Tag Archives: community

Day 233: Julie

Posted on August 21, 2015 | Leave a comment

I love it when the people who find my anonymous letters follow up with me – especially when they do it with a handwritten letter like Julie did. She found letter number 215 that I had left on the upper concourse at Nationals Park on August 3rd.

It’s just an interesting way of connecting with our community and I truly hope that Julie and her husband Ian join us at the year-end celebration on January 5th!

My letter and Julie's card.

My letter and Julie’s card.

Julie,

The other day I went to the mailbox and found your letter – I’ll be honest, I had no idea who it was from when I saw the envelope. That’s kind of exciting.

Opening it up and seeing that you found Letter 215 made my day! Truly. I’ve left a half dozen or so anonymous letters throughout this letter-writing journey and I think you’re only the second person I’ve heard from. Thank you for taking a moment to write back.

Day 233-2I appreciate your kind words. You and Ian sound like good people – I mean your Nats fans, so you’ve gotta be good people. Unless of course you were there rooting for the Diamondbacks!??!

I’ll post on YearOfLetters.com details about the year-end party but it will most likely be in Dupont on January 5th. It should be fun. I did a similar event at the end of the Year of Giving – it was a blast!

Again, thanks for taking time to write and say hello. I hope to see you and Ian on January 5th!

Cheers,
Reed

Leave a comment

Posted in Thank-yous

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Day 191: Cara

Posted on July 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

The Capital Fringe Festival has begun and I went on opening day to see I AM THE GENTRY, a moving play written and performed by local artist Cara Gabriel. If you live in D.C., you should check it out.

Day 191

 

Dear Cara,

I was an audience member at your opening night performance of I AM THE GENTRY in this year’s Capital Fringe Festival. You did a fabulous job performing your masterfully written script.

Day 191-2Community is at the heart of a lot of my work and I felt that theme strongly throughout your play. There are of course the obvious physical and economic changes that occur with gentrification, but the social changes, particularly related to the sense of community that we feel, or don’t feel, within our neighborhoods, are difficult to articulate and even more complicated to properly value.

I believe it was Ms. June in your play whose death you said would forever change the ethos of your old neighborhood. It is sad when the stalwart members of a community die or move away – they often take with them so much more than their families and belongings.

I wish you well with the play. It is thought-provoking and entertaining, but more than that, it’s an important story and I hope that you will continue to share it with many more audiences.

With admiration,
Reed Sandridge

I made an envelope liner out of the program.

I made an envelope liner out of the program.

Leave a comment

Posted in Congratulations

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Day 150: Rev. Charles

Posted on May 30, 2015 | Leave a comment
Rev. Randolph C. Charles at The Church of the Epiphany. Photo: epiphanydc.org

Rev. Randolph C. Charles at The Church of the Epiphany. Photo: epiphanydc.org

Street Sense, an organization that I’ve supported for many years, has been housed at The Church of the Epiphany on G Street in downtown Washington for as long as I can remember. The staff is extraordinarily welcoming and kind to the staff and the many men and women who sell the Street Sense newspaper.

I learned yesterday that Rev. Charles, who has skillfully led the church for many years, is retiring. I’ve only met him briefly, but his kindness and compassion toward the organization has touched the hearts of so many and I thought I would send him a note to thank him and wish him well.

Day 150

 

Dear Rev. Charles,

Yesterday I learned that you were retiring from your position as pastor at Church of the Epiphany. I’ve been on the Board of Directors of Street Sense for 3 years and appreciate very much everything that the church and you personally have done for the organization. Your warm, welcoming spirit has touched the hearts of many of the men and women experiencing homelessness that are involved with Street Sense. As a pastor, you recognize the importance of community, fellowship and establishing a home – the Church of the Epiphany has been a home to all of us who visit. Street Sense would not be able to do the work that it does and help so many people find their way home without the leadership and friendship you have provided to so many. Thank you! On behalf of Brian Carome, our staff, vendors, volunteers and fellow Board members, I thank you and wish you well in all of your future endeavors. May our paths continue to cross.

With great appreciation,
Reed Sandridge
Street Sense Board Member

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Congratulations, Thank-yous

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Day 143: Michael Swaine

Posted on May 23, 2015 | Leave a comment
Photo: Darryl Bush

Photo: Darryl Bush

One of my favorite television journalists is Steve Hartman. When you turn on CBS and see him, you know that you are about to see a story that is going to touch your heart. He did a story in October of 2006 about a young kid with autism named Jason McElwain who became an unlikely hero on the basketball court.

Last night I saw a story he did on an art professor named Michael Swaine from San Francisco. Once a month for the past 15 years Michael pulls a cart with an antique sewing machine on it into the streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and repairs and alters people’s clothes at no cost. He calls it the Free Mending Library. And while what he is doing is awesome in and of itself, the real value is how he is touching the community. The stories he sews are strengthening that community.

Day 143-2

Dear Michael,

I saw your story on CBS last evening – so inspiring. I love it. I looked you up online and found FutureFarmers.com – also amazing projects.

You are doing so much more than sewing – you’re mending a stronger fabric of community which is something we are thirsty for these days. I’d love to know more about other projects you’re involved with as I too am investing in projects that create meaningful community in unique and hopefully inspiring ways. Where’s the best place to follow what you are up to?

All the best,
Reed Sandridge

Leave a comment

Posted in You're Awesome!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Day 103: Danielle, Glen’s Garden Market

Posted on April 14, 2015 | Leave a comment
Cheers to Glen's on their 2nd Anniversary!

Cheers to Glen’s on their 2nd Anniversary!

Two years ago today Glen’s Garden Market opened up in my neighborhood. The space was the previous home of the “Secret Safeway” – named for the fact that it was tucked away and nobody knew it was there. Two years later Glen’s seems to have been here for decades. Strange.

Danielle, who hails from a family of grocers, left her job on Capitol Hill doing environmental policy work, to open a market that focuses on products sourced from within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. It’s a big change from the halls of congress – but here Danielle gets to play a pivotal role in changing consumer behavior at dining room table.

I’m thrilled to share today’s letter with Danielle which I wrote here at Glen’s last night – happy two-year anniversary neighbor!

Day 103 Danielle

Dear Danielle,

Congratulations on your second anniversary. As someone who lives just two blocks away I was extremely happy when Glen’s came to the neighborhood. It’s only been two years but Glen’s seems like it’s been there forever. It doesn’t seem to matter when I stop in there is always a healthy amount of customers either shopping for fresh produce from local farms, enjoying a cup of coffee or delicious pint of local beer (love that they’re $4!) or picking up one of your mouth-watering sandwiches – I usually get the Billy’s Bison.

Day 103 Danielle-2I hope I can join you on Saturday – I see you’ll be celebrating your anniversary and Earth Day – I’ll toast to that!

Cheers,
Reed Sandridge

P.S. I also very much appreciated your support of Street Sense in our 2013 Gala – you were very generous. Thanks again.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Birthdays, Congratulations

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,