The Rest of the Story
I grew up listening to Paul Harvey and the rest of the story on WGN radio. The program was followed by Orion Samuelson, who was the “Voice of American Agriculture.” Corn was up soybeans down. Iowa farmer (somebody) lost his crop or a cow was struck by lightning. I understood next to nothing about the soybean market, but listening to Samuelson made me feel like an American grounded in the mid-west. The voices of these two men could make everything seem certain in my expanding world.
The Agriculture Program
It is important that I, after long city council meetings and waiting for the next revelation in the paper, direct my feet back across to the sunny side of the street. Click Here: I love Willie Nelson! The first blog post of this new year was a movie clip from Pollyanna where the children are hanging glass prisms in the window. (Click Here: I hope you will take the time to read the post if you missed it.) This morning, once again, I have taken a soft cloth and am starting in on polishing our glass prisms. Like Harvey and Samuelson, I see this as my job; to use my voice to say with Julian of Norwich – – all manner of things shall be well.
I want to tell you that on Monday while waiting for the council to come back, I stood on the wall talking to Jesse Gersitl, not about the proceedings, but about MacHaven. His investment group now owns the property. I saw wonderful photographs on his phone of the work that is going on inside. After the council meeting, I needed to be in Whitakers by 7:00pm to speak to a new preservation group that has formed to try and save their Main Street. In a few days, several board members from Preservation Rocky Mount are headed to lunch and tour/meeting with Wilson’s preservation group. I can’t wait. Preservation of our architectural assets is my part in the chorus to sing. The way I see it, we all have our parts and this is the time to pull the choir together. We must have an independent conductor take the performance in hand.
Concerned, frustrated, anxious about any delay in saving ‘Main Street’ is not a good default position for me. Stepheny is not Stepheny. (Click Here for a past post about MacHaven) I can rally by thinking of MacHaven as one of our crystal prisms, and investors like Jesse Gersetl who have come to help us save our architecture and story. Get out your sheet music, be of good influence where you can, help with a political solution this fall with the election of city council members. Go downtown to eat, shop, attend events at the Community Center– Believe!
Main Street Rocky Mount 
Stepheny, you are amazing! Please keep us posted on MacHaven. What are the plans for the house?
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Thanks for leaving your comment. I have planned what I hope will be interesting additional Machaven “stuff.” Can hardly wait to get at it. Stay tuned.
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Stephy,
I think it is safe to say there are a lot of hurt, angered and frustrated people in our community. It is hard to sit and watch this kind of behavior. Many years ago, I started painting old renditions of Rocky Mount as a way to give back to others, to have those happy memories to reflect on and to share with others. I hope as an inspiration for you, look at my website and see the inspiration that I have captured of some of the old Rocky Mount Landmarks and Homeplaces. I wish there was something that could be done to use those to help in raising money to make Rocky Mount great again. Thank you for all you do and for your comments in the media as of recent.
Steve Felton
sfeltondesigns.com
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Exciting news about MacHaven. I hadn’t heard it was being renovated. Thanks for some positive news, Stepheny.
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I’ll keep you posted with some interior photos and info after my visit. It is positive news which we NEED.
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Thank you Stepheny!! I love you for your sunny disposition and your passion for Rocky Mount!
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Embroiled as we all are in the realities of leadership or lack of, it has been a struggle these last days to find my way back to that sunny side of the street where I choose to live. I appreciate your affirmation that this is where I belong. Thank you for keeping me company on Main Street.
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Thank you, Stepheny, for holding the torch high and helping us see the great things about our community. And thank you, Mr. Gerstl, for giving this amazing home new life.
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I will admit that the torch got heavy in these last days as we face political solutions to governance. Some sweet tea always helps and my Main Street friends like you who leave me a love note. The hero, as you suggest, is Jesse Gersti and the other investors that are helping us to have a bright future.
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Excellent!!
Thank you Stepheny,
Tom
Sent from my iPhone
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It makes me happy if you find the blog helpful as we find solutions for what ails us. We will get to the other side of this and get on with building a future. I’m sure you agree. Thanks for keeping me company on Main Street.
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