Doing Things

"They're actually DOING something!" the man on the corner of Greenmount and Chase said to me as I was walking back to the Community Center this past Saturday. It was Comcast Cares Day, and I was explaining to him why he had seen over 400 blue-shirted people with shovels and trash bags combing Johnston Square for trash all morning. As I told him about the partnership between St. Frances and Comcast had struck, he at first seemed skeptical, as if Comcast was trying to pull a fast one on this neighborhood. When I repeatedly insisted that, to my knowledge, the cable company doesn't have any diabolical motives behind this day, his attitude quickly changed to one of excitement and appreciation, and as I walked away, I thought, "Hey, this could be the start of something."

Comcast Cares Day was a bit different than previous events that the Community Center has hosted in that Mr. Moore and I were not responsible for all the planning. A few times before the day occurred, a couple representatives from Comcast came to St. Frances, walked the neighborhood, and shared ideas with Mr. Moore as to what projects could most enhance the neighborhood. Ultimately, they came up with trash pick-up, mural painting, garden planting, and fence painting as the tasks that would keep the most amount of volunteers busy. So when the day came (a bit on the early side for a Saturday, but hey, I'm going for the "Most Early Days As A Jesuit Volunteer at St. Frances" record), over 400 people showed up in our gym, and the Caring of Comcast Commenced!

After a rousing rendition of the National Anthem (sung by yours truly...truly, I did sing it) and some words from a full line-up of elected officials and other important people, the volunteers got to work. Under heavenly skies, they picked up trash at the playground where we take the After-School kids, they planted flowers in a garden overtaken by weeds, they painted hopscotch squares where there were no hopscotch squares before, and they painted the rusted fence of the swimming pool we had fought to keep open. They also did a lot of work on the school grounds, painting and planting and cleaning and other such service-oriented verbs. All in all, it was a very productive day in which both St. Frances Academy and Comcast put into action each's commitment to this community.

And that's what I liked best about the day: Community. It was pretty cool to see the number of different social groups, i.e. elected officials, fraternities, my JVC community, the SFA community, Johns Hopkins students, all come together to participate in something constructive. If you were a loner who just showed up looking to do some service and maybe grab a free t-shirt and lunch (which, by the way, was delicious...when was the last time I had an Italian sub?), you would have immediately felt welcome and at home.

So yes, it was one day, and maybe trash will blow right back onto the street tomorrow. But, as the man said, "They're actually DOING something!", and that has to count for something. Click here for WJZ's coverage of Comcast Cares Day, featuring two of my After-School kids, Cameron and Jahquan.

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In other news, I have some rockin' friends! I received a little box in the mail a few weeks ago, and lo and behold! RECORDERS were in it! That's right ladies and gents, remember those plastic flut-o-phone-type things that we all learned to play hot cross buns on in elementary school? Well, my good friends Andrea and MacKenzie decided to donate 35 of those snazzy, colorful noisemakers to my music class. They made their debut last week as I passed them out to each student. I started with the basics, like how to hold it, how to cover all the holes with you fingers, and how to play the notes C and D. Well, as you might imagine, progress was slow, but the kids absolutely LOVED having their own instruments to take home, and they were especially excited about the Loudest Note Contest at the end of the class (I'd have to say they were all winners in that one, as they soundly defeated both my eardrums in a shrill fury of air and plastic).

With guitars and recorders, music class is really shaping up! Thanks, Andrea and MacKenzie, for inspiring the next generation of recorder virtuosos!

Road Trippin'

I saw a lot of highway miles this weekend as Tom, Kelly, and I took a road trip up to Connecticut to visit JV houses in Bridgeport and Hartford. We left beautiful Baltimore on Friday after work, and we took refuge at my house in New Jersey for the night, where we were greeted with Hi-Def cable, pizza, and chocolate cake. Oh, and my family was there too. It was good to see them (and the Phillies on the Hi-Def cable).


After an ample breakfast prepared by the Donovans, and after having even more road trip snacks and treats thrown at us, we made like Santa on December 26 and headed north. Tom, the laudable lad he is, did the driving, and in his Mercury Mountaineer, accommodations were very accommodating. We made good time up the NJ Turnpike, and before long we were greeted with the familiar view of the New York skyline to our right, and the distinct aroma of North Jersey in our nostrils (Tom says he likens the smell to old hot dog water. I tend to agree).


The first stop of our Tour de CT was the community of Bridgeport. We arrived around 2 pm, and spent most of the afternoon chewing the fat (not literally, of course. JVs only chew injustice! Say, that should be painted on a wall somewhere!) in their apartment. That's right, ladies and gents, JVs can live in apartments, too! Aren't we just so versatile? Anyway, after many good words, a few giggles, and a meal of pasta and corn, Tom, myself, and a small contingent of JVs embarked on the cross-state journey down an apparently scenic highway (though not when it's dark out) to the former home of the NHL's Whalers. That's right, hockey and/or Ron Francis fans, Hartford.


The community of Hartford comprises of seven- count 'em, seven- women, all living in the same three-story, wooden-floor-creaking, labyrinthine-room-connecting, house. I had a most pleasant time catching up with my fellow volunteers, some of whom we might not see again until August. Again, fun was had by all, and after a delightful pancake breakfast with butter that was made by pouring heavy cream into a jar and then shaking it for 30 minutes (the ladies tell me this has something to do with how the cream settles, but I have the sneaking suspicion that they're all magicians), we hit the reverse button on our road trip and headed back to Bridgeport.


