In attendance: Maurice Loridans, Susan
Keith, Lani Duke, Feico Kempff, Loren Demerath, and Chris Chandler
GRATEFUL FOR GOVERNMENT PARKS
Susan Keith reported on her recent travels to Mertyl Beach
and said it was bumper to bumper traffic everywhere all the time there. She didn’t like the board walks and souveneer
shops and crowds. Two of the three days
they didn’t see the beach, since the coast is lined by hotels and condos. Only when they found the state park could
they get access to a beach. It was noted
that a good function of government is to provide the public with general access
to those things, as through parks.
On that note, Loren Demerath reported on how well Brown
County State Park in Indiana served as the site for his extended family’s recent
reunion. Loren noted that state parks
(and federal and city for that matter) are nice for the way you can be in a
place that isn’t pushing you to buy stuff and telling you how great everything
is since profit isn’t the point.
ADVOCACY TRAINING MEETING NEXT MONDAY!
Loren also announced that the advocacy training meeting will
be next week. Hopefully all who are
interested in helping improve bike-ped facilities in Shreveport will
attend. The particular focus will be on
advocating for a network of multi-use paths.
SITES FOR A YEAR-ROUND FARMER’S MARKET?
The group discussed possible locations of a year-round
farmer’s market. Feico had the idea of
putting it right on the Waddel Truss Bridge (one of only two it’s kind left in
the U.S.), while Maurice favored the
site under the Texas Street Bridge right next to free parking provided by two
casinos. The truss bridge sure would
have a great view and ought to be used for something. Seems a great opportunity . Under the Texas St. bridge has two other
things going for it: parking (in the casino lots) and shade.
{Speaking of Farmer’s Markets, no doubt the new one starting
up at Provenance will be a topic of conversation at coming meetings. The more the better?}
THE AMERICAN MILLENIUM PROJECT HAS STARTED... IN SHREVEPORT!
For the main attraction of the night’s meeting, longtime
ABetterShreveport attender Chris Chandler presented on his own non-profit
organization, the American Millennium Project (with their Facebook page). It’s a project that offer students of various ages the opportunity to
learn history, geography, and culture through adventure travel and field trips,
while at the same time developing pride in their locality, and a capacity for
leadership.
 |
| Chris Chandler speaking at the Rotary Club of South Shreveport earlier this year |
Chris described how the idea started. His college graduation gift from his
grandparents (who raised him, and were of modest means) was a Eur-Rail Pass and
a plane ticket to London in 1992. Traveling
by train, he carried a backpack, stayed at hostels, and it was a life changing
experience. When he came back he used
the rest of his savings to do the same thing in the U.S. for another three
months, traveling by Amtrack. He said the
comparison was night and day: completely different worlds in terms of the quality
of facilities for travel; few youth hostels and disgraceful train service by
comparison.
Chris later went to a leadership program entitled “Leadership
Shreveport-Boosier,” sponsored by his boss, Lee Hall. Chris also had a son around that time and
made a commitment that he’d work on a structure to travel for people like his
son by the time he reached high school (and he’s now a senior!).
In January of 2014 the program began. The American Millenium Project has clubs with
teacher sponsors in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. Chris works with the faculty sponsors to
organized field trips. Chris is primarily using
the Rotary Club format as a model, though he's also drawing a bit on the greek social fraternity framework. There are no paid employees at this point.
The format of the field trips is the “adventure tour,” but
there’s service wrapped into it as well.
As part of the tour, students often teach what they’ve learned, in one
case to a local Rotary club.
OH, THE TOURS!
Chris has already developed twenty two total tours! Among the tours: the Caddo Indians, local
religions, “the Wild Wild West,” “Duck Pond and Beyond,” “Black Gold Rush,” “Cotton
is King,” “Royal Mile,” “Gone but Not Forgotton,” (centered around local
cemetaries), “Leaving a Legacy” (the Norton Art Gallery), just to name a few!
{Nobody asked at the meeting, but now that I’m writing this,
the thought occurs to me, couldn’t the rest of the city benefit from these
tours too? Might these tours be enjoyed
by those of us not in school anymore?
Hmm.}
LOCAL IN, LOCAL OUT
Based on wherever the school is, students are given a tour
within a three to five mile radius around the school. The idea, Chris said, is to try to break down
barriers with these tours. For example,
a lot of the kids who go to Caddo Middle Magnet go through the Cedar Grove
neighborhood, but don’t know much about it’s history and culture.
Student members of the project have to complete 10 hours of
service each semester, and they pick where they do it. They also sign a statement of shared
values. And, each member pays dues of
$25 per year.
The organization’s board members include Gary Joiner, Keven
Bryan, Ron Anderson, Mary Poteet, Jonathan Fox, Levette Fuller, and Jim
Huckabee.
The focus is on Caddo Parish, and then duplicating it from
there.
BIG GOALS & EVEN
BIGGER ASPIRATIONS!
Chris said the organization has three goals:
- Educate
- Inspire Local Pride
- Develop Leaders
Loren suggested the wording "Leaders" might be changed to "Community Leaders" or "Involved
Citizens" as leadership can mean directing people, like being a boss; or
leading in something competitive, like the business sense of leading in market
share. Many students we all want to
reach can’t necessarily imagine themselves ever being a leader or a boss, but
can imagine being a contributer to a community, in that everyone knows they
have something to offer.
Chris said he has a five year plan and a ten year plan, and
they’re both ambitious. Eventually, the
organization would… span North and South America! The group agreed it was ambitious, but nobody
suggested Chris was wrong to think big!
NOT REQUESTING GOVERNMENT
FUNDS! ...EVER?
The group discussed the funding model, which is to rely
strictly on private donations and corporate support and individual
investors. Chris said it’s a
philosophical point of view where he thinks people tend to go to the government
too often to solve their problems. Loren
said he agrees people can become dependent.
On the other hand, he also sees government as the appropriate
place people to go share resources (through taxes) which they ask that their elected representatives distribute on merit. He, for one, would want his tax dollars used
on something like the American Millennium Project. Loren said his dad once had a bumpersticker specially
made and put it on his car that read: “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to
Waste. Raise Our Taxes Please!” The point being that some things are worth contributing money too, be they schools, roads, national defense, help for the poor, etc.
The group was generally very enthusiastic about Chris’
presentation. We support you, Chris!
BIG MEETING ON MONDAY!
ABetterShreveport is gathering all the bike-ped advocates in
the city to receive advocacy training this Monday, August 11, 6:00-7:00 p.m. The specific goal we’re setting out sights on
is a multi-use trail network to make our city more walkable and bikeable. Highlights of the meeting will include:
- Advocacy training run by experienced community organizer Feamula Bradley
- A skype session with successful New Orleans bike path planner Janet Ruley
- We'll be sharing very good news based on this week’s meeting of ABS and government leaders in regard to bike-ped facilities
Consider joining us for what should be a great meeting!
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