What Makes You Drive To Lexington?

Saturday Groupthink group•think [groop-thingk]   noun 

1. the practice of approaching problems or issues as matters that are best dealt with by consensus of a group rather than by individuals acting independently

Note:  I realize that these thoughts captured on social media probably do not reflect broader segments of the Berea population.  I therefore have plans to take this show on the road in the future!
 

 

Grocery/Food Stores

Aldi  (3)

Trader Joe’s (3)

Good Foods Coop (2)

Kroger (2)

A decent bakery

Liquor Barn

International/ethnic grocery stores (2)

Another grocery store. I think it would be amazing to see a small grocery store, like an improved IGA.  It might not have EVERYTHING Kroger does, but I have seen IGAs with a good selection of staples like good produce, organic flour butter milk, etc. Specialty items could still be bought at Happy Meadow, etc or in Richmond. People need a place to get produce year round besides Wal-Mart.  Save-a-lot has some, but not much in terms of fresh foods. Maybe even just a produce store like Kelly's in Richmond.  Don't get me wrong, I love the farmers market etc, but it isn't a year round option and isn't affordable to a lot of people in Berea.  

 

Grocery/Food Items

Good basmati rice

Beer/Wine (5)

Chickpea flour

Edamame

Gourmet food products

Fair Trade bananas

Good gluten free food

Fresh quality food

Seafood (2)

Loose-leaf tea

Organic Valley milk

 

And then this beautiful thing happened…

 If there are specific organic groceries or non-toxic hygiene or cleaning supplies you'd like to see, Happy Meadow can sometimes order and have in each Wednesday. The cost might be more, but probably not more than the gas to get to Richmond or Lexington.  We have OV butter, so I'm sure we can get the milk. Sometimes, though, there is a minimum order requirement of three or more and either the customer must commit to the extra or the store will sometimes carry the remainder. (Or get friends to go in with you.) I didn't mean to hijack this discussion, but I hope it's helpful to know that HM will try to accommodate special needs. :)

I'd like to purchase it regularly. Kept the conversation on this thread in case others are interested too.

And this…

In PA they had these stores called "Produce Junction". They thrived on selling massive quantities of fresh produce, most of it came in the same day. It was all bagged and the bags sold for $1, $2, or $3, and someone behind the counter would grab the bags for you and give you whatever amounts you wanted. It was usually 2/3 the price of grocery store produce, fresher, and less damaged, even though you didn't get to pick your own out. They had exotic fruits and vegetables, really cheap bedding plants, and all kinds of ethnic foods.

And this…

Don't forget about the food co-op's like Foothills Coop, orders are taken once a month and you pick them up in Richmond. Tim and Jane also order from something Better Organic and Frontier every other month. And Happy Meadows will order bulk for you. It is possible to eat damn good here and not have to drive to the store every week. Between these I listed above, the farmers markets and our garden we have pretty much divorced ourselves from Kroger/Meijer.

And finally, this…

I've been thinking a "free" table somewhere would be neat - where people who have extra produce can put it and others can pick up what they want.   

 

 

Shopping

Target (4)

Anthropologie

Make-up

Marshall’s

Best Buy

Tuesday Mornings

Mega bookstores

Clothes

General shopping

 

Entertainment/Recreation

Discount movies

Theaters that show independent films

Good movies

Hookah Bar

A good dog park

A decent, affordable, accessible recreation center that has a pool for year round swimming and rehab activities.  

Teenagers have no place to go, no real activities

Urban Ninja
 

 

Dining/Drinking

Common Grounds

A quality meal

A good local restaurant that's not pizza or Mexican

A good donut store

A decent delicatessen

Barbecue

Korean food

Restaurants

 

Medical

Endocrinologist

Doctors (2)

 

Other

Home Depot (4)

University of KY

Glass recycling

Fabric and sewing supplies

T-Mobile

And this final comment made me kind of sad, and reflective, and that much more convinced that together, maybe we can change things?...

