The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With One Step...

...And so too do I begin the journey of what will hopefully to be closer to a million miles.
My name is Ryan Clark and I am very proud to say that I am a part of a truly visionary organization called Wrap Up America. Wrap Up America provides blankets to those members of our local communities who do not have anywhere to hide from the cold during the winter months. Our Goal is to gather from those who have to impact those who do not. Blankets are taken for granted; they go unused for ages and sit forgotten in attics and basements. Utilizing college campuses as an engine for both charity and enthusiasm, Wrap Up America drives the blanket collection process by encouraging student organizations to tap into their families, friends, and importantly their communities to amass donations that will be then hand distributed to the shelters.

This movement has been many years in the making. In 1993, a man named Harlan Joelson was driving around Toledo, Ohio distributing political information for his father's mayoral campaign. While downtown, he pulled his car up to the curb in front of a cardboard box, and hopped out to go about his business. As he exited his car a man came out from inside the box, and indignantly asked why Harlan had parked his car in front of his house. Harlan was speechless. How could this happen in the same city where he was raising his three children? In the same city he grew up in? Homelessness was a major issue, but not in cities like Toledo. That was a big metropolis problem for cities like New York or even Columbus, but certainly not Toledo. All the while Harlan was finishing his work, he had trouble shaking that image from his memory. Finally, he went out to a local store, purchased a blanket, and returned to the curb to give the man the blanket.
It started with one. Harlan then began asking his family, friends, and neighbors for blankets, and the random act of kindness transformed into a movement. 75,000 blankets later the Box remains both a symbol of solidarity for our organization and as a constant reminder of our roots.

For the 2010-2011 school year there are 7 university communities that will answer the challenge. The University of Dayton, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Toledo.
Fort building events will be held on these campuses as a means of using inter-organizational rivalries to not only see who can build the best fort, but more importantly, see who can collect the most blankets.

My plan is to use this Blog in order to keep people posted on the progress of our local efforts in Toledo as well as the National push to make that no one goes with out a blanket this winter.

As you'll quickly figure out, I love cliche quotes that are placed cheekily at the end of blogs. Here's my first:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead.

We are a movement, what is (y)our next step forward?