Month: September 2024

My wife, the Commander Supreme, used her best logistical skills to plan our Sunday afternoon on September 15, 2024. This was for our trip to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts just outside of Vienna, Virginia.

She navigated purchasing the tickets on the lawn.

Researched the protocols for parking, seating, picnicking, lodging, and navigating the local streets to the Wolf Trap grounds.

Her timing for checking us into the hotel, departure time to the venue, and following the rules as we entered the amphitheater were impeccable. A naval admiral or army general would have been envious.

We even avoided the notoriously, naughty I-95 in our ride from Richmond to Vienna. Steadily, we traveled Virginia’s back highways and the historic U.S. 1. On a couple of occasions, we saw at overpasses the stalled traffic on I-95.

With the help of U.S. National Park rangers, we entered the proper line for lawn ticket holders like ourselves.

While waiting for the gates to open at 6:30 p.m. We were fortunate to have in front and behind us experienced Wolf Trap lawn ticket holders. No matter our question, their wisdom made our experience better. We both were impressed with their kindness and patience.

Their best advice was for us to split before entering the steeply grassed amphitheater. I was to secure a spot for us to sit, and the Commander was to rent two of the padded chairs with adjustable backs for our seating.

Our pre-entry coaching payed off. I found a suitable spot and quickly spread our picnic blanket. In a matter of minutes, I was directing the commander to my location. She found me, and with some teamwork, we conquered our chairs.

Settled into our seats, we people watched, and studied the venue. The stage appeared to be a million miles away. But in front of us, we had a supersized TV monitor for easy viewing of the stage.

Gradually, we started paying attention to the delights of our picnic.

While we ate, we watched the staging of the entry of the ticket holders who would be sitting in the reserved seats under the covered pavilion.

About ten minutes to the eight o’clock start time, what sounded like a large bell was rung. This was a final nudge to everyone— find your seats. And while the perfection of starting exactly at eight was missed, when the lights dimmed, the crowd was largely seated.

My introduction to James Taylor was in 1968. I remember hearing the first single from his initial album on The Beatles’Apple Records. That song “Carolina In My Mind” launched Mr. Taylor’s successful career. I still remember the disc jockey stating that Mr. Taylor was from Chapel Hill.

The concert this evening started with a series of linked together video clips featuring Mr. Taylor performing the song “Something In The Way She Moves.” At some point, Mr. Taylor and his All Star Band took the stage, and the song transitions into a real time performance.

After completing this song, Mr. Taylor, who is an engaging storyteller, shared how he auditioned “Something In The Way She Moves” for George Harrison and Paul McCartney at the Apple Records headquarters. To this day, Mr. Taylor marvels at how he accomplished auditioning that song with two Beatles listening to him.

Mr. Taylor turned 76 in March. This was the final night of his summer tour. He and his band played three nights on the Wolf Trap stage. His voice was a bit hoarse at times. Yet, he still possess a powerful voice with the ability to carry lead vocals and blend nicely with three gifted backup singers.

Speaking of gifted, the musicians in the band are extraordinary masters in their own right. Each has a fascinating legacy and story in the music industry. Near the end of the second set, Mr. Taylor’s wife, Kim came out and joined the backup singers.

At some point during the show, Mr. Taylor spoke about the challenges of putting together the set list of songs for each concert. As a gifted songwriter, making the selections is a difficult task for him.

Making those choices is even more demanding because of his ability to create hit records by covering songs written by other songwriters like Carole King, Buddy Holly, and the exceptional Motown team of Holland-Dozier-Holland.

This concert featured songs for every fan of James Taylor.

Early in the first set, during a pause between songs, a lady in the reserved seats yelled out, “I love you James.”

Now, I’m not quoting Mr. Taylor’s follow-up verbatim, but he responded with something like this, “Well, thank you, I love you too.” But then he continued, “In this public setting, I also think that we should see other people.”

Mr. Taylor’s easy patter to his admiring fan made everyone in the audience affectionately chuckle.

At the close of the encore, Mr. Taylor thanked everyone again, and stated he hoped to come back next year, and then he and his band bowed and walked off stage.

