of [insert name of town].” When Reverend Beiting established the first thrift store, his focus was not any different than today – he made sure to build relationships with every person who walked through the front door. The experiences and stories of each customer were unique, and Reverend Beiting treated them as such. This is something that is still practiced today.

Lindsey is overflowing with the stories of customers and participants whom she has served at the thrift store over the years. One such story is that of Mary, who had just learned that a very close family member passed away. She went to Grateful Threadz, was greeted by a smiling face, and explained through tears that she did not have anything to wear to the funeral. After a few moments of consoling and comforting, the staff members went on the search for something that would be perfect. Mary found a dress donated by the Sassy Fox, an upscale consignment shop in Lexington, KY, that still had the $150.00 price tag attached; Grateful Threadz had it priced for $3.00. Mary was elated that she was able to afford something that was so nice. This relieved a lot of the stress that she had been feeling in the midst of her loss.

And then there is the story of Alex, a student who was about to experience high school for the first time. She made her way into Grateful Threadz with her father for back-toschool shopping and immediately found a few items that she loved. Money is very tight is Alex’s family, so her father

AP’s food pantry first started out as a closet full of food, much like one you would find in someone’s home. This was intended to provide food for people in need, but it was not enough. Today, the Grateful Bread food pantry has grown to serve as a food source for many in Mt. Vernon, KY. In fact, the Grateful Bread serves over 800 families a month, which represents a service to around 2,000 individuals each month.

Grateful Bread provides supplemental food to each eligible family once a month. Families are often referred to the program through churches and schools, and if additional services are needed for those families, the staff of Grateful Bread will direct them to the specific program. The monthly distribution of the state’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is managed by the staff and available for the senior citizens in the county who are enrolled in that program.

The Grateful Bread food pantry survives on food drives and donations from local businesses and corporate partners, in addition to donations from God’s Food Pantry of Lexington.

Apart from that, there are organizations in Louisville, KY and in Ohio that also hold food drives to support CAP’s food pantry. Monetary gifts given to CAP allow the program to purchase food from local food suppliers like Save-A-Lot. Another program available at Grateful Bread is known as the Backpack Club and it is coordinated in partnership with the local school system. When schools identify students considered at-risk for hunger or food insecure, the staff at Grateful Bread organizes bags to send home with the children. If a child has parents who work during the weekend or for some other reason are unavailable or unable to provide weekend meals, the bags assembled by the staff at Grateful Bread ensure that the child will receive three dinners, two breakfasts, and two lunches.

For further information on how to support Grateful Bread food pantry, please call 866.270.4CAP (4227).

You can also send monetary gifts or canned goods, or, if you want to get creative, you can host an event (such as a holiday breakfast or spaghetti dinner) and then donate the proceeds!

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SERVICE set a limit on what she could spend. One of the volunteers noticed the situation and approached Alex. “You know, our quarter sale starts tomorrow. That’s where most items in the store are a quarter. However, our policy states that we cannot hold any items back. So today, the quarter sale applies to you,” she explained. Alex’s eye lit up. She was able to walk out of the store that day with her head held high and a stack of clothes in which she could proudly begin her first day of high school.

“The relationships we build are what keep the participants coming back.”

The majority of staff that makes up the Grateful Threadz is community volunteers. These are participants particularly drawn to the familial atmosphere of the store, many of whom will often volunteer two or more times a week.

Lindsey states that she has not seen a volunteer come through that has not been affected by the experience.

Volunteers are always needed, as they are an intricate part to help keep the program running as successfully as it does.

“If it weren’t for the volunteers, I don’t know how we would do it,” Lindsey explains. The amount of work that the volunteers and employees put into making the clothes look presentable is extraordinary. Every piece of clothing that comes through the store is steamed and then hung on the racks to be purchased. Lindsey continues, “We do it out of respect for the participants.”

In conjunction with the community volunteers, there are also people who are volunteering for other, very practical, reasons, including those who are fulfilling a requirement in order to keep their KTAP (Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program) benefits. The thrift store also provides retail job training that could be used to help expand job prospects for those who volunteer.

Building an environment focused on individuals rather than a just a broad population or people group is how the relationships thrive with participants at Grateful Threadz.

Lindsey puts it very candidly: “I think that is at the heart of all CAP programs--building these strong relationships with the participants.”

Interested in learning more about how YOU can support Grateful Threadz thrift store? For more information, please call 866.270.4CAP (4227) to find out exactly how you can help! n 18

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SERVICE

Making a Home How the Kindness of Neighbors & the Compassion of Strangers Are Repairing More Than Houses

By Susie Hillard Bullock THE DRESSES t was a gorgeous late summer day in Kentucky. Under a brilliant blue sky, my new Chicago-based colleague and I drove through the beautiful hills of Jackson County, about 90 minutes south of Lexington. I wanted to give him a first-hand look at a CAP home repair project. Both my parents were born and grew up in Jackson County, and as we rolled through the peaceful countryside, my thoughts turned to them. Following my mom’s death in 2007, my siblings and I spent several days sorting through her belongings. She kept everything, or so it seemed. We chuckled at some of the things she saved—dozens of red plastic coffee cans, for example—and wept over others.

Among the treasures we uncovered were four tiny, handmade dresses—two blue and two pink with long, wide sashes that tied in the back--that Mom sewed for me in the early 1960s. From the day I came home from the hospital to our small dairy farm in Eberle, my mom and sister Tish fussed over me. As the first baby in 11 years (two more sisters followed me), I was like a new toy to my much older siblings. My father took lots of pictures of me in those dresses. I wore them every day, not just on Sunday.

When we finished cleaning my mom’s house I carefully washed and ironed each dress, then took three, along with photographs of my mom and dad, and framed them. (I’m saving the fourth for a future granddaughter). They hang on the wall at my home, a reminder of my heritage and of Jackson County, where my life began.

As I gaze out the car window, stunning vistas and signs of hard times compete for my attention at every turn. We stick to our directions until we spot two Christian Appalachian Project pickup trucks parked in front of an old mobile home that has seen better days. In the back yard, crew leader Darrell, an industry-trained carpenter with West

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Virginia roots, is showing long-term volunteers Jason, 23, Bill, 20, and Emily, 24 how to build a deck.

As Emily and Bill measure and re-measure, Jason unloads building materials. Over the next 3 or 4 weeks, Darrell will supervise as they install energy-efficient windows, patch holes in the walls, put in a new floor, replace the deck in front, and build a wheelchair ramp.

In Kentucky, everybody wants to know where you’re from and who your kinfolks are. It’s an unquenchable desire to “connect the dots,” to find common ground, that goes back generations.

Emily, who arrived from Georgia only a few weeks earlier, has no experience in home repair. She smiles sweetly and listens carefully as Darrell shows her how to make sure the corners are square.

“After graduating high school, I knew that I wasn’t ready to go straight off to college” she tells me. “So after some personal and family prayer, talks with my family and lots of time on the Internet researching ways to volunteer, I found Christian Appalachian Project. This is where God wants me to be.”

A NEIGHBOR IN NEED Like the other long-term volunteers who will spend a year working on dozens of homes, Bill, Jason, and Emily will

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SERVICE become friends with the families they serve.

