I once heard it said that the sweetest sound you’ll ever hear is someone calling your name. I’ve wondered about that for years. What if you don’t like your name? Would it still work? So I decided to take it to the streets and see what happens.
That’s right. Every morning when I get up my job is to do exactly the same thing. Drink coffee, get dressed and “hit the bricks!” The brick sidewalk that is, in front of our apartment at 7th and Main Street in downtown Louisville. I’ve got the greatest job in the world! Why? Because I get to meet the greatest people in the world everywhere I go.
Sometimes it takes 20 minutes just to walk one block. And that’s when I’m in a hurry! A couple of weeks ago I walked out, turned right, and couldn’t find my car. Steve Helbig, a security officer, came to the rescue! Everyone that walked by said, “Hey Barbara – good morning!” Steve asked, “Who are you anyway?” I told him that I was a fundraiser and that I had asked all those folks to give money to the Arts. He loved that! Steve told me he sang with the Louisville Youth Choir as a teenager and how much he loved the Arts!
The following week I ran into Steve at Metro Hall on my way in to see Mayor Fischer. “Hey Steve – good morning!” What’s in a name? Everything. After Mayor Fischer kicked off the Metro Louisville Employee Campaign I started making the rounds.
The sun wasn’t even up and there I stood at 5:45am in the middle of a large group of garbage collectors waiting for their name to be called. Dion Patterson walked up and asked, “How’s Aqura doing?” I couldn’t believe someone would remember the name of a child whose story I told a few years ago. “She’s doing great, thanks to you and everyone else who supports the Arts. She’s in New York going to school and dancing with Company II of Alvin Ailey.” Dion mentioned his eight children all under the age of 23. I didn’t get their names but I did get that fact that Dion works two jobs, raises eight children and loves the Arts!
“Hey Jeanette – good morning!” Jeanette Price was standing there wearing her Fund for the Arts t-shirt with a big smile on her face. I see Jeanette each week on the garbage truck as it rolls down Main Street. “We love the Arts!” “I know you do!” See her picture above – in the t-shirt!
Hop in my car and go east with me to Locust Grove for last week’s Literary Lunch. Same deal. Great folks everywhere I go. Sarah and Bob Shaw came to hear Buck Pennington talk about the history of painting in Kentucky. It was like old home week. Theresa and John Bondurant always attend Literary Lunch and Harold Butler and Anne West joined us this time along with many others. See photos below.
Whoops, here comes an early morning text from Shane Dickerson. “Hey Ms. Barbara, just checking in! Things are hectic. School is going well. Meeting with my advisor today. Hope all is well with you.” I met Shane when he was nine years old singing with the West Louisville Boys Choir. When you give to the Arts you help keep folks focused and eventually great things happen.
Give it a whirl. Call people by their name when you speak and watch what happens. Remember to “Like” Fund for the Arts on Facebook and when we reach 1949 friends everyone wins a free ticket from me to an upcoming Arts event. Click HERE for great photos!
2gether through the Arts we create a great American city!