Even if you are a mild follower of James Taylor, if you have the opportunity to hear him in concert, I would tell you don’t miss him.

As much as my old heart and ears enjoyed Mr. Taylor’s skills tonight, none of this would have been possible without the heart and vision of Catherine Filene Shouse.

In 1966, she donated the land and the funds to the United States government to build this stunning facility. This led Congress to declare the Wolf Trap Farm as the Wolf Trap National Park for the performing arts. For over fifty years, this stage has left audiences appreciative of the artistry of performers from all over the world. (Wolf Trap website)

I’m not sure I could tell you my favorite James Taylor song.

I’ve always loved this line of lyrics from his song “Fire and Rain”:
Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus,
You’ve got to help me make a stand,
You’ve just got to see me through another day.
My body’s aching and my time is at hand,
And I won’t make it any other way.

Some days, I look around and wonder who is going to help people make a stand and get them through another day?

Who gets to the people Jesus can’t get to?

I think the answer to that question is you, me, we, and us.

When the adoring fan shouted out “I love you James,” truth be told there are lots of people who love Mr. Taylor’s music. Clearly, his work has touched many hearts.

But the real challenge that lies in front of me, the real hard work is becoming better at trying to love and understand the people who I’m incapable of loving.

In Mr. Taylor’s song, “Shower The People,” he reminds us:

                Just shower the people you love with love
                Show them the way that you feel
                Things are gonna work out fine
                If you only will
                Do as I say

Seems I recall that Jesus was very capable of stating to us “do as I say.”

Doesn’t he want us to find a way to shower people with love who need help making a stand and getting through another day?

Just like Catherine Filene Shouse had a vision for her cherished Wolf Trap Farm, haven’t God and Jesus had a vision for us?

John 13:34 states it best: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”

Clearly, my heart and I have lots of work to do.

How about you?

I read with interest the Times-Dispatch’s reporting of market share for grocery stores in Richmond. Within easy driving distance to our home are six grocery stores. When I think about those stores and their offerings, I say to myself—I still miss Ukrops.

Amazing to me that Ukrops for many years was the leading grocer in Richmond. While not perfect, I always felt like the heart and soul of their company was customer service. I wonder which grocery store in Richmond would claim the best customer service market share now?

As much as I am curious about the Food World report and its findings, I find fault with it.

I think there should be separate categories for drugstores, convenience stores, big box stores, and membership clubs. Because I have the privilege of living near six grocery stores, I don’t go into CVS, Walgreens, 7-11, or Wawa to grocery shop.

How different would the top twenty list of grocery stores look without pharmacies, convenience and big box stores taking up space? Might Tom Leonard, Libbie Market, Elwood Thompson, and the Market At 25th have a presence with this realignment?

Every Friday our church collects groceries for three food pantries in local Methodist churches. I know Food World looks strictly at retailers, but how much market share might these food pantries and Feed More have in our Richmond neighborhoods? These outlets distribute hundreds of pounds of food each week to families who are unable to shop at a grocery store.

Feed More and neighborhood food pantries also receive from grocery stores a wide variety of donated food. These donations consist of fresh fruit, meats, and vegetables. I’d be interested to learn which grocery retailer in Richmond would be the market share leader in food donations.

Another interesting point in reporter, Eric Kolenich’s, story is his reference to the fast growth in Richmond’s Manchester district. But, despite this growth “no major grocery chain has opened there.”

Why is that?

What do planners for grocery store chains not see in Manchester that keeps them from investing? Kolenich’s states grocery store analysts consider Richmond to be “overstored.” That might hold true for certain zip codes in Richmond, but many neighborhoods remain as “food deserts” with no grocery store present.

Speaking of “food deserts” how is the Market at 25th doing? This bold community investment resulted in the store opening in April of 2019 in Church Hill. Has this “food desert” been transformed by the opening of the store? Its been five years since its opening, how is the store doing financially? If the store is in good financial shape, why hasn’t this model been applied to other Richmond neighborhoods?

While their strength might be strictly seasonal, where are our local farmers markets in the Food World reporting? Additionally, how many customers at farmers markets are using SNAP/EBT cards to improve their diets by purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables?

