Reflection on Walk #33 – from Fresno Pacific University, north along Peach to Tulare, and back through neighborhoods on either side of Chestnut. This morning was crip and full of both sunlight and light rain, a beautiful combination.Walkers started on the manicured grounds of beautiful Fresno Pacific University. There were people parking and coming in for meetings or classes. The ground floor of the main building was set up for a concert with chairs and a grand piano.Just leaving the FPU grounds, we met Luciando walking the sidewalk. He attends FPU and lives on campus.Vallarta grocery store was busy with activity, and within a block, we were walking through apartments. Walkers had the impression that some apartments were student housing and others for families, all mixed together. Within another block, we met Pedro. He only spoke Spanish and seemed distraught. He waved us over and kept asking “Casa?” We struggled to understand each other. Walkers offerred him $4, but he waved it off and just said “casa?”. Walkers talked about how we felt helpless as to how to help Pedro. He seemed to have no place to go. He was tired, needed to sit down, rest, take a shower. Fresno Rescue Mission? How do we get him there?We met Lloyd in his motorized wheelchair on Willow. See the photo of Lloyd and his challenge of going out into traffic to get around an area of no sidewalk.Crossing to the west of Chestnut, we wound through neighborhoods. We followed Michael who had bought two cups of coffee at the corner store. We happened to follow Michael as he walked a block to deliver the coffee to his mom who was holding a yard sale on a busy corner.The neighborhood of small homes just west of Chestnut are a mix of distraught homes and gems. Every house tells a story. One house overgrown and neglected, and the next is a gem of gardens, courtyards, front yard seating, and flower boxes. Apartments had large community gardens right along the front sidewalk, that was also crowded with discarded large furniture items. Right among the houses, we walked by a pentecostal church. The front gate was locked, but we could hear preaching in Spanish, and a mix of praying in Spanish and speaking in tongues.The gates to Lane Elementary school were wide open. Children were playing on the two playgrounds and teenagers were shooting basketball. A large SUV drove up, and a family climbed out with bags. We asked what was going on, and the boy explained that his family brings meals to this park on Saturdays. We saw the dad play basketball with the boys, and the family set out food on the picnic tables where a couple of adults were seated. Walkers talked about how many locked school playgrounds we had seen on previous walks. Sometimes the school grounds are the greenest and cleanest outdoor area in a neighborhood. Walkers were inspired by what seemed to be impromptu, family-inspired, family initiated helping within the community. Could this happen at every school playground on Saturdays? Walkers talked about the logistics of opening school grounds on the weekends, and yes, it takes permission, resources, and oversight. But what a great way to use what’s already here for kids in many Fresno neighborhoods to have positive activity, exercise, and caring adults.After the Walk, walkers sat on a bench on the FPU campus. The words that represented this walk were resliency, and outdoor living. Walkers saw at least 5 people in motorized wheelchairs out and about on this wet morning. Kids on bikes. Lots of outdoor coming and going. Adults sitting and visiting in front or side yards. Bus stops were busy. Because of some large homes that were now boarded up and overgrown, Walkers asked “What’s the story here?. What happened here? How could this have happened? And while these neighorhoods are full of life, there are signs of poverty and struggle. And Walkers commented that within a few blocks east of here are the Sunnyside communities which are much more affluent.
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