Post by adoptanativeelder on Jan 4, 2010 18:55:23 GMT -5
Take a second to think back to your life 20 years ago…What were you doing? Where were you living? So much has changed since then. We’ve all come so far and grown so much. There are happy memories, sad memories, exciting trips, loves, loss, and laughter.
Twenty years ago was the first official Adopt-A-Native-Elder Rug Show and Sale in Park City, Utah. There was plenty of uncertainty concerning the outcome of that first show. It was a successful hit! Each annual Rug Show has been its own success. There is also so much that is learned from the Rug Shows. I have had the privilege to witness the growth and expansion over the past 16 years. I feel truly blessed to have my own life touched by the strength, wisdom, and Beauty of my traditional grandmothers.
This year’s 20th Annual Adopt-A-Native-Elder Navajo Rug Show Celebration was an opportunity to remember and appreciate the journey taken so far. During the past 20 years, there have been so many weavers who have woven their first or their last rug, there have been so many buyers who have had their life blessed by the rug or rugs they’ve brought into their homes, there have been many, many support people who have adopted an Elder, and there have been millions of volunteers and volunteer hours put in to make each Rug Show an absolute success. Every individual who’s helped in their own way, from 1989 to 2009, has made a difference and an impact.
There was never any doubt that this year’s show would be great. Getting back to our roots is what the economic situation helped provide with this year’s Rug Show planning. All life is a continuous cycle. This year was a chance to remember, renew, and rebalance the meaning of what it is to put on a Rug Show and its purpose. Every part of the planning was altered in some way, which helped improve the quality of the outcome of the show. With everyone’s life influenced by the national economic situation brought something really quite amazing. The size of people’s hearts grew two or three times, which in turn motivated more generosity and deepened the level of emotion with which Giveaways were both given and received.
From all four directions came excited volunteers, shoppers, Jay and Jay’s fan club members to the Rug Show. Jay, Michelle, Malaika, Eric, Salina, Dawn, Tonya, Susan, Margaret, Rosita, Vivian, Elizabeth and a special guest, Phillip Morrell, each added a tremendous amount of support, thoughtfulness, and positive energy to the Rug Show during their stay. It is very true that: One Can Make A Difference.
This year, Friday was called Pink Friday. All the volunteers and Elders were asked to wear pink that day to honor all the Elders and support people that have passed because of some type of cancer. Each of our lives has been touched by cancer in some way or another. Having an Awareness Day in which we all wear pink not only visually shows support for each other but also makes for a stunning and beautiful sea of pink.
This 20th Annual Rug Show was a huge success for the Elders, for those who came and also for those who didn’t come to the show. A lot of the weavers, who were at the Rug Show, sold all their rugs this year. It was quite amazing to witness how many people came out to buy and who still care so much about the Elders and their rugs.
The next Rug Show is already in the planning stages. It takes a full year to plan the Rug Show for the Elders. We are truly blessed to have an amazing team of coordinators and volunteers who continue to give from the heart.
We hope to see all next November!
In Blessings,
Celeste Williams
Linda Myers, Director
The Rug Show Committee
Twenty years ago was the first official Adopt-A-Native-Elder Rug Show and Sale in Park City, Utah. There was plenty of uncertainty concerning the outcome of that first show. It was a successful hit! Each annual Rug Show has been its own success. There is also so much that is learned from the Rug Shows. I have had the privilege to witness the growth and expansion over the past 16 years. I feel truly blessed to have my own life touched by the strength, wisdom, and Beauty of my traditional grandmothers.
This year’s 20th Annual Adopt-A-Native-Elder Navajo Rug Show Celebration was an opportunity to remember and appreciate the journey taken so far. During the past 20 years, there have been so many weavers who have woven their first or their last rug, there have been so many buyers who have had their life blessed by the rug or rugs they’ve brought into their homes, there have been many, many support people who have adopted an Elder, and there have been millions of volunteers and volunteer hours put in to make each Rug Show an absolute success. Every individual who’s helped in their own way, from 1989 to 2009, has made a difference and an impact.
There was never any doubt that this year’s show would be great. Getting back to our roots is what the economic situation helped provide with this year’s Rug Show planning. All life is a continuous cycle. This year was a chance to remember, renew, and rebalance the meaning of what it is to put on a Rug Show and its purpose. Every part of the planning was altered in some way, which helped improve the quality of the outcome of the show. With everyone’s life influenced by the national economic situation brought something really quite amazing. The size of people’s hearts grew two or three times, which in turn motivated more generosity and deepened the level of emotion with which Giveaways were both given and received.
From all four directions came excited volunteers, shoppers, Jay and Jay’s fan club members to the Rug Show. Jay, Michelle, Malaika, Eric, Salina, Dawn, Tonya, Susan, Margaret, Rosita, Vivian, Elizabeth and a special guest, Phillip Morrell, each added a tremendous amount of support, thoughtfulness, and positive energy to the Rug Show during their stay. It is very true that: One Can Make A Difference.
This year, Friday was called Pink Friday. All the volunteers and Elders were asked to wear pink that day to honor all the Elders and support people that have passed because of some type of cancer. Each of our lives has been touched by cancer in some way or another. Having an Awareness Day in which we all wear pink not only visually shows support for each other but also makes for a stunning and beautiful sea of pink.
This 20th Annual Rug Show was a huge success for the Elders, for those who came and also for those who didn’t come to the show. A lot of the weavers, who were at the Rug Show, sold all their rugs this year. It was quite amazing to witness how many people came out to buy and who still care so much about the Elders and their rugs.
The next Rug Show is already in the planning stages. It takes a full year to plan the Rug Show for the Elders. We are truly blessed to have an amazing team of coordinators and volunteers who continue to give from the heart.
We hope to see all next November!
In Blessings,
Celeste Williams
Linda Myers, Director
The Rug Show Committee
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