Jeff, the homeowner, has been unable to work since suffering a spinal cord injury in an auto accident in 1997.

In his 30s, the father of two young children uses a walker to get around. His mother Wanda does the best she can to help out.

We stick our heads in the back door and ask him if he feels well enough to meet some CAP staff.

We step inside where Jeff sits in a recliner. His right foot is heavily bandaged, and you can tell that part of it is missing. He explains that doctors removed the heel in an effort to control infection in the bone. Now there’s a chance the foot may have to be amputated.

Family and neighbors are everything in Eastern Kentucky.

Roots grow deep, and bonds formed generations ago transcend time, distance, and circumstance.

He tells us about his health problems, which have been made worse by living in a trailer that leaks air and water like a sieve. I spot a hole under the sink that’s large enough for wildlife to crawl through—and learn some have. He tells me that last winter it cost $600 to heat the small trailer for one month. Already dependent upon his mother and his sister, who lives nearby, Jeff is scared. We talk about his upcoming doctor visit, and then the conversation turns to where everybody’s from.

SHARED ROOTS In Kentucky, everybody wants to know where you’re from and who your kinfolks are. It’s an unquenchable desire to “connect the dots,” to find common ground, that goes back generations.

Jeff’s mother Wanda walks in, and when I mention that I’m from Jackson County, the questions start to fly. “Who are your parents?” she asks, right on cue.

“My mom was a Hays, my dad was a Hillard,” I answered.

“Did you know Phee Hillard?”

“Yes. He was my grandfather.”

Wanda and I look at each other in amazement, and then away we go, backtracking through five decades to the exact spot where our paths first crossed.

“Oh yes. I remember you,” she said. “I helped iron your dresses when you were a little girl. They had bows that tied in the back. You had the cutest blonde curls.”

She recalls details of my life that I can’t remember—the house we lived in and my grandparents’ house across the 20

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CALLED AGAIN

A HOUSING VOLUNTEER REFLECTS ON HIS STORY, HIS SERVICE, & HIS CALLING

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reg Wagner doesn’t just remember the early years of Christian Appalachian Project’s housing program.

He was part of it.

From June 1970 until August 1971, the Cincinnati native worked side-by-side with CAP founder Reverend Ralph Beiting and a small group of volunteers, repairing houses, preparing summer camps for campers, and doing anything else that needed to be done.

“Rev. Beiting had four parishes, and that’s where he set up his operations-- St. Paul’s in McKee, St. Clare in Berea, St. Williams in Lancaster, and Our Lady of Mt. Vernon,” said Greg, an aimless 20-year-old at the time. “Each parish had between 4 and 5 volunteers, and when we finished a project, Rev. Beiting would decide what the next job was.”

It was fulfilling work, yet when it was over, Greg still had

no clear direction for his life.

“I became a motorcycle bum for about 15 years,” Greg recalls 43 years later.

“Eventually I joined the real world, got a job, paid the bills.”

At 63, he returned to CAP for a second tour. “The rat race wasn’t making any sense to me,” Greg explained. “The Lord called me to swing hammers for Jesus, so I’m doing what I can. It’s a calling.”

Greg recently signed up for a second consecutive one-year appointment, working mostly in Rockcastle County, where he lives in community with six other long-term volunteers.

Five women ranging in age from 23-30 and one 21-yearold man share a large “volunteer house,” similar to a college dorm, with separate sleeping quarters for men and women.

Everybody works 40 hours a week and receives a modest stipend. They take turns cooking dinner and leading daily devotionals.

“When I was down here when I was 20 years old, it changed my life,” Greg said. “I’d like to see that happen in the people I’m living with.”

Both Christian Appalachian Project and the people the organization serves have changed since the early 70s, Greg says. “Back then, some people weren’t real familiar with Catholics or with CAP. A lot of people gave us the hairy eyeball and walked backward toward the door when they saw us coming,” he explained. “Our track record of helping people has made people more open to us and what we’re doing.

The program has expanded to serve an average of 250 individuals and families a year, thanks to a small army of volunteers like Greg and friends of CAP who provide financial support for the ministry. n

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SERVICE

“The Dress”

road. She remembers that my mom taught in a one-room schoolhouse not far from where we’re standing.

I tell her how I had discovered those dresses and promise to bring them by next time I’m in Jackson County.

THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE Family and neighbors are everything in Eastern Kentucky.

Roots grow deep, and bonds formed generations ago transcend time, distance, and circumstance. Only 20 minutes ago, I had entered the home of strangers. Standing in their kitchen, my eyes fill with tears as my mind begins to grasp the hardships these friends have endured.

“It’s my turn to help you and your family,” I whisper as I

hug Wanda. We say our good byes, and I walk back outside into the sunshine, confident that Darrell, Emily, Jason, and Bill will make sure my friends’ home is safe, warm, and dry before cold weather sets in. When I get home that evening, I pause to take a fresh look at my dresses and the pictures of my parents. Of all the home projects I could have visited that day, God led me to the very one I was connected to.

I can hardly wait to tell my family. n *Names and some minor details have been changed out of respect for the privacy of participants, volunteers, and staff.

Be Part of the Story!

Support Christian Appalachian Project with a donation of $20 or more and receive a complimentary subscription to The Mountain Spirit. Not only will you be enriched with stories of faith, service, and compassion in every issue, but your gift also will help to support all of CAP’s programs. For more information about donating to Christian Appalachian Project, call 1.866.270.4227.

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OPERATION SHARING We Deliver Hope

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RING

ONE TRUCK AT A TIME 1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

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We Deliver Hope

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1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

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We Deliver Hope

We Deliver Hope

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OPERATION SHARING We Deliver Hope

1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

OPERATION SHARING

OPERATION SHARING

OPERATION SHA We Deliver Hope

1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

OPERATIO

We D

The science and spirit of delivering hope.

1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

By Lynn Fiechter

1.866.270.4CAP (4227) christianapp.org

OPERATION SHARING We Deliver Hope

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SERVICE hile walking through the Operation Sharing warehouse in Corbin, Kentucky, one can’t help but notice the range of random, donated items. In late July, boxes of prenatal vitamins, entire office suites, crates of clothing, patio furniture valued at two million dollars, and children’s books stacked to the ceiling filled the warehouse. What is not random?

The useful and purposeful ways those items will help families in nned in Appalachian communities.

“The first donation was all about books. Now we have a wide variety of donations—food products, drinks, clothing, shoes and paper products. From year to year you never know what you’re going to get but we find a way to make it work for the organizations that we work with,” said Jeff Burchett, current Director of Operation Sharing, who has been with the nonprofit for 16 years.

Burchett is referring to the first load of books— actually 24 truckloads of books—that came to Christian Appalachian Project in 1986. Thanks to former Vice President of Development Bill Begley, who was determined to find a place to house and manage that donation, those books made an impact on children throughout Appalachia. Since then, Operation Sharing has made it a mission to distribute surplus goods to Appalachian communities that need the most help.

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“We provide products for thousands of people in need...and those items are given in a loving and meaningful way.”