My paycheck. I work there. Not even close to an equally paying job here.  Berea needs to look around and ask, besides the college what is really making Berea great. I love it but I'm starting to outgrow it. It makes me sad.

* Every Saturday from now through election day (November 4th), I will be utilizing social media to pose a question to Bereans to explore what we value most about our town, and what we are willing to do to make it the very best.  Please chime in as much as you can so we better understand what is on the minds of Bereans with different perspectives.  Feel free to add your comments here too!

 

What's the Best Part About Living in Berea?

Saturday Groupthink 
 group•think [groop-thingk]   noun 

1. the practice of approaching problems or issues as matters that are best dealt with by consensus of a group rather than by individuals acting independently.

 

                          Photo credit:  Donna Anderson, Berea Food Examiner

 

Berea is a town filled with diverse people and lots and lots of creatives who care about the earth.  So in short the best part of Berea is the community.

 

Berea College convocations.

 

Grassroots activism.

 

Small town traditions with 21st century attitude.

 

There's more than one "best" thing! How about the thriving academic community due to being the home of a consistently rated best liberal arts college in the south? Or the beautiful mountain scenery. Or the general feel of welcome/community by the citizens. Or Papaleno's! Or the fight by several citizens for social justice locally and globally.

 

I appreciate that there is a small town feel while at the same time, so many cultural opportunities provided by Berea College and the art community. Berea Community School ranks right up there on my list of things to like, too. I think the biggest thing I love about Berea is that there are so many people who have a broader world view and a sense of interconnectedness. I've spent time in other small towns where it seemed folks just are not aware of the world outside their towns and never think about the big picture. I love being in a town where it is easy to find other like minded people!

 

The women owned businesses and locally owned places. There are still a few that the big chains haven't pushed out.

 

Its history.

 

In 30 minutes, a gathering of diverse, complex and intelligently curious people who do not know the rules of football will come together for a Super Bowl Party. In hand, they will carry fresh baked focaccia, organic pâté' (the cattle tag number available on request) and homemade vegan and gluten free soups for all.

The opportunities in berea... that is what I like about this community, the chance... we are so close to extreme poverty, yet so close to industrialized communities we are given the chance to define what our community will be, sadly on that note we don't have a decent grocer in this town, hopefully with ebt money flowing to the farmers market we can start a new... it is better than our government dollars flowing to wal-mart any day as they just take money out of the local system...

Local foods economy and the wealth of speakers/musicians/artists we get in town because of the college.

 

* Every Saturday from now through election day (November 4th), I will be utilizing social media to pose a question to Bereans to explore what we value most about our town, and what we are willing to do to make it the very best.  Please chime in as much as you can so we better understand what is on the minds of Bereans with different perspectives.  Feel free to add your comments here too!

 

An Open Letter To My Fellow Bereans

This is long and windy, but bear with me - so is the future of Berea.  My name is Mae Suramek.  I despise politics (or at least its divisive nature).  I am turned off by the concept of power.  And probably like most of you, my plate of responsibility is already quite full.  Nevertheless, I will be seeking one of the eight seats on the Berea City Council this year.  Why, you ask?  Because I believe in civic responsibility at the most local level.  Because I believe that more of us should feel ownership of our own hometowns and that everyday citizens like you and I can, and should feel empowered to be involved in the decisions that impact us.  That’s why I think you should consider running for one of those eight seats as well.  So what happens when a non-political “type” seeks elected office?  For starters, I will not be knocking on your front door to ask for your vote.  But I will sit down with you at Moore’s Grocery or at Berea Coffee and Tea, to discuss how together, we can help shape a Berea we can all be proud of.  I will not raise money to pay for signs and bumper stickers, but I will spend the days leading up to election day in November, asking everyday Bereans like you, what your hopes are for Berea, and how you are willing to help make these things a reality.   Because it is our collective voice and action that will impact change, not just mine. What do I “stand” for?  I knew you’d ask.  Most people find it overly simplistic when I tell them that I stand for what our founder stood for when he first came to Berea.  I strive (and sometimes still struggle) to uphold this value every day in my personal life:

 

“I took my horse and rode for 500 miles, searching for a place where I could fulfill my mission.  I did not know where I should go; but one thing was certain – I must preach the true Gospel, this Gospel of love.”  