We then said our goodbyes to the Port of Bridge, and after struggling to turn down an offer to check out an antique warehouse that would only delay our trip by a few hours (Jeff, a volunteer in Bridgeport, said he's been hoping to find a sizable painting of a sailboat before he leaves Connecticut this year, and now, I feel that he probably could have found that at the warehouse. Therefore, I regret not being able to help in on his quest...One day, Jeff, one day ye shall find what ye are looking for!), we made our way south, back to the land I love, back to the town that Mr. Moore calls "Pie Plate." Back to Pittsgrove.


My house is known for, among other things, its sufficiently stocked cupboards, and upon our arrival Sunday afternoon, we were treated to even more food (this time, tuna sandwiches). Tom and Kelly then departed for Baltimore, and I got to spend some time with the family before my next social excursion- that being, attending the Joe Bonamassa concert with my amigos Brad and Zach.


So Z, B, and S (that's Zach, Brad, and Scott for those not following along...which, at this point, I don't know why you'd still be reading) maneuvered to Delaware to check out the new King of Blues do his thing with his six-string. And do his thing, he most certainly did. I've never heard guitars sound so good as when they are played by Joe Bonamassa. The show was so good, I am even choosing to overlook the fact that we were sold imaginary seats. Details of that adventure are available upon request.


I arrived back in Baltimore around 11 pm on Sunday, just in time to catch some Z's before work the next morning. Brad and Zach dropped me off and got to check out my abode before returning to the land where the seeds of our friendship were sown (how poetic); that is, NJ. So, a 5-state, many-mile weekend filled with friends, family, and some darn good music.

For a weekend in the JVC, that ain't too shabby.


Coming soon: Comcast Cares Day this Saturday, and the introduction of recorders to my After-School students!

Sink or Swim

It must be tough to be a kid, especially here in Baltimore. With the announcement that 13 archdiocesan schools will be closed this upcoming fall, along with the city government's plan to close rec centers and city swimming pools all over town, kids must be asking, "What are these adults thinking?" Well, young child of Charm City, I can't tell you for sure what they are thinking, but it is becoming all to apparent for whom they are not thinking, and that is, you and all your friends.


Among the pools that have been projected to be closed by the city is the Ambrose Kennedy pool, located about 2 blocks up Chase St. from the Community Center. Each summer, we bring kids from our Peace Camp to this pool to get some good ol' fashioned aquatic fun, and it is a staple of the summer scene for those kids and families who aren't involved in our summer camp as well. Tell me, Madam Mayor, where are these kids going to have their biggest cannonball contest if the city shuts the pool down? Certainly not in your bathtub!


When a crisis like this arises, it's nice to have a guy like Mr. Moore lead the response. With his many connections to people in the city, we have been able to make some noise voicing our protest against the closing, and I believe we are making some progress. Last week, we were part of a press conference given by City Councilman Carl Stokes, who represents the district where the pool is located. His main call was for an audit of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, whose budget is apparently harder to lay eyes on than that guy the Beatles were singing about (a wooden nickel for anyone who gets that reference), after which he predicts that he will find enough funds to keep the pool open. So, Mr. Moore and I sounded the call and rounded up a bunch of the most reliable and energetic neighborhood kids we could find, made up a few innocently-demanding signs, and raced over to the pool for some camera time. You can watch the video (and see me in the background!) here:

Fox News- Ambrose Kennedy Pool

Last night we stirred up the pot of justice a bit more. Again, with the same group of ultra-reliable neighborhood kids, we went down to the War Memorial Building for Taxpayer's Night, which was just a bit more exciting than it sounds. Basically, it's a town hall type meeting where someone can sign up and speak his or her mind to the mayor and city council president for two minutes. Well, since Baltimore is slightly larger in population than say, Pittsgrove, NJ, there were a lot of people looking to get their two minutes' worth. After a while of waiting (and after giving out all the breath mints in my pocket to the kids so they would stop fidgeting), we finally got our turn. With the kids standing in front of us, facing the mayor, signs held high, Mr. Moore addressed the panel about the need for greater transparency and responsiveness in city government, and I spoke on behalf of the Johnston Square neighborhood about our respectful insistence that the Ambrose Kennedy pool remain open this summer. And all the while, the kids looked up to the wielders of Baltimore's political power with looks in their eyes as if to say, "We want to swim!"


As exciting as this is to let our voices be heard to the people in power, it's a shame that communities like Johnston Square have to do this song and dance every year just to keep open a pool. This neighborhood has little as it is; it would be outwardly dangerous to take away something so safe, healthy, and inexpensive from the kids because, frankly, the devil makes work for idle hands. Come on, adults, I understand that Baltimore is a city with expenses and budget concerns, just like anywhere else. But, as Mr. Moore likes to say, "Don't balance the budget on the backs of the children."


So we'll see what happens. Hopefully we've already stuck a thorn in enough peoples' sides to keep our pool open, but if we have to go to press conferences, town hall meetings, or write letters, then we will continue to do so. Or, if we have to drag a garden hose up two blocks every night to fill the pool, that could work as well. Either way, we will make sure that the kids are swimming this summer, and that the cannon ball contest will be the best one yet!