In terms of accessing food, a key point for the consumer is— do they have reliable transportation?

Since transportation can be an issue for obtaining groceries, how might communities work together to form food co-ops to open as pop up grocery stores in ‘food desert” neighborhoods? Could there be tax incentives for property owners in Richmond who own storefronts that could be transformed into small neighborhood grocery stores? Might major grocery store chains be interested in partnering with a community grocery co-op?

Despite selling their stores in 2010, Ukrops still touches grocery stores. Their prepared foods are sold to some of their former competitors. In 2020, Ukrops opened Market Hall by renovating a church building. This retail space offers Ukrops prepared foods and baked goods. Could this conversion of space be a template to follow in our “food deserts”?

To me, these examples are an indication that Ukrops hasn’t lost its touch. It remains capable of producing quality products and consistent customer service. But on a broader scale, it also says to me— might Ukrops be the perfect partner to make significant improvements in decreasing the number of “food deserts” in Richmond.

No doubt, the Times-Dispatch will report Food World’s annual findings about market share for our grocery stores. Those findings will continue to be very predictable with the bigger grocery chains slugging each other for percentage points.

A better outcome for Richmond would be to use the Food World findings as the pivot point to significantly reduce our “food deserts.”

In The Boys In The Boat, author Daniel James Brown, makes this observation about the collegiate rowers who would compete in the 1936 Olympics: “They looked at impediments and saw opportunity.”

Richmond’s “food deserts” are an impediment to our community.

We need to look at them as an opportunity to solve a problem.

Scripture: “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.” Mark 14:7

Jesus was wise.

In Mark 14:7, he stated: “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.”

Despite our efforts, he knew the poor would be present.

Regardless, he encouraged us to show kindness to them.

Surprisingly, Jesus tells us, you will not always have me.

I interpret not having him as a challenge, a lifelong reminder—that we need to be the feeders of his sheep— we must respond.

On Fridays at our church, we work to respond. Our congregation is encouraged to deliver food for three church based food pantries.

Through a weekly video announcement, we inform our congregational disciples how much we collected, communicate any changes in food requests, and thank their kind hearts.

The following week, we deliver the food to the pantries. I’m always inspired by the volunteers on the distribution end. These distribution disciples work diligently to meet the nutritional needs of the people in their communities.

Each food pantry is a different setting, the communities unique, and undeniably, the success in meeting the community’s needs is grounded in the nudge from Jesus—feed my sheep.

Without question, the nutritional benefit for the recipients is undisputed. Yet, a gentle spiritual feeding of the sheep can be found from the distributing disciples—an encouraging smile, patient ears, and neighborly love make an impact too.

Prayer: Father of us all, always guide us to feed your sheep. Amen

Bill Pike
Richmond, Virginia

From the author: I was honored to have this piece published in the Hunger Action Month devotional book for the Society of St. Andrews on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Richmond Times-Dispatch September 14, 2024
School shootings an unacceptable ‘fact of life’

From kindergarten until I graduated from high school in 1971, I don’t recall a firearm disrupting those education environments. The same can be said for my college and graduate school experiences.

However, that wasn’t the case in the 31 years I worked in public education. As an assistant principal and principal, during the late 1980s until I retired in 2006, students for whatever reason brought firearms to school.

In all my dealings with students in possession of a firearm, I was lucky. My guess is that every school superintendent in America wonders when will their luck run out with a school shooting occurring in one of their schools.

After the recent school shooting in Georgia, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance stated, “I don’t like that this is a fact of life.”

As an American, I’m embarrassed and disgusted with this “fact of life” — we appear to be unwilling to stop our reliance upon firearms to solve our personal problems.

No matter our attempts to educate students and their families that firearms have no place on school grounds, these intrusions continue.

Despite special training for faculty and staff , technology-assisted screening for weapons and the presence of security personnel in school buildings, students and teachers are still being shot.

Why is this? Perhaps the answer can be found from the script of the movie “A Few Good Men.”

During a heated courtroom exchange, a witness shouts at the prosecutor: “You can’t handle the truth!”

