End of class blog post June 13, 2009

Don’t worry, this is not the end of the blog, just the end of the class.

This semester I advocated for Our Community Place.  In my mind, Our Community Place is a great organization that is working to get people off of the streets and connected back into the community.  OCP was designed by and for people around the community.  According to OCP’s website, it was created intending to help “those struggling with poverty, addiction, homelessness and other difficult life circumstances.”  Several years later, hundreds of people have walked through the doors to manage, volunteer, get a good meal, find a place to sleep, get involved in the community and to just come hang out.

Throughout the class duration, I have been going to Our Community Place to volunteer, averaging about 5 hours a week.  While that is not a lot of time, it is enough time to soak in the full atmosphere of the place.  The way that Our Community Place brings people together from all walks of life is remarkably unique and something that is worth experiencing and analyzing; if more organizations model the way that Our Community Place connects those less fortunate by helping people find jobs and manage money all while providing three free meals a day and stays debt free, the world would be a better place for not just the disadvantaged, but for everyone.

A Visionary June 13, 2009

The other day I went to Our Community Place to have a conversation with Ron Copeland, the director/founder/manager of the organization.  The goal of the conversation was to learn a little bit about the philosophy of Our Community Place, the original intent of the program, and prospects of the future.  The chat, however, reached a level of deepness that I never expected.  Socialism, drug abuse, Christianity, welfare, Mother Teresa, Irresistible Revolutions, The Vietnam War, Gandhi, capitalism and King were just some of the topics that this conversation addressed.  It is hard to capture the essence of the exchanged dialogue in a blog post, and it almost seems that if I were even to try, I would ruin it.  As a result, for the purpose of this blog post, I will reference the points that were apart of the original intent of the conversation: philosophy, past, future.

Ron said that over a decade ago, he had an idea that involved “catching the vision of a community center that offered help to people on the margins of society, no strings attached.”  As we were sitting outside on a picnic table in the front yard of Our Community Place, we could see people from all walks of life kicking soccer balls around, playing volleyball, chasing a dog, and fixing bikes.  “Well, this is actually what I pictured,” Ron said.

Now, Our Community Place helps, as Ron mentioned, people who are on the margins of society.  “Usually people describe the kind of people who come here as people who have ‘made poor choices’ but that is not why they are here.  Almost everyone who is said to have ‘made poor choices’ because of being homeless or having addiction problems come from difficult backgrounds and have experienced abuse and neglect,” he remarked.  It is great for the people to be able to come to OCP to get assistance with anything they would need.  “But,” he continued, “it’s not just about rehabilitation; its about getting these people who are lonely and maybe morally corrupt involved with the community.”  It goes back to the old saying: give a man a fish, he’ll eat for the day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.  In that context, OCP teaches these people how to get back in the community, not just provide a quick fix.  Ron stated that “after awhile, these people will get it, get plugged back in, and become appreciated” which is exactly what they need that many of them have never gotten before.

He went on to explain that usually when an organization gets people like the people who come to OCP, they construct a lot of rules for living so the people can learn to live in a world full of rules.  The people at OCP are the kind who are used to being controlled, being told what to do, and being forced to do it.  “But that doesn’t work,” Ron said, “and neither does welfare, neither extreme works.  What works is loving others more than yourself and loving the community” and leading by example.  He used an example that had happened earlier that day.  He said that he went outside to pick up a few things, and people at OCP just started following him and picking up trash as well.  What started as him going outside to pick up a few peices of trash turned into a massive project.  He said that someone “doesn’t have to be agressive” in order to reach success.  Ron also mentioned that life could not have to many rules either.  “People need to be flexible and go like the wind.  Liberal atheist vegans have great intentions, but with that label come too many rules to follow.  When someone is so bogged down on following the rules, they forget the poor.”

Looking out at the yard, he became very happy to see a young Iraqi kid playing a game of soccer with a young adult who grew up with out a father and lived a hard life in and out of trouble.  “When something like this happens, it creates a space to work towards a positive life.”

While Our Community Place currently does not have any specific religious affiliation, he has been struggling with the thought process of a Christian affiliation.  He said he would never “hold food over somebodies head” and make them believe the Gospels, and he is not into the idea of saving souls or planting his own beliefs in someone else’s head.  He does, however, believe that it takes a “true Christian heart to be willing to forgive people who have wronged you and the community over and over again” and to surpass the idea of punishing people for what they have done and accept the idea of unconditional love.