Operation Sharing is a successful business due to the fact that many of the day-to-day procedures are down to a science. Organization representatives drive into the warehouse, load up their SUVs with donated goods, and are back on the road in 12 minutes. After learning the hard way, Jeff no longer accepts 1600 lb. bags of detergent or 50 gallon drums of paint because they can’t be divided between charities. And although the warehouse’s three main storage areas are stacked to the brim in late July, the entire warehouse will be empty in one month. With the end of the non-profit business year ending in September, the warehouse goods must be completely distributed and the empty space prepared to re-stock for the upcoming holiday seasons.

Burchett is not fazed by the fact that the Corbin warehouse needs to be empty in just one month. What can be done with millions of dollars worth of patio furniture? Well, Burchett is already thinking ahead.

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The patio chairs will take the place of crates that families sit on at dinner time. The outdoor furniture might go to a battered women’s shelter. “We can find a place for all of this stuff [with] one of our charities,” he said.

“People are having a lot harder time.

Everything just keeps costing more and more and the wages have stayed flat. If you were just barely making it before, now you’re not.”

And in 2014, those charities number close to 700 for the Corbin warehouse alone. All three warehouses (Operation Sharing also keeps up warehouses in Hagerhill, KY and Oneida, TN) serve close to 1.200 organizations, including smaller structures like schools, churches and prison ministries spread across 15 states.

That first load of books was valued at 4 million dollars and just over 25 years later, Operation Sharing has distributed over a billion dollars worth of goods throughout Appalachia. With numbers like that, Operation Sharing can feel almost corporate.

But this work is also personal and spiritual for the volunteers and employees, and it always has been.

Corporations like Toms shoes, Avon cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies fill up the warehouse, but ordinary people are feel a calling to help, too.

“There’s a lady out of Lancaster, OH, Lynn Elliot, who puts together gift boxes every year. Each box has a Bible in it, a washcloth and towel, pillow cases and some games. All year long she knits quilts, throws, and banners for the kids. One year she sent 40 boxes, last year it was around 20. She does what she can because [the donations are] her main purpose in life,” Burchett said.

Though Burchett is running a warehouse that stores millions of dollars worth of goods, he never loses focus

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on the people of Appalachia he is able to serve through Operation Sharing. “I started working with CAP with youth and teen programming. I came to Operation Sharing 16 years ago. I’ve been living here 20 years and it seems like things are a lot worse now. In Laurel County 1,600 kids are taking a backpack of supplies every single week. People are having a lot harder time.

Everything just keeps costing more and more and the wages have stayed flat. If you were just barely making it before, now you’re not,” he said.

Operation Sharing is able to serve men, women and children and Burchett has no short supply of touching thank-you stories from “kids all the way up to the

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elderly.”

Some of the most moving thank you notes came to Jeff and the other Operation Sharing employees just last year. After a large shipment of La-Z-Boy recliners was shipped to the warehouse, the Operation Sharing staff distributed one recliner to as many charities as they could. Afterward, the charities gifted the recliner to those in desperate need of comfort. As Burchett flips through the thank you notes and pictures he saved in a desk drawer, he adds quietly, “It will just tear you up to read some of the reactions of those recipients.”

Operation Sharing is the largest off-shoot of Christian Appalachian Project and the grand scale of the warehouse makes it feel that way. But sitting in Burchett’s office as he composes himself, one can’t ignore the feeling that Operation Sharing is taking care of Appalachians in a meaningful way.

“We provide products for thousands of people in need. It might be given to them through schools or churches or community organizations. And those items are given in a loving and meaningful way. That’s the contact that you’re going to have with people,” Burchett said.

And that’s exactly why this outreach is still going strong over 25 years later. n

Honor

the Future

To make an Honor Gift by phone, please call

866.270.4CAP (4227) CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

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SERVICE from the ARCHIVES Originally Published in The Mountain Spirit January-February 1989 Issue

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SERVICE from the ARCHIVES

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compassion Mountain Movers n Our Unconditional War on Poverty n Gifts That Keep on Giving n How I Learned to Give n A Place Called Home n

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MOVERS

Stories that shine a spotlight on YOU and YOUR support of Christian Appalachian Project’s mission.

Christian Appalachian Project proudly recognizes board member Robert J. Ramsay, Ph.D. of Lexington as its 2014 National Philanthropy Day honoree.

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ational Philanthropy Day, hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and celebrated in hundreds of communities across America, honors philanthropists and volunteers “who really make a difference.”

Dr. Ramsay joined the board of directors of Christian Appalachian Project in 2002. As chair of the finance committee and member of the audit committee, he has helped shape CAP’s investment policy and ensured best practice financial procedures and controls.

He also shaped policies that led to an era of healthy financial reserves.

In addition to these contributions, Dr. Ramsay has been a hands-on servant in housing repair projects in rural Appalachia.

“Bob is a board member of the highest caliber – always faithful, always engaged, always involved in the most challenging aspects of effective governance,” said CAP President Guy Adams. “He’s also one of the most genuine, humble, and compassionate people I’ve ever known.”

Dr. Ramsay is the Arthur Andersen Professor of Accountancy at the University of Kentucky. A CPA, he also serves as president of Christ the King Council of the Society of St. Vincent DePaul and is a member of Diocese of Lexington Building Commission and Finance Council. n --Paul Ransdell

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ne common trait that is found in philanthropic individuals is their determination in being a good steward of the financial resources that God has entrusted in their care. A perfect example is Virginia Daetz of Redwood City, CA. Virginia, her son Doug, his wife Gisela are in the process of making a trip from CA to Kentucky so she can see how her contributions are being used. By the way, Virginia is 100 years old.

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Get To Know Our Christian Appalachian Project Major Gift Officers Paul Ransdell, Ed.D. Director of Development

pransdell@chrisapp.org | 859.285.1583

Paul is motivated by a desire to make every dollar count – to ensure that lives are changed because CAP uses resources wisely. “CAP supporters are some of the most benevolent people on earth. I am honored to know so many of them.”

Susie Hillard Bullock Senior Development Officer

sbullock@chrisapp.org | 859.361.3826

A native of Jackson County, Susie grew up in London, Ky. “My work allows me to meet some of the most compassionate and generous people in the world who also happen to share my passion for helping people in Eastern Kentucky and other parts of Appalachia.”

Virginia Daetz of Redwood City, CA, with her son Doug and his wife, Gisela

Larry Pelfrey Manager of Planned Giving

lpelfrey@chrisapp.org | 859.582.5522

Virginia Daetz was born in Virginia and moved to California in the 1960’s. She is active in her church and is quick to share her faith with those whom she meets. Her eyesight is poor, but she has a reading machine that allows her to enlarge the font of her bible and other documents that she wants to read.

She also gets her daily newspaper just to read the headline for each article. She says it helps her to stay connected and know what is happening in the world and her community.

I was blessed with the opportunity to visit with Virginia in her home and she hasn’t forgotten about southern hospitality. She had cookies and fruit waiting on a tray for me. She has a warm smile and a kind voice. There are times, as I travel throughout the country meeting friends of CAP, when my southern accent makes it difficult for others to understand me. Virginia said it made her feel at home to hear someone speak slowly because the folks in CA talk so fast.