Is this America’s problem, that we can’t handle the truth of our inability to stop school shootings?

An even more unacceptable truth is how quickly this senseless Georgia school shooting will become a speck in our rearview mirrors.

Failure to find a solution guarantees that America will continue its dismal decline.

Bill Pike. Henrico.

The worst day of my in-law’s lives was the day they received notification that their oldest daughter, Susan, had died from death by suicide. Their hearts were crushed. I’m certain their hearts never recovered.

As my wife’s family attempted to work through this tragedy, they learned very quickly—they were not alone. Longtime friends, neighbors, and strangers shared their stories about losing loved ones to death by suicide.

In my career in public education, I experienced those heartbreaking losses. Sometimes, we lost a student, a parent, or a co-worker. Predictably, we never saw this tragedy coming. A person can appear normal. Beyond the appearance is a relentless battle, a battle with a darkness that never stops its pursuit.

Lara Teague Curry was a neighbor. We watched her grow up with our kids—school activities, birthdays, neighborhood celebrations, beach trips, college, career, marriage, and children all the normal steps of life’s journey. Yet, over time, the good of life begins to slip, and the struggle begins.

Hindsight makes us think deeply. We remember, we question, we reflect, and we all have the same thought—if I had only.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. It is an important reminder to all that suicide is preventable.

On Saturday, September 14, the Lara Teague Curry Memorial 5K will be run at Trinity United Methodist Church. A Kids Fun Run starts at 8 a.m. followed by the 5K at 8:30. This year, our team from Trinity, Third Church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal, Douglas Freeman High School, and the Henrico Education Foundation have been working diligently to ensure that we have a safe, enjoyable, and educational event.

The course winds through sections of three Henrico County neighborhoods: Rollingwood, College Hills, and Westham. County police officers will be monitoring traffic. This will be supplemented by volunteers.

We will have activities for kids, and a special guest, Jonathan The Juggler. Jonathan will be in the start area prior to the beginning of the event. He will be entertaining and getting participants excited for the Kids Fun Run and the 5K.

Knowing how important our mental health is for our trek through life, we will have representatives from organizations on site who work to help us with the ups and downs of living. These representatives will provide information about their programs that are designed to help individuals and their families.

This year, our representatives are from Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services, Comfort Zone Camp, Pet Partners of Richmond, Full Circle Grief Center, Renewing RVA, and American Foundation For Suicide Prevention.

Retired Henrico County Public Schools counselor, Shirley Ramsey, is the Education Committee Chair in Virginia for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP.) When asked about the work of AFSP, Mrs. Ramsey told us:

“AFSP is the largest national not-for-profit voluntary health organization dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. We raise funds for research, awareness and suicide prevention programming, advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death, and support for survivors of suicide loss.”  

At various points along the course, the planners will have yard signs posted with quotes of encouragement. These quotes were chosen to make us think about our daily interactions with each other.

Back this year for every participant are the green wristbands with the boldly printed words: “Be Kind.” This is a gentle reminder about the importance to treat people with kindness.

When the 5K is completed, we encourage all participants to stay for the raffle. Local merchants have donated prizes as a way to say thank you for participating. Each participant’s bib number is entered into the raffle drawing. The only requirement is this: if your bib number is selected, you must be present to pickup your prize.

Thanks to those participants, all 5K proceeds support the Lara Teague Curry Memorial Scholarship Fund at Douglas Freeman High School. The Curry and Teague families in working with the Henrico Education Foundation hope this scholarship will help students continue their education experiences.

Mrs. Curry’s mother, Barbara Teague, offered this reflection about the memorial fund: “Our daughter was very passionate about educating young people. When she died, we loved the  suggestion of a memorial fund through the Henrico Education Foundation. This fund will directly benefit Henrico County Public School students for years to come.” 

We hope you will consider coming out on September 14 to walk, run, volunteer, or cheer. Doing so would be a good way to reaffirm and continue what Douglas Freeman Principal, Dr. John Marshall, remembers about Mrs. Curry: “When you ask high school students who their favorite teacher is, it is almost always the teacher with the biggest personality or that teaches a unique elective class.  Neither of those described Lara, yet Mrs. Curry was regularly and remarkably mentioned as so many of our students’ favorite teacher, because she cared so much about every student and her role as their teacher.” 

