Day 2

Day 2

How can I have lived in this state as long as I have and never experienced the breathtaking beauty of true Kentucky horse country along the stretch of U.S. 27 connecting Fayette and Bourbon counties? I have four very special Berea alumni to thank - for if it weren’t for them signing up to run and walk the 14-mile stretch from Lexington to Paris, I’d still be oblivious to the crumbling, stacked stone walls that go on forever, the picturesque thoroughbreds grazing on the most vibrant green landscape I’ve ever seen, and the majestic stables and farms – all set against a brilliant blue sky backdrop that seemed fitting for a colorful children’s storybook.

While Day 1 one was all about events and experiences - the big kick-off celebration on campus, meeting mayors and congressional staff, visiting sites that had historical relevance to our founding story - Day 2 was clearly about the people. More specifically, Day 2 was about the faces of those in the Berea family who continue to remain incredibly steadfast in their loyalty and love for Berea.

Now I thought that I LOVED Berea. I mean, after all, when I see a stranger wandering around campus I feel compelled to extend a personal welcome and help answer their questions despite the fact that the student tour guides could probably put me to shame with their acquired knowledge of all things Berea. When I see a piece of litter on a campus sidewalk, without thinking twice, I pick it up and throw it away in a trash can. I thought that I LOVED Berea…..that is until I met Cory Douglas, ’99. You see Cory Douglas, who lives in Richmond, VA wanted so badly to participate in the Great Commitments Relay that last night, he jumped into his car at 11:00 p.m. and drove for almost eight hours straight to meet fellow runners/walkers in the parking lot of the Ramada Inn at 7:45 a.m. Now that’s love. He joined Dr. Hank Preston, ’88 who courageously ran the entire 14-mile trek and alumni couple, Anthony, ‘00 and Katie, ‘02 Basham who did a run-walk-ride combination for the duration of the route.

Our Berea caravan seemed to gain a whole lot of attention as curious Lexingtonians and Parisians slowed down to ask what “cause” we were running for. An unidentified gray Honda Scion with a Berea College license plate drove by and honked excitedly at us. At one point we thought we were getting pulled over by the Bourbon county sheriff, but the officer merely wanted o send a police escort for our added safety!

I thoroughly enjoyed Katie’s breaks with me in the van. Her high spirits were contagious as she gleefully waved a Berea College flag out the window and danced playfully to really cheesy 80’s music. As a Media Services employee, Katie’s husband, Anthony and I have worked together for the past two years, but this was the first opportunity I had to really see him in a more personal setting. Without hesitation, Anthony took it upon himself to make sure that our distance runner, Hank was fully hydrated and that I adhered to my “lead van” responsibilities and didn’t leave Hank in the dust (let me tell, you, it’s a lot harder than it looks to drive a 15-passenger van at a steady pace of 4.5 miles an hour!)

As we entered Paris city limits, Travis Earlywine, ’94, who happened to be pumping gas at a local service station caught glimpse of the Berea caravan and excitedly ran over to offer words of support and proudly proclaimed his Berea affiliation to us. A storybook day deserves a storybook ending and that, we had. At the completion of the run/walk Hank’s three beautiful children, Caroline, Abby, and Will (named after Berea President, Willis Weatherford) and Hank’s lovely, very pregnant wife cheered him on at the make-shift finish line at Bourbon County High School.

The last relay activity for the day was a young alumni event in Lexington. Although I officially lost my status as a “young” alumna last year (young alumni are defined as those who have graduated within the last ten years), I figure there should be some perks to working at your alma mater, so I decide to drop by the late night gathering at Yesterday’s in Rupp Arena where I found a small group of recent Berea graduates playing pool and mingling in a casual but cozy atmosphere. It’s funny how you can fit right in and feel an automatic connection to people you’ve never met just because you share the Berea experience. Like I said, today, it was all about the people and on day 2 of my 44-day journey, I feel incredibly fortunate to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with people who were strangers to me yesterday, but are now a part of my extended Berea family.

Still hanging in there in Lexington, KY,
~ Mae