Bike Fest! June 11, 2009

I talked to the summer intern at Our Community Place, Abbey, last week about a project that I could do for my advocacy class.  She suggested that I take on a big part of the responsibility for the annual bike fest that Our Community Place sponsors.  It is a great fundraiser and it is a great way for the community to get involved.  The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Festival has different bike routes throughout the valley and each are different distances; if you do not feel comfortable getting a cardio workout that day, there is a distance for you. The full event can be found on facebook at link posted on the side of the blog. It can also be found at www.ourcommunityplace.org/bikefest. The Bike Fest is on July 25 in Harrisonburg, and if you’re in town during that time, you should definitely grab some friends (or come by yourself) and register! If you don’t like riding bikes at all, you should still come out and support your friends and Our Community Place. It’s for a great cause. Plus, you get a free t-shirt and food!

A Handout Organization? June 7, 2009

I think I met one of the nicest volunteers at Our Community Place.  Everyone there is so nice and so personable, but Emily (whose official title I do not know, nor do I know if she even has one – assistant chef maybe?) is particularly friendly.  She quickly started up a conversation by asking me why I was at OCP helping, which lead into the class, which lead into how long I had been volunteering there.  Upon realizing that I had not been volunteering at OCP for very long, she asked me a very interesting question.  She told me that she had been there for awhile and had her own opinions about the place, but she was very curious to hear what I thought since I am pretty new to the establishment.  In particular, she wondered if I thought that Our Community Place was a “handout” organization.  I hadn’t heard the term before so I was unfamiliar with it’s being but she said, “you know, like do you think OCP is known for just giving people free food and a place to stay?”  Thinking back on it now, I don’t remember exactly what I replied, but it was probably wasn’t significant. 

 

Thinking about it now, I am curious to find out in the upcoming weeks what I truly think of the organization and plan to ask a lot of the people at OCP the very same question.  I am also very interested in hearing what other people think about that question.  Do you consider OCP to be a handout organization based on experience with it or from the blogposts?  If so, why?  If not, why?

A lesson in doing the dishes June 6, 2009

I went to hang out at OCP the other day.  My plan was to go in before dinner so I could help in the preparations, but as usual these days, I was running late and showed up right at eating time.  I felt bad because it seemed like I just came in for a bite to eat, but they didn’t care.  They were gracious and insisted that I ate something.  I ate a wonderfully prepared meal, as usual, and got right to work on the dishes. 

 

Unless my mom or dad asks me to do the dishes, I never mind doing them, and at OCP I often volunteer.  I have found that I get to know a lot of people that way and get to ask a lot of questions.  Since there is no electrical dishwasher, doing the dishes can often be a community profect.  People are constantly coming in and out of the kitchen to help give dishes, wash dishes, dry dishes, and put away dishes; I feel as if it is a great social event.  When I was doing the dishes that day, however, I must have looked like I was struggling a little bit.  After all, the sink is at an awkward height, the dishes are combersome, and the dishes are always piling higher.  A friendly man came over to me, said it looked like I was having a difficult time and said he could offer me a little advice.  He had been coming to OCP to help volunteer, enjoy a free meal, and socialize.  He had worked as the dishwasher at the Little Grill before it became the Little Grill Collective, which for those of you who aren’t familiar with Harrisonburg, is right across the street from Our Community Place, and he turned out to know a lot about dishwashing that I, not unsurprisingly, did not. 

 

Tip 1: When it comes to standing by the sink, bend with your knees, not your back.  Most community kitchen sinks have deep sinks and you have to bend down to get the dishes.  As I thought about it, my back had been hurting, and it was probably from the dishes.  Bending at the knees is actually quite helpful.

Tip 2: Silverwear.  Save all of the silverwear until the end.  Put all of the utensils in the soapy water and “dive” in with your hands.  Next, do the “doggy paddle” and swish around all of the silverwear in a swimming like motion to be sure to get all of the food and germs off.  After several strokes of the doggy paddle, perform the last swimming motion, the breaststroke, and swipe up all of the silverwear in one grab.  DONE.

Tip 3:  Metal on Metal.  This might be common knowledge to a lot of people, but not for me.  When scrubbing the big pots and pans that are made of metal, you should use a stainless steel scrubber.  This is sure to get all of the food off without requiring too much effort.