Back in August on a Sunday morning at Trinity, I heard Matthew Estes, a graduate from the Freeman Class of 2024, and a runner on the cross country team make this comment about the route of the 5K: “It’s a tough course.”

I think Matthew’s assessment was correct. The course has flat straightaways, curves, and hills.

Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, life can be a tough course too. Our day to day living isn’t always a flat, straight stretch free of trouble.

And that is why we need to gently remind ourselves to “be kind and to care.”

Maybe Ted Lasso said it best in the episode where Rebecca offers him an apology: “You know I think that if you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothing you can’t get through together.”

September is suicide prevention month.

We have work to do together.

We need to stop crushing hearts.

See you September 14.

Friends, thanks for your patience with me in the promotion of the Lara Teague Curry Memorial 5K. On Thursday, September 5, 2024, Barbara Teague and I had the privilege of appearing on Virginia This Morning on WTVR 6 in Richmond, Virginia. I hope you will take a few minutes and watch this heartfelt interview: https://www.wtvr.com/on-air/virginia-this-morning/the-2024-lara-teague-curry-memorial-5k

Real School Supplies By Bill Pike draft started 8/20/24

For many years our church congregation has donated school supplies to the students and staff at Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School in the city of Richmond. That same congregation also participates in the New Shoes For Back To School program coordinated by leaders at Third Street Bethel AME.

As students return to school, numerous houses of worship and non-profit organizations in the Richmond area work independently and collaboratively to meet assorted needs of students in our public schools. Too bad these organizations can’t ensure that all students have access to real life school supplies— like trauma free living, stable home life, no food insecurity, and can attend a school that is safe, properly staffed, and accredited.

My previous life as a public school educator, still nags at me with a reoccurring dream. In the dream, the end of the grading period has arrived. I open my grade book to find it empty. I haven’t assessed, quizzed, or tested my students. I’m in a panic. Then I awake and remember— I’m retired from the school business, no more grading papers and recording grades.

I suspect that teachers today have nightmarish dreams. How will they manage a constantly disruptive student? How to help students master basic skills with very little support from home? How to help a parent understand their student lacks social skills in interacting with classmates.

Despite being retired, I still think a lot about public education. With this start of the new school year, I wonder how many new teachers at the end of the first week think to themselves—“what have I gotten myself into?” I wonder how many of those same teachers will submit letters of resignation prior to December’s winter break?

Some days when I read headlines about book bans, AI, the Ten Commandments, cell phones, and worn out buildings, I wonder why in the world would anyone want to be a school superintendent? Do superintendents have lifelong supplies of Tums, Rolaids, and Prilosec on hand?

Today, everyone has an opinion about public education. Those disgruntled voices can come from politicians, school board members, and parents.

I recently met two friends for lunch. Each spent their careers working with students, parents, and teachers. One friend asked, “what was your greatest challenge working in a school?” Without any hesitation, our friend, a retired principal answered: “working with difficult parents.”

Unlike buying school supplies for students, a school principal at the beginning of the school year can’t order from Acme Education Supplies a box of remedies for working with difficult parents.

But that principal could be guided by these common sense supplies in working through tough situations with challenging parents: know your facts, listen carefully, tell the truth, don’t make excuses, don’t promise what you can’t deliver, and be sure to convey to the parent that you want to work collaboratively with them to solve the problem.

There is a lot of pressure inside a school building. Inside a school can be like being a relief pitcher in a baseball game. The pitcher is called in with his team clinging to a one run lead. It is the bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded, and only one out is needed to win the game.

Some schools start the new school year with the bases loaded. Their pressure is grounded in the inability to meet the state’s Standards of Learning for accreditation. Being in that setting day after day, wears down the morale of faculty, staff, students, and the community.

And I always ask myself how much of the accreditation failure is grounded in our inability as a society to break malignant generational cycles related to inadequate housing, poor health care, unemployment, failed equality, and the often overlooked— erosion of our families?

With the opening week of school behind us, the fresh hope found in new supplies and shoes will begin to wear off.