We look forward to Virginia’s visit so she can see the fruit of her many gifts. Because of her faithful support of CAP, more people have hope in Appalachia. n --Larry Pelfrey

Larry’s passion is to serve Christ by serving others. As much as he wants to lesson the pains of poverty in Appalachia, he also want those we serve to know that Jesus loves them. “I grew up in poverty and I know it not only hurts but also leaves scars. That motivates me to help people.”

Scott Kirk Midwest Development Officer skirk@chrisapp.org | 630.715.4921

Scott lives near Chicago, and serves CAP donors in IL, MO, WI, MI and IN. He helps individuals and families make tax-wise gifts so that their charitable giving has the greatest influence. His compassion for the poor motivates his strong belief that “where people live shouldn’t determine how they live.”

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COMPASSION from the ARCHIVES Originally Published in The Mountain Spirit January-February 1985 Issue

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This new documentary, narrated by actor Martin Sheen, features the history and mission of Reverend Ralph Beiting and Christian Appalachian Project.

50 Years in the Mountains: The Story of the Christian Appalachian Project is available for viewing at christianapp.org

50 YEARS IN THE MOUNTAINS

THE STORY OF THE CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT

VIEW NOW AT CHRISTIANAPP.ORG

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COMPASSION

Gifts That Keep On Giving Teaching Children To Be Generous With Their Time, Talents, and Treasures

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By Scott Kirk & Dan Rice

t Christian Appalachian Project we value young donors who are continuing the charitable tradition their parents or grandparents began by supporting CAP themselves. These multigenerational gifts help us bring hope, transform lives and share Christ’s love through service to thousands in Eastern Kentucky and Appalachia.

Around this time of year many people support CAP and other non-profits who help make our world a better place for those in need. The November and December months represent a long held tradition of generous giving in our country.

According to a recent article by Business Wire, charitable gifts to non-profit organizations increase over 40% during the holiday months. However, research by causes.com shows the reasons why Americans give is as varied as the organizations we give to.

On average, 45% of giving is motivated by natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes which uproot families and destroy whole communities.

39% of us give because a loved one has died or suffered from a deadly disease or illness. This group donates toward research that will hopefully find a cure and help save lives.

17% of Americans give because, like George Bailey’s friends in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, it feels good to help others. Even gifts given anonymously can provide a satisfying rush of feel-good endorphins.

12% of the population gives to honor a special occasion or person. It’s our way of showing tribute to the life or memory of someone special.

Sadly, nearly 10% of the Ebenezer Scrooges among us are motivated to give by the tax write off. While tax-wise giving is a prudent part of managing financial resources it should never be your only motivation to give. If it is, start volunteering at a homeless shelter and get a fresh perspective on life.

Whatever reason you donate to CAP rest assured that your gift matters and we work hard to be the best stewards possible as we use your gift to improve the lives of others.

Giving money to help others is not only deeply embedded in most faith traditions it is one of the central values of what it means to be an American. From national parks to libraries to museums, we all reap the benefits of

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other people’s generosity. As someone much wiser than any of us once said, “It is far better to give than it is to receive!”

To be human is to be a philanthropist.

However, if you think philanthropy is only reserved for the rich and famous take another look at the word’s origins.

Coined 2,500 years ago by a Greek playwright, the word philanthropy combines the words “philos” (love) with “anthropos” (human being). To be a philanthropist simply means “loving humanity”.

Every one of us has the capacity to be a philanthropist, to love humanity, even if all we have left to give is a few coins or a dollar a day.

Whatever your motivation this season for supporting worthwhile causes, giving financial gifts is a wonderful opportunity to mentor your children and grandchildren in the value of being a philanthropist. It also models that even with tight budgets in a challenging economy there are still ways we can help our neighbors.

If you believe that charitable giving is not an option, make it a priority in your home and give your children a new awareness of the world and their place in it. Cultivate in them a sincere sense of gratitude and appreciation for what they have, and what others don’t.

Here are five suggestions for how to raise children with charitable values:

Expect your children to give.

Start with you. Set the giving standard and watch to see if your child rises up to meet it. Children of all ages typically respond well to reasonable yet challenging expectations.

Instead of handing them money to give away, pay them for a chore and tell them ahead of time that you’d like them to give away 10% of what they earn to a charity that’s important to them. They’re not immune to the suffering and needs around them. Their sensitive hearts will guide them.

Show them what and where you give.

You may find this tough to do because we are usually taught from a young age to be very private about our giving. However, mentoring means modeling. Dare to show your children what you give and where. Talk about why

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COMPASSION you give and how you chose those charities. Show them how you use an online tool like guidestar.com to research a charity. By introducing your children to good charities and by sharing examples of giving, you will encourage them to trust you and to develop their sense of team spirit.

Match their giving.

When you match your children’s giving, you begin to understand what touches their hearts and your child discovers what you value through your giving. Remember that training children to give away your money—even effectively—is not the same as encouraging them to be givers of their own money. However, during this time when you are modeling and training, you are preparing your children for when they will ultimately make personal giving decisions for themselves.

Take them with you on visits to charities.

You may be surprised just how much children learn from being with you during your visits to charities. Being exposed to the work can open a child’s mind to a variety of ideas and conversations, and give children experiences to think about for weeks to come. In time, they will want to go on their own, and they will know what to look for and ask about.

Honor the Love

To make an Honor Gift by phone, please call

866.270.4CAP (4227)

Celebrate their giving.

Find ways to catch children in the act of giving, like when they want their birthday party to support a worthy cause. Let them know you notice and approve of their giving. Keep a light attitude and an accepting countenance.

Remind them that God, the greatest giver of all time, loves a cheerful giver and that giving is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Finally, keep in mind it’s important to talk with children about making giving a life-long habit, and not just an isolated holiday activity. By making generous giving an ongoing tradition you are moving your child towards a compassionate way of life that they will carry with them forever and pass on to future generations.

It’s up to all of us to mentor the next generation of philanthropists. Let’s teach our children and grandchildren to love others intentionally during this wonderful season of giving!

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Give

How I Learned to The people, places, things, and events that first inspired our belief in the power of generosity.

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was raised by a single mother before the creation of our public welfare system. We six children did not have much growing up. I remember eating pancakes every night for dinner for several days.

I was in hog heaven! I loved pancakes. Little did I realize that was all there was to eat in our home.

No matter how little we had mother always seemed to make it work somehow. She told me there were several Thanksgivings and Christmases that if it had not been for the Salvation Army we would not have had either.

Growing up over the years, I saw my mother time and time again share what little we had to help a neighbor.

That spirit of giving, of selflessness, made me realize that everything you have is a gift from God. And when He has entrusted you with more than you need, you are to share and give to others who have the greatest need.

I learned to give and love from my mother. She still touches my heart every day, and she will be in Heaven 26 years this November.

-- Steve Bernhardt, Orab, Oh., CAP Supporter Since 1997

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ev. Ralph Beiting, the priest who founded Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), had been writing to me for some time. I don’t mean in a personal way. My name had got on CAP’s mailing list and I received Rev. Beiting’s appeals on a regular basis. I ignored them.

