What started as an innocuous email sent to three or four neighbors turned into a thunderous appearance by nearly 20 people this past weekend.
How did it happen? Why and what exactly got so many people to leave work early and answer a neighbors call?
I suppose it doesn’t matter what it is. What matters is the responsiveness of the people we live near.
However, let me indulge you with a few details.
The Task:
Move a completed children’s play cabin from a trailer bed in a shared driveway to its new backyard home.
The Challenge.
45 degrees, high winds, a builder who showed up an hour late and no plan and no tools to move his product and nearly 20 people who though they we’re donating 20/30 minutes of their Friday night and it all fell on the 99th anniversary of the Titanic.
The result.
The Funhouse safely moved into position for maximum fun! But that doesn’t really tell the story.
What happened in between? In a little less than two hours, we saw creativity, generosity, strength and patience from this varied audience. Pre-teen, retirees and every age in between. They all played a part.
As the builder backed his truck into the driveway, it became immediately apparent that the balance of the fence needed to be removed promptly. The cabin was going to be heavy. Very heavy. We got to work as quickly as possible to remove the fence posts and open the backyard completely.
When the builders plan to move the cabin off the trailer proved unworthy, some ingenuity by a preacher calmed the crowd that had started to turn skeptical following the builders near car fire. We made a new plan and began to fasten boards to the sides of the house. It was time to move the house. I’d like you to picture a crew team gliding down a calm river with machine-like precision while the coxswain coaxes a touch more effort from their team. The playhouse moving team was nothing like that. However, we got the job done and did so with no injuries.
Neighborhoods and communities can rally in times of crisis and transform our own lived experiences. This weekend, there was no crisis—just a call for some help. As you whittle away the process that carried the cabin to its new address, the support and enthusiasm we saw comes down to quality of life. Whether it was Wendell Anderson’s The Good Life Time Magazine cover or the “We Like it Here” banner at the Metrodome, Minnesota has always stated a high “quality of life.” The weekend warriors of Vincent Avenue contributed to our quality of life this past Friday and reminded me why I’m happy to live here. I wish you all the same!
Special Thanks to: Tom W, Tim, Curt, Doug, Bill, Steve, Christine, Fischer, Ellie, Dianne, Danny, Jerry, Amy, Matt and Emily.
WOW! this really shows the depth of human spirit. thank you for this inspiration.
I think the new playhouse is supper fine and I had a great time digging up the posts and getting my new boots dirty! However, when you order the wolf range and other appliances for the play house pay the in place delivery charge. I do not want to be responsible for scratching the stainless steel.