And the question becomes, how do public school educators sustain hope for an entire school year?

In my 31 plus years in public education, I think the most important school supply can’t be purchased at a big box store. No, the most important school supply is within us—our hearts.

Something nudged the hearts of the church congregations and the non-profits to provide supplies and shoes for students.

What will pickup the hearts in a school when lousy days wipeout hope?

No doubt that adequate pay and benefits are important to educators.

But, at the end of the day, these women and men can find hope from simply being supported by the people in the communities that surround them.

Perhaps Aristotle said it best: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

Author’s note: If this post resonated with you, I encourage you to share it with anyone who works in a public school.

Please take a look at this video regarding the Lara Teague Curry Memorial 5K:

https://subsplash.com/u/trinityunitedmethod-3dkn/media/d/vpk9cqs-lara-teague-curry-memorial-5k

My neighborhood friend, Rohn, has been patiently waiting for this day— the last post from Hawaii. I’ve been thinking about this post for a long time.

This was our second trip to Hawaii. How lucky I am.

Some people live a lifetime and never see an ocean. Hawaii is one of those places that once you visit, you keep that journey with you as a treasure in your heart for the rest of your life.

Saturday morning, February 3, the ship was returning us to the Honolulu harbor.

This was my first ocean cruise. I was worried that I might struggle with motion sickness. A couple of times, I felt a bit unsettled, but I adjusted. Of course, my well prepared Commander Supreme had dramamine on call.

All night, the ship’s big engines ran flat out to get us back on time. At some point, those engines stopped racing. The ship began its slow approach into the harbor with tug boats waiting to snug it into a dock.

Once up, we scurried off for breakfast. Interesting some food items that had been plentiful all week were scarce or not present for this roll call.

After breakfast, we hustled back to our rooms. We made one last check. Then, we headed toward the organized chaos of the loading zone for the airport.

Our bags and ourselves made it to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Designed as an open air space, we had a few feathered friends flutter around the terminal.

Now, we played the waiting game.

Dan and Judy would be the first to depart. We wished them well on the flight back home to Maryland.

Gradually, the airline let Butch and Marian and Betsy and me check-in.

We made our way to the wing for our departure.

Our flight back to the East Coast was a red-eye nonstop straight to Dulles.

At some point, we opted to get a bite to eat. Butch was keeping tabs on the Duke and Carolina basketball game. It didn’t go well for the Blue Devils.

Like a lazy afternoon on a North Shore beach, the clock was in no hurry for us to board the plane. But finally, the call came to board.

I silently hoped this plane would be outfitted with monitors and working technology for movie viewing. Thank the good Lord it was.

We had a tail wind that pushed that big B767-400 across the Pacific and America. We landed in Dulles ahead of schedule. Watching three movies kept my sanity in check.

Our layover in Dulles was short. We walked, talked, and found a bit of food and drink before our flight back to Raleigh.

The travel gods were kind to us. Dulles to Raleigh was on time.

Butch and Marian’s daughter Adrienne drove over from Greensboro to pick them up. Our youngest daughter, Elizabeth, who lives and works in Raleigh gathered us up.

I don’t remember the ride from Raleigh to Richmond. Not sure who drove, Betsy or me, but we made it.

Worrier that I am, my biggest concern for this trip was that my imperfections might severely pluck the nerves of of our friends. If that happened, then over fifty years of friendship could be washed away. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

I’m thankful to Abby and Art for letting us have their vacation home on the North Shore for a week. And I’m appreciative of everyone who helped from the first planning conversation to the last mile into our driveways.

Love the hearts of the people of Hawaii.

The islands we visited were stunning.

And of course, the Pacific Ocean is part of that beauty.

I’m seventy one, I have no idea when the good Lord will say to his angels, “I’ve had enough of Pike, go get him.”

When that moment comes, maybe I’ll be sitting on the ocean side porch at Abby and Art’s home in Waialua.

I’ve decided that untroubled porch would be a good place to croak.

But, until that moment arrives, I plan to be a pain—making you, me, we, us think about this troubled old world, and praying we can fix it.

Love you all.