Tip 4:  After cleaning cast iron items, dry them thoroughly.  Since cast iron items rust very easily, you should oil them down afterwords with a dollop of some sort of cooking oil like vegetable or conola and spread around.  This prevents the rusting and allows the item to last longer.

 

I was extremely greatful for these tips and I know that they will help me tremoundously next time I do the dishes.  After we were finished he asked me if I learned anything.  I jokingly responded, “Yes, I think I could do the dishes at a restaurant now!”  His facial expression became very serious.  He repled, “I don’t think so.  Next time we’ll work on your speed.”

New Jobs June 3, 2009

I was at OCP yesterday to help prepare for lunch.  I love the atmosphere around meal times.  Our Community Place is not affiliated with any religious organizations, but it does have a wonderful tradition before mealtimes that satisfies both the religious and the secular. Before we ate, we gathered around the tables, held hands, and went around a circle, saying our name and one thing we were thankful for. I was personally thankful for new jobs – as I had just gotten hired at a local restaurant, but as I heard what other people were thankful for, I was extremely humbled. These people were thankful for a place to sleep, friends, food, and OCP.  I could truly see that these people cherished the treasures that OCP provided: friends, food, shelter.  After everybody grabbed a plate and eating utensils, volunteers started to serve the food. I carried around what seems like a thousand pound tray of spaghetti and shells (and my arms are extremely sore today) but seeing the thankful looks on the faces made it completely worth it.  It is amazing how far a simple “thank you” can go.

 

I was washing the dishes after lunch when I got into an extremely touching conversation with someone.  A man came to help me with the dishes.  Somewhat of a lull came into the conversation so I asked him why he came to OCP.  He went into a personal story that lead him stumbling Into OCP.  He said that after coming to Our Community Place, the people there helped him put his life back together.  As a matter of fact, he told me he had just been hired to work at a local factory and said he would’ve never gotten back on track if it weren’t for OCP.  Turns out, I wasn’t the only one thankful for new jobs.  As he was leaving the kitchen, I said,  “Well, it seems like OCP is a really great place.”  He responded, “Seems? It is.”

Order Up! May 31, 2009

Last night Our Community Place hosted a fundraiser event.  This was not the normal silent auction or bake sale kind of fundraiser; this was a fine dining meal.  Guests were encouraged to make reservations to eat at OCP between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. (suggested donation of $15) for a dinner prepared by a chef, served by volunteers, and entertained by a local acoustic band. 

 

I went to help out before the dinner started and they put me right to work preparing salads, drinks, desserts, or any other odd jobs that needed to be completed.  When I walked in, the kitchen smelled so appetizing.  Cooks were busily preparing delicious shrimp, soup, asparagus, bread, rice, any many other wonderful foods.  As guests started to file in, I could tell they were all happy to contribute towards such a great organization.  Some people were there on dates, family dinners, and even the head cook’s family came to have some food. 

 

What I find amazing about this organization is the amount of volunteers that are willing, and delighted, to help.  Only a few of the people who help everyday and with the many events are getting paid. I had to leave around 6:30 for a meeting, but I cannot imagine how late the volunteers stayed to finish serving guests and cleaning the dishes. The people are there to selflessly help out a community and to help those who are in need.

Doing the Dishes May 28, 2009

Today I went to Our Community Place to talk about my class assignment with basically anyone who would listen and offer ideas.  I walked in and everybody was more than welcoming.  Most of the people  had just sat down for lunch, some people were finishing what was left to cook and the rest were walking about the isles of tables serving asparagus.  The first person I was directed towards was Ron Copeland; he is the mastermind behind OCP.  He talked about the project and the activities that took place on a regular basis.  He then took me over to one of the lunch tables where over a dozen people were eating and I sat down next to the volunteer coordinator, Rachel Simms.  I was asked to join them for lunch and while I ate, Rachel and I talked about the kinds of volunteer jobs that I could help with.  The jobs ranged from writing thank you notes to people who made some sort of donation to delivering posters around town advertising for upcoming events.  She mentioned that around meal-time, especially, the most work that was needed was help in preparing the food and cleaning the dished.  She also talked to me about the kinds of people who came to OCP.  Some were people who lived in low-income housing who would rather be away from the house, some people were JMU and EMU students who were always eager to volunteer, and some people there did not have a home at all.  Rachel said that the people who lived in low-income housing or walked the streets would often times go to the laundry mat during the day just to get away from everything before OCP, but now that OCP  is up and running, the people are coming to something that is “a little better than the laundry mat.” 