But something made me read the small autobiographic book he included with one of his appeals many years ago when he was still active with CAP. My late brother had spent a summer with a Christian nonprofit in Kentucky when he was a high school student. That was back in the 1970’s, when CAP was just starting out. I wondered if my brother had spent that summer vacation working with CAP and sat down for an interesting read.

The book, I discovered, contained an eloquent love story. In his recollection of founding CAP, Rev. Beiting had married the Sermon on the Mount with a practical approach to addressing the problems of Appalachia. I

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COMPASSION was so moved by Rev. Beiting’s humble story that I not only became a regular donor but also made up my mind to visit CAP. A few years ago I drove from New York to CAP headquarters in Hagerhill in Kentucky, where I was brought around by a staff member to see several CAP projects in progress. I think it’s good stewardship to see how one’s charitable gifts are being used. But more than that, I wanted to show by taking the time to drive to Hagerhill that I appreciated the work of CAP’s staff and volunteers on behalf of people less much fortunate than myself.

Now who are these people? They are unknown – strangers in a far-off state. We have never met before, and we don’t have friends or family in common. Their grandparents didn’t come from Sicily, like mine did, and we don’t even worship at the same church. And yet, I’m concerned about their well-being.

Wanting to help people outside our sphere is a radical idea. We’re so used to thinking that it is normal to part with our hard-earned money to better the lives of people we don’t know, will never meet and from whom we would never expect repayment that we overlook the defining role that Christianity has played in such thinking. I’ve pondered many dimensions of the parable of the Good Samaritan. I’ve reflected on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ curing the pagan Roman centurion’s servant. And I realize now that I’m living in an age that is informed by Jesus Christ’s loving concern for all of us, which transcends boundaries.

I make donations regularly to around a dozen nonprofits, including CAP. Most of the organizations are Christian. Some operate in the U.S. and others, outside the country. Nearly all of them serve people of any faith, race or social status. In my charitable gifting, I share in God’s humanity as it is revealed through Jesus Christ. It is his example of universal concern that I try, in a very small way, to imitate. And this is why I give.

-- Susan Trammell, New York City, Ny., CAP Supporter Since 1997

How did YOU learn to give? Share your stories of the people, places, things, and events that first inspired YOUR belief in the power of generosity by writing to The Mountain Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, P.O. Box 55911, Lexington, KY 40555 or by emailing Clay Lester at clester@chrisapp. org. We may use your response in an upcoming issue.

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COMPASSION

A Place Called Home

M

By Elizabeth James

y daddy always told me not to stand behind someone who was about to cast their fishing line. He warned me that I could get “hooked like a fish.” I believed him with no reservation after a neighbor’s daughter stepped right on a hook laying by the lake. As a child, accidents like this became second nature to avoid. I imagined that just about everyone everywhere knew this. When you grow up in rural Appalachia, there are many commonly observed rules springing from practical wisdom. You inherently recognize that you come from some the toughest and most resourceful people in the country.

I come from a place where you say “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am,” and everyone speaks to you when you pass on the sidewalk, regardless of whether you know each other. My parents had me in church every Sunday, and we were first in line for Vacation Bible School in the summer time.

Memories of running my fingers through the rough manes of the horses on my grandparents’ farm flood my mind when I think of growing up. No one had to make me play outside as a kid growing up in Appalachia. Something about the beauty of our surroundings drew me there.

Dad took my family camping one year in Tennessee, and I can still feel the ice cold water running over my feet in the creek behind where we had set up camp.

In winter, my sisters and I would fly down the biggest hill we could find behind my parent’s house. After the sledding was done, we would come inside to find hot cocoa made special by our mother.

Lexington, Kentucky may as well have been New York City, compared to my small hometown of London. Following trips to the much larger city 70

This is the thing about home: home is always worth the effort, worth the heartache, and worth the work it requires to make it better.

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miles north, I always told mom that I wished I lived in a bigger place. As I grow older, though, I realize that the warmth and comfort of my childhood home can never be duplicated, no matter how far from there life takes me. The fresh smell of my mother’s immaculately clean house and the sound of her piano playing will be with me always. Even throughout college I felt a sense of safety and love the moment I exited the interstate and headed to my parents’ home. My home.

Growing up in a small town in rural Appalachia meant that while I knew how to enjoy a sunset on a farm, or the taste of good cookin’, I also knew that in the hills and on back roads of my beloved home there also existed some harsh realities. I was not blind to the fractured families, broken state of some housing, and the people struggling to get by that were a part of my hometown. As I grew up, I began to understand more deeply my responsibility to my home, to my community, and to my neighbors.

When I learned about Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) I was ecstatic to find a place where I could not only use my talents and feel fulfilled in my work, but also a place that provides resources and opportunities to people--people whose home is also my home.

Recently, the Donor Relations Team (of which I am a member) reached out to many friends of CAP to ask a rather profound question: “Where is home to

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you?” For so many people, home is the place where their parents raised them, or the town where they learned to ride a bike, or where they met the love of their life. Home can be the taste of mom’s cooking, the memories of putting up Christmas decorations with family, or the crisp chill of Friday night football games in the fall.

As I talked with folks about what they associated with home, I began to reflect on everything that represents home to me. To me, home is the time my mother, younger sister, and I got trapped by a cow that blocked the road to my grandparents’ farm. We

Honor

laughed so hard we cried! Home is the big old white house with the giant windows where my dad played hide and seek with my sisters and me. Home is the feeling I get when I walk into my parent’s home and just feel at ease.

No matter how warm these feelings, however, there has always been something bittersweet about my sense of home. No home is perfect or without its own struggles and challenges. I can’t ignore the hardships faced by others in my hometown or the harsh realities of my region. But this is the thing about home: home is always worth the effort, worth the heartache, and worth the work it requires to make it better.

When I began working at Christian Appalachian Project a few months ago, I began to feel an overwhelming sense of pride. I am proud of my work (and the work of CAP) to meet the needs of my neighbors. I am proud of the resilience and resourcefulness of my people. I am proud of the warmth and beauty of Appalachia. I am proud of my home.

My home, like yours, is and always will be worthy of my work and service, simply because it’s home. n

Christian

Appalachian

Project

the Memories

To make an Honor Gift by phone, please call

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ARTS + CULTURE

By Ben Self 46

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orn in 1928, Loyal Jones was raised in a farming community in Cherokee County, North Carolina, deep in the Appalachian Mountains. His passions for the people and culture of Appalachia and for fighting poverty in the mountains led him to work at the (nowdefunct) Council of the Southern Mountains in Berea, Kentucky, eventually becoming its Executive Director. In 1970, Loyal then took a job at Berea College where he served as Director of the Appalachian Center (that now bears his name) until 1993. He has authored and edited numerous books on matters relating to Appalachia, including Faith and Meaning in the Southern Uplands (1999) and five books of Appalachian humor, of which four were co-authored by his friend Billy Edd Wheeler. As part of Christian Appalachian Project’s 50th anniversary, Loyal agreed to sit down with me at his home in Berea to talk about the subject of Appalachian humor, and, as he would say, “other serious matters”.

