About 50 people gathered at the Buzz Coffee, bearing items to co-create care packages for unhoused neighbors, kits we call Love In The Glovebox. I was so sick that night, so all I could do was show up and share a few brief thoughts about why we, as Heatherlyn Music, would invite everyone together to do this.
It is about movement - not just emotional movement from songs like Jack Riddle, Wayfaring Stranger and Be the Love (all songs from the Storydwelling album) - but literal movements, acts of kindness and intention to reach beyond ourselves and realize the human connection that already is. Since I had lost my voice, Cassandra, who we know from hosting the monthly open mic at the Buzz, graciously stepped in to share a song with us and set the tone, sync up our heart beats, so-to-speak.
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We were surrounded by piles of socks, gloves, hats, granola bars, hand warmers and other items for the care packages. A local connection to Conagra foods caught wind of the event via the local Burnsville Patch so he called the Buzz to ask if we could use a donation of granola bars. Then he dropped off hundred for us to add to the Love in The Glovebox kits. A group of girls from a nearby high school came with rolls of fleece and scissors and cut out a bunch of scarves for the packages. There were people representing at least 5 different groups that make up the Southern Metro community.
After everyone got to work, within about 45 minutes, 200+ Love In The Glovebox Kits were co-created. We all took some kits with us to stuff into our glove boxes, in preparation for those unanticipated encounters at the stoplight. About 70 kits were left at the Buzz for patrons to take with them and pass along the act of kindness beyond the 50 who gathered that night. Buzz customers were thrilled with the idea. They expressed great appreciation to Buzz owner Liz and they wanted to know how they can engage the next time something like this happens there!
The high school girls who were cutting fleece scarves decided they wanted to organize a Love In The Glovebox packing gathering at their school, so we were able to seed their effort by sending along left over socks and granola bars. The ripple effect continues on....
More photos of the evening and some info for you to do your own Love In The Glovebox Engage event at www.heatherlynmusic.com/love-in-the-glovebox/.
Our next Community Engage event is in March in partnership with The Buzz and Project Foodstock. Stay tuned. Connect online or through our mailing list if you'd like to know more about it.
May kindness continue...may it begin and carry on within and through you and me.
Peace and Love,
Heatherlyn