John G. Fee, 1859

 

So if you are looking for the kind of person who will pass a single, one-time fairness ordinance, don’t vote for me.  I won’t stop at the passing of an ordinance.  I will continue to regularly bring different kinds of Bereans to the same table to listen to each other, to grow to respect each other, and we won't stop until every single Berean is treated equally and with dignity.

 

If you are looking for someone to fix that pothole in your subdivision, don’t vote for me.  But if you are looking for someone to invest in our tourism, our small businesses, and our manufacturing industries to ensure that our city can build and sustain a long-term, healthy infrastructure for years to come, I’d be honored to have your vote. 

 

If you are afraid that I will try to turn this dry town wet, hear me out.   While I support limited sales of beer and wine at Berea restaurants, it is not personal.  It is because I believe that the majority of Bereans are responsible adults who know how to make good decisions.  I also believe that our local economy could flourish if tourists and locals were allowed to have a Kentucky Proud beer with their Papaleno’s Big Slice every once in a while.  You never know, the revenue generated from such a flourishing economy may even help with those potholes.

 

And if you are looking for someone who is loyal to a particular political party, don’t vote for me.  I learned a long time ago that we rarely accomplish anything of significance unless we are willing to see each other as human beings first.  If you want someone who is loyal to Berea, and is interested in building bridges, seeking common ground, and bringing everyone together to work for the betterment of our city, join me.

My son, who is a first-grader at the Community School tells me that Berea is the best place in the world.  As his mother, I want to give him that truth.   But the reality is that I’m still shielding him from the truths that I  know.  My good friend, the only African-American on her street, is afraid to go for a walk in her neighborhood because of the hurtful comments routinely hurled at her from people who drive by.  Last Valentine’s Day, I spent the night in the E.R. of the St. Joseph’s hospital holding the hand of a 15 year old girl who had been sexually assaulted.  I watched her mother, crippled with the realization that she couldn’t protect her own child.  These things are happening right here in our beloved town.  As difficult as it may be, I want us to talk about these things.  I want us to fix them.

 

So when you ask me what I stand for, I stand for Fee’s vision of impartial love.  I stand for a Berea that is richly diverse…and welcoming….and loving….and inclusive….and safe….and authentically true to its founding roots.  I stand for a Berea that has ample room on the ridge for all of us to live, to grow, and to serve our greater purposes.  If this is also the Berea that you stand for, this November I need your help in making  our voice count.  How?  So glad you asked.

Tell me what you think.

What do you want most for Berea (and how are you willing to help pitch in)?  Share your answer and see what other Bereans think at:  www.facebook.com/mae4berea

Have a cup of coffee with me.  

To schedule a one-on-one Moore’s Grocery or BC&T chat with me:  mae4berea@gmail.com.

Let me crash your party. 

If you are part of a civic organization, a neighborhood watch, a church group, a bunco night, a book club, or any other formal/informal community group and would like to exchange ideas about Berea's future, I'd humbly accept an invitation.  E-mail me at mae4berea@gmail.com.

 

Tell others about me.

My lawnmower budget* isn't going to get me very far.  So if you share my vision for Berea, won't you also consider sharing this on your Facebook page or with others who have the same hopes for Berea? 

* This ad was paid for by Mae herself, because she wants you to invest your money in our town, rather than in her campaign.  This 8-month campaign will run on proceeds from the sale of the family riding lawn mower last week, harnessing the power of free social media, and the collective voices of grassroots activism.  Thank you in advance for your support.  This non-political gal will need it.