Loyal, thank you so much for being willing to sit down and talk with me this morning. For this interview, I’m particularly interested in the subject of humor in Appalachian culture, and how it relates to the life of faith. But to get us started, I would love if it if you could tell me a little about your childhood in Cherokee County, North Carolina.

Well, first of all, we were tenant farmers, which was a more benevolent situation than the sharecropping you think of in the Deep South. Usually, you’d have someone who’d gotten ahead in business, and who bought a farm as a sort of investment for his money, but he had to get reliable tenants on it. Anyway, as I remember, since my family had the tools and the workhorses—of course, we never had tractors or anything like that—and since we furnished all the seed corn and fertilizer, we were able to do pretty well as tenant farmers. We had abundant land for pasture and for a potato patch and a roast’n’ear patch, and we paid only one forth of what we grew. But we were expected to maintain the property—the fences, the house, the barn and so forth—and like I said, we had to buy supplies, so we had plenty to eat but just not much money.

My parents didn’t have much in the way of cash. But, while you had to buy baking powder, salt, sugar and few other things from the store, most of what we really needed on a daily basis came off the farm. So it wasn’t a bad way of a life.

So tell me a little about the role of humor in your childhood.

In those days, everybody had stories to tell, and a lot of them were humorous stories. Everybody had their family stories—stories you told about your odd uncles and such.

And you learned a lot about people that way. I remember this one story about my grandfather and one of his two brothers. My grandfather was Francis Marion Morgan, and he was a Baptist preacher. He had two brothers, one

who was another Baptist preacher and then one who was a horse trader, alcoholic, jokester and so forth. Now during the Depression, my family members were pretty passionate Democrats—FDR had won great numbers of those Lincoln Republicans over to the Democratic cause. I know my great grandfather, William Riley Jones, had been a Republican, because even though he was from North Carolina, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War. So, anyhow, I still remember this story. One Sunday morning my grandfather was riding to his church, and he saw up ahead his brother’s horse—that is, the errant brother’s horse—trailing its reins.

So he went over—this was Sunday morning you see, after Saturday night—and he found his brother sleeping off his drunk in the ditch. So he came over and said, rather loudly, “Uh, brother Bill, this is your brother Marion, can I do anything for you?” And supposedly Bill just rolled over and said back, “Yes, brother Marion. You can become a Democrat!”

Anyhow, that story is how I know my grandfather had at one time been a Republican. There were just lots of stories like that that people told, and lots of jokes as well. I remember hearing lots of jokes, including lots of naughty, bawdy, off-color jokes. I even collected a lot of them.

During my teenage years I did a book of the punch lines of all the jokes I’d heard, at least that I could remember. So I really had quite an interest.

And that early interest eventually led to your books of humor?

Well, Billy Edd Wheeler and I did four books of humor together, but that was much later. We had four conferences on Appalachian humor here at Berea and the books came out of those conferences. But we both used a lot of humor in other ways. Billy Edd Wheeler is a musician and songwriter—he’s in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. He was the one who wrote “Jackson”, made famous by Johnny and June Cash. And he and I were friends in college at Berea.

He made a living doing concerts as well as writing songs for other people, and he would always tell a lot of jokes on stage and use a lot of humor to engage his audiences.

Originally he was a folk singer. He would sing all these old English ballads, where everybody died, or suffered from unrequited love, or whatever—and you couldn’t just sing these old ballads without telling a few jokes to lighten things up!

I’ve written a book about country music humor, and there were a lot of old country musicians who would tell jokes like that. They’d say the best way to get into an audience is to get them laughing. Tim O’Brien, the great bluegrass musician, told me that he learned that from Jethro Burns of Homer and Jethro, the great country comedy team. Jethro told him one time, “What you’ve got to do when you get on stage is to get them laughing in the first 15 seconds by stumbling or just doing something absurd, and then they’ll like you, because they feel that you’re an equal if you make a fool of yourself.” And I think there’s a lot of truth to that.

In the late 1950s and 60s I was working for the Council

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ARTS + CULTURE of the Southern Mountains on serious things like education, poverty—and I would collect a lot of funny stories and information from people in the mountains. And I learned that when you can get people laughing, they really open up. I remember, there was a man named Brooks Hays, a congressman from the Ozarks, that I got to know a bit.

He was a liberal, a great supporter of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal. Anyhow, once I was invited to go to a humanities conference. This was in the 1960s down in Nashville, and it was a gathering of intellectuals and writers, but also politicians and others who were interested in the welfare of the general public. So Brooks Hays was there and he was a wonderful storyteller. He got up and made a speech where he was telling all these old Ozark stories, and the people listening were just rolling with laughter, tears were running out of their eyes. And I was watching all that, and then all of a sudden he switched and he started talking about the glories of the New Deal and how the government had tried to help solve the basic problems of the Great Depression. And I looked around and people were still sort of tearful but over an entirely different matter.

“You’ve got to have some kind of relief from that struggle and humor is one of the things that brings relief.”

So I learned a whole lot just in that moment about humor, that humor opens people up. If you can get people to laughing, you can then say some serious things and they pay attention to you. They’re not angry, they’re not mad, and so you can hit them with truth. So a lot of times, in my own work, if I went out to give speeches about gloomy subjects like poverty or racism or whatever—I’d try to use a little humor and then say something serious, and then maybe say something uplifting too, and it all works together pretty well.

So humor, in a way, helps open people up but also provides a counterbalance to gloomier matters. That’s interesting. I wonder if you could expand a little on the relationship between humor and hardship, and especially as it relates to life in Appalachia, or Central Appalachia, a place where there’s been a more than normal amount of hardship over the years.

I think there’s been lots and lots of black humor—humor that makes light of otherwise serious subjects—dark humor, and off-color humor in Appalachian culture. But I think it comes out of the necessity for some relief from whatever life you’re living. You’ve got to have some kind of relief from that struggle and humor is one of the things that brings relief, and I think humorless people sometimes can’t see 48

that.

I made a speech over at Alice Lloyd College once and in my speech I told some jokes, you know. They were mountain jokes. And there was some kind of foreign missionary couple—I mean, people from out of the region—who came up to me afterward. The man said to me: “Where’d you learn those jokes?” He and his wife were standing there very sour looking. And I said, “Well, I just learned them from people around here.” And he said, “We don’t believe that people in as much trouble as these Appalachian people are, would be telling those jokes...”

And I said, “Oh no, you have to have a sense of humor to survive in some of these situations...”

Freud, as you know, was a great believer in the benefits of humor, and lots of people that have come after him have found that people who are overcome with depression—that their depression often has to do with this sense of “Why me?” “Why is God picking on me?” “What have I done?”

They’re angry because they feel put upon, in a way. But if you can get them to see that everybody is put upon and that everybody has some of the same problems, and if you can get them to laughing a little bit about all of that, then that can sometimes help them come out of depression. It helps just seeing you’re not the center of the universe. God didn’t pick on you out of seven billion people. You know, everybody has some of these problems. So humor’s a coping mechanism.

Earlier you mentioned the role of humor in early country music. Tell me a little bit more about the history of Appalachian humor and country humor—how it developed over the past hundred years.

