On the Road Again…
In a few short days the ultimate road trip will begin for the Life is good Playmakers Team, as we travel 1,200 miles from Boston to Biloxi to train and certify 350 new Playmakers in six cities who will positively impact the lives of thousands of children. One team. One awesome RV (thanks, Airstream!). One Hybrid Truck. One Video Camera. Several hundred fleece balls and a shared mission to spread ripples of joy that will inspire additional ripples that together will build a current so strong that it will sweep down even the greatest walls of fear, despair and loneliness (okay, that’s actually a shameless rip off of Robert F. Kennedy’s speech, but he said it so eloquently in 1966.)
When this Playmakers Summer Tour idea was born, the goal was to mobilize our movement (because a movement, by nature, has to be mobile) and to shine our collective light on places that truly need it. Several months later, after hundreds of phone calls, emails, meetings, interviews, road trips, equipment purchases, solicitations, headaches, sleepless nights, acid reflux and giddiness, this crazy idea has become a reality. It’s gonna be something special!
Below are my top ten goals for the trip (in no particular order).
1. Get to where we’ve got to go safely (namely Norwood, New York, Philly, DC, Tuscaloosa, Mississippi – and a bunch of places in-between).
2. Inspire some 350 child care providers to form more joyful, loving, empowering and inspiring relationships with children.
3. Make unforgettable memories.
4. Grow closer as a team.
5. Listen and learn.
6. Make some noise and inspire others to take action to spread joy and alleviate suffering.
7. Share our stories.
8. Raise awareness.
9. Laugh often and make thousands of people smile.
10. Avoid a nervous breakdown.
Our team plans to share much with our supporters in photos and videos that capture insights into the state of playfulness in America’s cities, inspirational moments, Playmaker profiles, and just plain silliness. Stay tuned.
Love and Peace,
Steve