beckyblanton » Asphalt Angel

Jay Schafer going to jail for small houses?

Becky Blanton — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:09:36 +0000

Jay Schafer is ready to go to jail to defend America’s right to live in a small house. Seriously. For nearly 14 years this founder of Tumbleweed Tiny Houses has led what he calls “My aggressive pacifist’s campaign to make the built world a smaller place.”

He’s been on Oprah, led seminars all over the country and been active and serious about a very serious issue – housing – the third most common cause for homelessness in America next to addiction and mental illness.

To date, Jay’s approach has been to “Pretty much just live my life in a small footprint and hope that my example might inspire others to do the same.”

As we all know, that doesn’t work so much. Not when Television networks like HGTV and the DIY channels keep giving away castles and mansions and glorifying the addition of thousands of square footage to homes for a couple and their dogs.

He’s tired of being a pacifist. GOOD for him.

Jay wrote his followers recently:

“On Wednesday, March 3 at roughly 7:00pm at the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol, CA. Jay will be taking a somewhat more active approach. Ignite Sebastopol 3 is part of Global Ignite Week. Roughly a dozen speakers from the Bay Area will be given just twenty slides and five minutes each to present their subjects. I will be using my time to rip America’s system of imposed excess a new body part. My distain for the building codes that restrict how small a house can be is no secret. On March 3rd I’ll be making my position all the more clear. All presentations will be recorded and posted for international viewing.

We’re expecting a full house (~130 inside, and others watching the live feed to a screen in the outdoor Beer Garden), so get your tickets early.

I see this as a great way to kick off a period of more active activism in which I will be working to convince the International Code Council that International Residential Code (sections 304.1,2 &3 in particular) needs revision. I don’t expect this to be easy. The road ahead is likely to be a long one for all opposed to size prohibition- one full of marches and demonstrations, possible jail time and the all the fun stuff seemingly integral to social change. I’m already working on my “I Have a Tiny Dream” speech and bracing for the possibility of my own tiny Waco. I hope everyone else out there in favor of housing rights will start thinking about what they can do to help. I will, of course, be using our website to keep folks posted about marches, sit-ins, stand-offs and other fun ways to get involved.”

What Jay is talking about is how building codes and zoning ordinances conspire to prevent sustainable, small foot print homes of 500 square feet and less. Because a county can’t make as much tax on small homes as they can on large ones, they keep increasing the mandatory size of homes. This shuts most Americans out of the American dream of home ownership since most of us can’t afford a half-million dollar, 1,200 square foot home. We CAN afford a 200 to 400 square foot home for $50,000 or less.

I don’t know if he’ll go to jail or not, but the important thing is, he’s willing to, to stand up for a cause he believes in. I think with the economy, the timing is right. I’m behind him 100%. You go Jay!

Viva la Tiny Revolution!

When You Care – You Show It

Becky Blanton — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:03:41 +0000

In case you’re interested, since 1992 wreaths from Maine have decorated the graves of soldiers at Arlington Cemetery. These wreaths — some 105,000 of them — are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. Worchester has a website detailing the project, the people and the stories behind the project. The information below is from his website:

The Wreaths Across America project began in 1992. Wreaths Across America, a non profit 501-c3 organization, was formed as an extension of the Arlington Wreath Project. The Arlington Wreath program was started by Morrill Worcester (Worcester Wreath) in 1992 with the donation and laying of 5000 Christmas wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery. This became an annual journey for Mr. Worcester. Read more about this in the History of Arlington.

It was relatively obscure until 2005 when a photo of the stones adorned with wreaths and covered in snow circulated around the internet. The project received National attention. Thousands of requests poured in from all over the country from people wanting to emulate the Arlington project at their National and State cemeteries spurred the creation of “Wreaths Across America”. Unable to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, Mr. Worcester conceived the idea of sending 7 wreaths (one for each branch of the military as well as POW/MIA). In 2006 with the help of the CAP and other civic organizations, over 150 locations held wreath laying ceremonies simultaneously.

The Patriot Guard Riders volunteered as escort for the wreaths going to Arlington. This began the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” that travels the east coast in early December.

By 2007 the requests for more wreaths grew. The Worcester family established the non-profit group Wreaths Across America to further promote Veterans remembrance. The mission Remember, Honor and Teach characterized the projects goals perfectly.

By 2008 over 300 locations held wreath laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 over seas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans graves. Over 60,000 volunteers participated.

WAA reached out to thousands of children with the message of Remember, Honor and Teach. The importance of honoring each fallen serviceman as an individual is stressed.