Well, there’s a lot of Appalachian humor that came out of vaudeville, burlesque shows, medicine shows, Jewish humor—from the borscht circuit. One of the things I’ve always been interested in is why so many Jewish people in the 20th century came out of New York and Chicago and came to Appalachia and embraced Appalachian culture and learned to play the fiddle or square dance or whatever, and became important figures down here. I asked one of my colleagues, a psychologist at the University of Tennessee— who is Jewish—about that one time. I said, “Why do you think all these Jewish entertainers would find communion with Appalachian people?” And he said: “Why, it’s because we are both the ‘other’ people—we’re not the mainstream people. Just like mountain folk, the Jews were the ‘other’ people on the outside wanting to get in.”

Many of the great comedians in the 20th century were Jewish—people like Jack Benny and George Burns and Jackie Mason—and a lot of them got into entertainment through burlesque or those borscht circuit hotels, and they did it partly by making fun not only of themselves but also of the mainstream people. Then at the same time you had all these traveling troupes going throughout the south and playing little schoolhouses and theatres and one thing and another. You had people like Roy Acuff who played these medicine shows, playing songs and telling jokes and doing

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ARTS + CULTURE all kinds of other things. And then along came country music. Lots of the early country music performers, people like Uncle Dave Macon, were first in vaudeville, burlesque shows, or these medicine shows.

Anyway, all that humor got just mixed in together and got into the oral tradition here in Appalachia. And a lot of these guys became highly accomplished actors and musicians, but they were playing off this rube vs. the city slicker theme and it just made everybody feel good, you know. You also had the clownish kind of humor, people like “Stringbean” Akeman, who was from the next county over [Jackson County]. He was with the Grand Ole Opry all those years. A lot of these guys were incredibly smart too.

Take Grandpa Jones—he was a banjo player and songwriter, and he was great on the one-liners. This one time he was on an airplane and it started to get bumpy and shake and all, so he told the stewardess: “Ma’am, can you please go up and tell the pilot that if he sees a gap in the fence to get this thing back on the road!”

I mean, he was wonderful.

But the point is, all this stuff just got amalgamated, from Jewish humor, vaudeville and medicine shows, and then you had places like Renfro Valley—radio brought a lot of this to the country folks—but anyway, it was an amalgamation of things.

Wow, I never knew Appalachian humor had such diverse influences.

So what are some of the common or distinctive characteristics of Appalachian or Central Appalachian humor?

Well, I think there’s a lot of Appalachian humor that’s come out of ordinary people’s everyday problems, their shortcomings and frailties and struggles, but also, as I mentioned, out of their dealings with the larger world—in other words, the rube vs. the city slicker theme. You see that theme a lot in Appalachian humor, and particularly country music humor, and it has to do, in a way, with reifying one person who is considered to be not as important as the other person. You see, sometimes the laughter itself and poking fun can be used as a kind of resistance and a way of keeping your own sense of worth and honor alive.

There’s this joke about this city fellow who was out in the country one day and he drove up alongside this farm in his big Cadillac, and there was a farmer out in the field—and the city fellow yells to him out his window: “Hey grandpa, which one of these roads goes to Hazard?” And the farmer looks at him and says, “How’d you know I was a grandpa?”

And the city fellow says, “I guessed.” So then the farmer says back to him: “Well, why don’t you guess the road to Hazard then.” A lot of Appalachian humor has that reifying

effect: the person who thinks he’s better than you, you turn the tables on him.

People in Appalachia loved to hear these kinds of jokes, and it was also a way to maybe get a message across to the overzealous evangelist that there might be a better way of going about his preaching. The thing is, just the presence of missionaries suggests that there’s something wrong with you, that there’s something someone has to come to help you with…

A lot of do-gooders in Appalachia have run into this same problem. There’s a fine line, I think, between defining a problem to get people’s attention without demeaning the people you are trying to help. And it’s not easy to do because there are people out that need help and you have to describe their condition before you can get money to help them, but sometimes, if you’re not careful, you may insult them with your description of their situation.

That’s certainly a line that CAP works hard to approach with sensitivity-to identify and describe the needs of people while at the same time maintaining their dignity and justified sense of pride.

Yeah, Berea College has had to confront the same challenge. You know, we’ve always prided ourselves on educating “bright, but poor” people, but the way you describe that to donors is always a challenge.

I’ve often thought about what kinds of courses we ought to be teaching in colleges. And I think that if I were a dean of a college I would make sure that every freshman took a course in anthropology or folklore or musicology or something of that nature, something that would help them learn to accept other people as they are whether or not they want change. Something from the standpoint of: if you’re going to work with people who are different from you and try to serve and to help them, then you’ve got to go out there with a sense of modesty and humility and realize that you don’t know much about these people. You need to learn about them and, first of all, accept them as they are. And that’s the hardest thing for a lot of missionaries and dogooders to do. These ambitious “change-agents” often don’t deal well with that.

I was involved in the “War on Poverty” back in the late 1960s and my organization, the Council of the Southern Mountains, was one of its casualties. It disintegrated over the “War on Poverty” because as good of an organization as it was, it was ultimately overrun by zealous do-gooders who wanted to use it as a way to stop strip-mining right now or to end segregation right now, and do all these things that are good and great… And it was wonderful to experience, but painful at times, because you realize that all these

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ARTS + CULTURE problems can’t be solved all at once, so maybe the best thing you can do is keep going and just do the best you can in the meantime.

In other words, delusions of grandeur and aspirations of sweeping cultural and regional change can often undermine the best intentions, so it’s best to just focus on the issues upon which you can have an impact.

Yeah. I said to somebody one time that my epitaph ought to be: “He done the best he could with what he had to work with.” And I think a little of that humility needs to be in everybody’s life. You’re not as all-knowing as you may think you are. And you’re going to run into things you don’t understand. And you may not be right.

Just that kind of humility is important, but particularly in trying to bring about great changes. I think to some degree big changes have to be incremental. And you have to work with a mode of forgiveness towards people, some sense of forgiveness for their differences, even their ignorance, because you have some of that ignorance too. But that kind of incrementalism is something that some people can’t stand. They say “No! We have to change this right now.”

And you have to learn to live with these tensions between people.

I wonder if you could still tell me a little bit more about the relationship between laughter/humor and faith.

I think there is a relationship there. I think you can be reverent and be jocular. I think there’s a whole lot in life that is absurd and illogical, and that’s true about religion as well.

Laughter is one of those unexplainable things… My feeling about it is that I’m just so grateful for humor. A laugh is so pleasant and wonderful. It’s somewhere almost in the neighborhood of a beautiful sky, you know. The other day I came outside and I’ve never seen such beautiful thunderheads. It was a day where the sky was blue all around here, and then all around over here were these magnificent dark thunderheads, and I was looking around and thinking just how wonderful that was, just enjoying it, and I was asking myself why is that sky blue, and then with all these clouds over here—what is it about the atmosphere, about the universe, that makes that sky appear [like that]?