 

So, after I ate, I thought that I should contribute in someway towards OCP and stayed around for about an hour and a half helping with the dishes.  While I worked scrubbing what looked like thousands of dishes, I got to know several of the people who help to make OCP such a successful place; these people worked there, volunteered there, or were there to get a meal.  Some of the people I had recognized before from the Harrisonburg and Rockingham Thermal Shelter (HARTS), and we joked about the competitive game of basketball that took place a year ago at the shelter.  Some of the other people who joined to help me with the dishes I have seen around the community at various debate functions or local events.  Other people I was meeting for the first time, but quickly felt welcomed.

 

The place seems to be a happy place for all.  I strongly encourage anyone who is looking for a change in setting to go and help prepare the food, share the meal and clean the dishes.  You will always be welcomed even if it is just once a week, once a month, or once in a lifetime;  they will be thankful.

The Activities at OCP May 24, 2009

Our Community Place has a wide variety of activities in which it encourages the community to participate.  These activities range from sports and recreation to religious studies to reading classes.  According to its website, there are several on-going events and activities.  They are:

Free Food For All Soup Kitchen which takes place every Monday at 12  

Morning Prayers every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30-9:00

Nightly Dinners every night around 6

Prison Letter Writing which takes place on Fridays at 2

Narcotics Anonymous Meeting every Saturday at 12

Birth Circle that improves the culture of birth takes place on Mondays

 

Whether you are staying at the center full time or have never been to OCP, you are welcomed to come to any of these

People playing a pick up volleyball game at OCP

events.  There are other events that OPC is known for and helps to sponsor.  One of these activities is volleyball.  Every single day of the week, OCP offers its newly renovated volleyball court which “is the best sand volleyball court in town” for pick up games.  You can play at nights under the lights.  If you’re interested in playing or watching, you can stop by OCP around 4 pm (the most popular time for v-ball) and you can be sure to find one.  Or, you can be notified via text message if you would like to know when the next game is.   One event that the OCP helps to sponsor is the Shenandoah Valley Bike Fest.  This years bike fest is going to held on July 25th and anyone is invited to attend.  OCP provides various rest stops around town and holds a home cooked meal after the race.  

Holiday Craft Night

 Another community event that OCP holds is Holiday Craft Nights.  This project has gone on for 8 years now and a local community member comes by and teaches anyone how to make a holiday friendly and child friendly craft.  Other events that OCP is known for include fall festivals, “night out” fundraisers, a chess ladder, and a community project -OCP renovation.

Hey Everyone! May 23, 2009

My name is Katie Sensabaugh and I am a student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  I am double majoring in Justice Studies and International Affairs and minoring in communications.  Even though I go to a university right across the street from where I was born, I love to get out of the valley and travel.  I’ve been to several countries around the world including Mexico, Greece and Egypt. 

 

I created this blog for a summer class through JMU called Argument and Advocacy.  The cause I decided to advocate for is Our Community Place (OCP) located in Harrisonburg.  While this blog is an assignment for the class, I hope to maintain my advocacy throughout the year.  OCP was  designed by and for people around the community.  According to OCP’s website, www.ourcommunityplace.org , it was created intending to help “those struggling with poverty, addiction, homelessness and other difficult life circumstances.”  Several years later, hundreds of people have walked through the doors to manage, volunteer, get a good meal, find a place to sleep, and to just come hang out. 

 

In 1992, Ron Copeland bought a restaurant called the Little Grill and opened it up for a couple hours one day a week to offer a free meal for “anyone in the world.”  After that became a great success, he decided to purchase a run down building across the street to help serve people more than just once a week.  From 1999 to 2002, intensive fundraising took place to help buy the property.  Finally, in 2008, after all the renovations and safety measures, OCP was able to open and serve its first group of people.  Now, anybody and everybody is encouraged to come to OCP and get involved in one way or another with any of the various activities it has to offer.  

Just some people having fun at OCP!

 

According to the website, the purposes of OCP are to “accommodate, foster and provide activities and programs related to personal growth and community well being; to be a resource in the community for individuals seeking information or services already provided by other organizations; to educate and empower individuals toward self-sufficiency, thus creating social capital for the community at large” and to “nurture a community that appreciates diversity and sees differences and conflict as opportunities for spiritual growth.”