The wreath laying is now held annually on the second Saturday of December. December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day”. Wreaths Across America would not be successful without the help of the volunteers, many active organizations and the generosity of the trucking industry.

We collectively thank our military and their families for “Our Freedom”!

It’s a remarkable project and one that continues to prove what the passion and dream of ONE person can ignite. When you care about something or someone, you show it. You don’t worry about fame, or the news, or anyone noticing. You do it because you care. This is what comes out of efforts like that. Nice. Very nice.

Run Tellman Run!!

Becky Blanton — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:40:47 +0000

Getting interviewed outside Pittsburgh, PA.

Tellman Knudson is running cross-country to raise money for homeless youth – only he’s doing it barefooted. Yup. BAREFOOT. He’s doing something right. He got Richard Branson to support him…and the YouTube video is posted on his website.

Tellman started in New York, and he’s bound for Los Angeles, hoping to raise $100,000,000 for homeless youth. He says, “I live by a guiding principle: If you don’t set yourself extremely ambitious goals, nothing great will ever be accomplished.”

Amazing isn’t it? How THIS guy SHOULD be getting all the coverage that the media is devoting to “balloon boy” and a bunch of scammers, then Tellman is trying to do something good. Tells you where the media is – they’re all about the drama of the wrong stuff…sad. Wish this was making NATIONAL news, not just local news. Well, chances are good that balloon boy and his brothers will end up in state custody and eventually become homeless or at least wards of the state…so they’ll benefit from Tellman’s run somewhere down the road.

Tellman left from the southern tip of Manhattan on 9/9/09 at 9 a.m. He’s hoping to reach the Santa Monica pier at the Pacific Ocean in 99 days. I wish him well and hope you’ll at least hit his website to find out if he’s coming to a town near you. Wish him well! He’s definitely an “Asphalt Angel!!” Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/runtellmanrun

Linda Hamilton, my hero

Becky Blanton — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:55:32 +0000

Linda Hamilton is one of the most powerful people I now know of. And she’s often homeless, and is physically crippled. She’s an older black woman in America – not exactly starting very high up on the food chain. But she doesn’t seem to notice. She has something most of us don’t have – compassion for a stranger. Start paying close attention at about 4:25 in this video. That’s when Linda appears.

One of the most common MISCONCEPTIONS about compassion, love, and PERSONAL POWER is that the wealthy or well off have more of it than the poor and the homeless. But the FACT is, those who are most likely to help are the seemingly powerless. I have given away my last loaf of bread or dollar to a stranger, while watching others, with more money, resources and “power” walk by without pausing – just like in this video.

The FACT is, our status, wealth, money and resources are NOT the true measure of our power, our compassion or our leadership abilities. Our character IS. Who we ARE, not what we have, is what makes us powerful, compassionate and a leader.

Notice how she PERSISTS in spite of being ignored.
Notice how she doesn’t care what people THINK of her or the man on the ground.
Notice how she spots the beer can and gets rid of it to help her cause – doing what she can to change the perception.
She names the fallen man, humanizing him for passersby.
She ASKS REPEATEDLY for what she wants – even though 26 people walk by and ignore her.
When faced with indifference and callousness, she remains positive, calm, persistent, polite.
When ONE PERSON ACTS, OTHER PEOPLE FOLLOW.
She was willing to get involved.
There wasn’t anything in it for her and she didn’t expect anything. And like the narrator says at the end….

What would YOU do?

Beggar Bags and Another Asphalt Angel

Becky Blanton — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:52:50 +0000

I found this website today and love the idea, although the name doesn’t rock me, the concept is generous and wonderful, and as any marketer knows, the name lets people know immediately what the product is for. Maybe “Street-people sacks?” Doesn’t have the same ring, but I won’t complain. I think the good outweighs the name and if we give them out at Halloween, maybe we can remove the stigma by making “Beggar Bags” for kids and anyone who needs a quick snack eh? Anyway…..the idea DEFINITELY nets Lisa an “Asphalt Angel” nomination from me!!

Founder Lisa Dunbar came up with the idea of “Beggar bags” after giving away a box of food left-over from a social gathering at her company’s weekly social hour. The box of hot dogs and buns was enough for dinner for four, and the homeless man who received the box was grateful to get it.

Kudos to both. Good for the man for being grateful and appreciative – it went a long way towards touching Dunbar’s heart obviously. And Lisa was moved enough to take concrete action, create a website, get the products packaged and start getting the word out about a nutritious alternative to loose change. Trust me, change and bills are appreciated, but many people will feel more comfortable handing out these packets. For $5 you get four packs – each one containing a Nutri-Grain bar, a box of raisins, box of gum, a Slim-Jim (meat snack) and Purell Sanitary hand wipes. It’s a great start and I applaud it!