Anyway, I think, in that sense, laughter is just one of the great gifts of human nature. There’s no other animal that quite shares that sense of humor. My cat plays and seems to have a sense of playfulness, but I can’t see that as humor. Because humor is all very intellectual. That’s why the humorists that I’ve known, they are such brilliant and insightful people. If you look at people like Jack Benny and George Burns and Jackie Mason, their minds were as quick as a flash. And it’s all verbal, and verbal means it has to be concepts, and there are all these cultural differences that you have to be able to play off of. It’s a miracle of the human memory. And I think the primates—a lot of them seem to be laughing and having a good time and everything, but 50

humor is all very intellectual. Even though it may look so commonplace and often crude, it has to come from an understanding of human frailties and human conceits and of human differences and a response to the illogical and improbable things that happen to us every day and that you have to deal with in life. And some people deal with it as humor and some people become obsessed and depressed with these things that can’t be explained and I think the person with the humorous demeanor is able to deal with it and discharge it like a charge of lightning in a lightning rod by redirecting it somehow as something else.

It’s not understandable. People have tried to write about humor, but as Bacon said, “When someone tries to dissect humor, it’s like dissecting an animal—in both cases the subject dies right in front of you.”

And humor’s also very much relational, right? One of the things I really liked that your partner Billy Edd Wheeler wrote in one of your books is that “jokes wouldn’t be told if nobody laughed. The laughers, the appreciators, are as important as the jokers.” And what that reminded me of, which is so obvious in a way, is that humor is relational and even almost communal.

Yeah it is. It has to communicate. And that sharing aspect—it’s one of the great pleasures of the world. I’m just an amateur, but I used to do a lot of after-dinner talks. I traveled with the Kentucky Humanities group, and they would get a club or a church to host these speakers… I would usually do a bit of Appalachian humor and talk about Appalachian values. But eliciting that laughter from telling a joke, that moment of sharing where we’re all almost as one, you know, it’s beautiful.

One last question. Does God have sense of humor?

Well, I don’t know. There’s an old bluegrass joke about somebody who went to heaven and when they got there they saw somebody sitting a ways off with a big hat on and long hair playing the mandolin, and they said: “Oh my!

There’s Bill Monroe!” And the angel next to them said: “No that’s God. He thinks he’s Bill Monroe.”

I tell that joke to say that I think the God with human attributes, the God that we have imagined in our own image—well, I don’t know about that version of God. So I guess my religious beliefs are a little amorphous. I read something by Albert Schweitzer in college about “reverence for life” that has stuck with me all this time. To me, the wonders of creation are worthy of reverence. Life itself is in some sense sacred. I usually pick up the little inch worms that get in here and take them outside and let them go free, you know, just as a little gesture… Anyway, I’m very appreciative of this world and the Creator. I wrote a poem once saying, “What if all we know of the Creator is creation?” And, well, I mean—isn’t this all holy? So I try to be reverent and appreciate what we have here and whatever brought it to me. n

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Step By Step

An Evening at the Contra Dance

By Clay Lester

L

ike a modern day Noah, an older gentleman lines everyone up in pairs of two. Facing my partner, an energetic young lady in her seventies, I allow a moment to orient myself to my surroundings. The open space of the Berea Folk Center, exposed wooden planks reaching toward a central point high overhead, has a cathedral-like quality—not all that different from how I imagine the ark may have looked from the inside.

The inhabitants of this vessel appear to be as diverse an assortment of sizes, shapes, ages, and backgrounds as any of Noah’s travel companions. The attire ranges from casual/comfortable/quirky to almost formal in some instances. One would be hard-pressed to find another setting with such an array of characters, save for central casting. As I watch a dapper fellow on the sidelines slip out of his street shoes and into his dancing shoes I look down at my aged Chuck Taylors and wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake.

“Nobody was born knowing how to contra dance,” encourages George Oberst, founding member and current chair of the Contraire Dance Association of Berea, “but it’s not too hard to learn.” George explains that modern contra dances, with regional incarnations owing as much to their local indigenous cultures as to their historical influences, evolved from

English country dance. “English country dance had its very definite purpose at the time it was most widely practiced. It was a way to facilitate courtship.”

“Contra dancing has been a constant part of CAP volunteer life...for the significant portion of us that have (tried it), it ties us all together.”

As one gathers from Jane Austen novels and film adaptations, English country dance is squarely on the formal end of the dance spectrum. Rigid social expectations and proprietary norms allowed for minimal contact between males and females, and this is reflected in the somewhat stiff, highly choreographed dance style. Far from stuffy, however, these dances held in the large halls of sprawling country estates represented an opportunity for mixing, mingling, and socializing that would have otherwise been viewed as unfitting the youth of the age.

Some of these early English country dances

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undoubtedly set the stage for all manner of awkward interactions and clumsy encounters, but I am oddly at ease as we prepare to dance. My dance partner signals to me with her attentive eyes and suddenly upright posture, which is not altogether unlike that of a snake coiled and ready to strike, that something is about to happen. The band counts off and starts into what feels like a waltz with touches of bluegrass mixed with chamber music. A voice, the “caller” as it is later explained to me, is echoing through the sound system, providing step-by-step instructions for the dance about to start. After this thorough explanation and a couple of practice moves, my embarrassing lack of contra knowledge is finally eclipsed by my curiosity and the enthusiasm of my assigned partner. We are ready to put all the pieces together, throw caution to the wind, and commence the real dancing.

Although they are apparently a popular pastime throughout Kentucky (and beyond), I was not familiar with contra dances prior to joining the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) family. A frequent source of weekend entertainment for CAP volunteers, contra dances have become a tradition woven into the fabric of CAP. Mike Loiacono, Director of CAP Human 52

Services in the Cumberland Valley region explains, “Contra dancing has been a constant part of CAP volunteer life, even before I came to CAP in 1997.

I’m not saying all volunteers have tried it or that they all liked it, but for the significant portion of us that have, it ties us all together.” There is even a contra dance planned for the 2015 CAP Volunteer Alumni Reunion.

Mike and his wife, Elizabeth, are contra enthusiasts, although “contra evangelists” may be a more accurate description. On his introduction to contra, Mike says, “It was peer pressure, pure and simple. ‘All the other volunteers are doing it, come on!’ They practically had to drag me to my first dance; I was convinced I would hate it. Seventeen years later, I’m not only still contra dancing, I’m playing in a contra dance band and helping my wife organize local dances and a summer “Cumberland Dance Week” family camp.”

On this particular occasion, Mike’s band, “Mixed Nuts,” is providing the soundtrack for the evening.

The band plays, the caller calls, and I am chaotically swung through paces of the dance—like a bouncy ball being knocked about the spinning gears of some great machine. Luckily my partner seems to be a pro, not to mention extremely patient, and with each repetition of the pattern my confidence builds. As I gain my “sea legs,” the topsy-turvy gives way to the ecstatic and I begin weaving in and out of the dance line with conviction (and a little something I like to call “razzle dazzle”). With all the dancers and the caller and the band in a sort of rhythmic communion, the contra dance becomes a human kaleidoscope of beautifully spinning patterns and flourishes. Each turn brings with it a new partner and new pressure to not interfere with the flow of movement. Just as I let go of my last shred of inhibition, the music comes to a halt and we collectively retreat to the refreshment tables and await the announcement of the next dance’s start. n

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | 50th Anniversary Commemorative Issue Volume 1

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