I wrote Lisa and suggested other items, including personal sanitary items – toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth and towel, but this idea will stand on it’s own without that.

I think what strikes me most about how people are moved to help the homeless is related to their experience with them, rather than an understanding of the lifestyle and the progression. Part of the whole homeless stereo-type is that the homeless are grungy, dirty, drunken beggars. Most are not. That’s like saying cancer patients are all skeletal waifs who can’t walk without a walker, or do anything but lie in bed and moan. The fact is, homelessness, like cancer, has stages. The end stages of cancer are horrific. But in the early stages, most people look “normal.” The same is true for the homeless. Until your ability to work, to shower, to stay clean and fed is gone, it’s hard for anyone to tell you’re homeless.

The cycle goes something like this:

Lose your job. Lose your income. Lose your apartment. Move into your car. Have a hard time staying clean, sleeping, eating and tending to the basics of life. Get another job, but not be able to afford an apartment. Have a hard time getting laundry done, showering, sleeping and eating well, lose the job. Lose the car. Move into a shelter. Really have a hard time getting a job since you don’t have a permanent address, a phone, mail, regular internet access or good clothes. Get more depressed. Consider the numbness of alcohol or drugs to dull the pain of feeling like things are never going to get better. Stop bathing or trying to stay clean at all. Die on the streets.

That’s it in a nutshell. Not only are you fighting to get things done day-to-day, you’re being called homeless, a beggar, a bum, unstable, mental, an addict or worse. It’s a fight to stay focused on your goals, your future and the fact that things can get better. Helping the homeless with snacks, socks, blankets – all fantastic ways to alleviate the temporary pain and all are always appreciated. Really.

But if you’re thinking about, or looking at ways to “seriously help the homeless,” then consider ways to provide laundry facilities, access to public showers and ways to get haircuts, clean clothes and a shave on a regular or even semi-regular basis. Maybe your church, your rec center or gym can offer “after hours” showers. For many of the working homeless a YMCA or club membership at a gym is a way you or your church, organization or social group can sponsor someone inexpensively ($20 to $30 a month in many places) and give a homeless person a place to go to work out, relax, shower and store their clothes and personal items. Often the only thing standing between the homeless and a job is the ability to stay clean.

You may take your shower for granted, but I never do. Go without a shower for a week. Shower only at friend’s houses, or in public showers, not your gym. Carry your towel and toiletries in a plastic shopping bag. You’ll quickly appreciate the availability of water and the simple act of showering with dignity, privacy and time.

Start with one person, one small simple gift. Give back. Lisa Dunbar did. And look what a difference she’s making.

Asphalt Angels

Becky Blanton — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:20:57 +0000

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you know my old van hasn’t been aging well. I’ve been stranded on the side of the road, in parking lots and at the beach ever since I began this adventure. Sometimes I can get out of it myself, but I noticed a lot of what I’m beginning to call “Asphalt Angels” have been coming to my rescue as well. Here’s a real saint – Gina Norris of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. I had gotten off the exit ramp to get gas, but made a pit stop for the bathroom at the rest area first. I had a quarter of a tank of gas, I thought, but the van wouldn’t start once I got ready to leave.

I grabbed my gas can and started looking for likely Samaritans. I saw Gina get out of a DOT truck and go into the rest stop. I found her in the women’s bathroom installing batteries in a light fixture. I explained my problem and asked her to take me to get gas. She immediately agreed to help once she finished the fixture. Within five minutes we were headed towards a gas station. She was funny, friendly, upbeat and told me she loves her job. She’s been at it more than 15 years and my guess is, she’s very, very good at it.

But her helpfulness didn’t end there!! Once the gas was in the van, it still wouldn’t start. She saw I was having problems, came back over and coached me on when to pump, when to let up. She knew this old van better than I did! And she cheered when it finally caught! At the gas station later when I filled up and DID have a quarter tank of gas left I realized the engine had probably vapor-locked. It’s a 75′ Chevy and yes, THEY do vapor lock – especially in the heat with a low volume of gas in the tank.

I was impressed. Gina was awesome and the best representative of the state that the North Carolina DOT could have. I told her I was going to tell everyone that…and the NCDOT too. I love it when people care about their jobs and the people they come in contact with. So I’ve decided to start an “Asphalt Angels” page designation. There have been several so far, and I’m sure, many more to come. Thank you Gina. You ROCK!!!