One last time...

The 20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour!

It's weird to think about. Truthfully, I'm struggling to imagine life without "the road." When I began the Tenderness Tour, I was a suicidal, grieving and homeless wreck living on disability income. My life has become so much more wondrous than I'd ever imagined. Alas, there comes a time when the body says "Stop!" and I've promised myself and others that I would listen.

The time has come. On October 8th, the Tenderness Tour's 20th Anniversary, I offered my final long-distance Tenderness Tour...one more wheelchair ride across the state of Indiana with all proceeds to benefit:

Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence-

To help establish a children's resource center within their existing resource center. This final ride and "gift" is in memory of my own daughter, Jennifer.

New Community Project-

To support their "Give a Girl a Chance" Program providing educational opportunities to girls around the world. This final ride and "gift" is in celebration of my wondrous Goddaughter, Victoria.

The Tenderness Network-

To support a new effort, the Young Peacemakers Film Festival as the Tenderness Tour transitions from a "wheeling" effort to an arts outreach program. 

This final ride and "gift" is in honor of my friends, family, co-workers, volunteers and the many organizations who've supported, guided, nurtured and protected me as I made the 20 year journey from a victim of violence to a man of of tenderness.z

                  20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour Recap

• October 7
  Arrived in Terre Haute, Indiana by car at 1:30 PM. Visits scheduled @ Ryves Youth Center and CARE Council throughout the afternoon. Spoke to a wondrous group of children and youth during the afternoon. Evening activities included a free concert at Coffee Grounds, 423 Wabash Avenue, from 7-9 pm with music by Blue News. Donations were accepted, proceeds to Vigo County’s Council on Domestic Abuse (Final Tally still pending). Coffee Grounds donated proceeds from drink purchases during this time and gave attendees free drinks (donating the price of the drink!). Mayor Duke Bennett attended to issue a special proclamation. “Give a Girl a Chance” benefit CD available for $10.00. Blue News also donated 50% of the sales of their own CD's throughout the evening!
  
  Overnight Host: Candlewood Suites                                    Meal Host: Baesler’s Market, Ryves Youth Ctr.
• October 8
  Kick-Off at 10am from Terre Haute City Hall after brief meet & greet, prayer/moment of silence. Day will end approximately 3 pm at Brazil City Hall with meeting with Brazil mayor Ann Bradshaw and other community leaders at City Hall. Additional activities to be announced. Route includes primarily US 40 into Brazil.
  
  Overnight Host: Villa Motel       Meal Host: Marie Siroky
• October 9
  Kick-off at 9am from Brazil City Hall after brief meet & greet, prayer/moment of silence. Day will end at approximately 4pm with meeting with Greencastle Mayor Sue Murray, Putnam County Family Support Services and United Way. Dinner with these community leaders at 7pm and others to discuss services in their city and the Tenderness Tour. Additional activities as time allows. Route includes US 40, Left on S 400 West, onto Manhattan Road, continue onto S. Jackson Street with a right turn onto US 231.
  
  Overnight Host: Autumn Glen      Meal Host: Walden Inn, United Way, Putnam County Family Support Services
• October 10
  Rally at 9am on Greencastle Town Square followed by departure for Danville. Day will end at approximately 4pm. Evening festivities include a 5-6 pm concert by Dean Phelps at Beasley’s Orchard including rally. “Give a Girl a Chance CD” for sale. Donations received will benefit Sheltering Wings. Dinner at Mayberry Café in downtown Danville sponsored by Propes family. Meeting either this evening or October 11^th with Sheltering Wings. Route into Danville includes US 231 to US 36.
  
  Overnight Host: Sheltering Wings                                     Meal Host: Sheltering Wings, Anne Burget
• October 11
  Depart from Danville Town Hall at 9am headed for Avon. Arrive in Avon at approximately 3pm, multiple church stops along the way. Avon Christian Church is hosting a free concert featuring Dean Phelps and Patchwork from 4:00 – 5:30 PM. Additional activities to be announced. Donations accepted for Sheltering Wings and “Give a Girl a Chance” CD for sale. Route into Avon entirely on US 36.
  
  Overnight Host: Gwin Family                                          Meal Host: Rev. Carolyn Scanlan, Dawn Holy
  
• October 12
  Depart from Avon Town Hall approximately 9am. Arrive in Indianapolis by 1-2 PM. Brief break followed by 4-5:30 PM Domestic Violence Awareness Kick-Off Rally at Town Square in Noblesville with Prevail, Inc. Music by Patchwork. Route into Indianapolis on US 36, Rockville Road. Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear to be present.
  
  Overnight Host: My own home!                                                Meal Sponsor: Celia Bartel 
• October 13
  Depart from St. John United Church of Christ, 11000 East Washington Street on Indy’s Eastside at 9am headed for Greenfield. Working on visit with Greenfield mayor. Rally at The Bread Ladies, 5 American Legion Place, in Greenfield from 5-6 pm followed by concert with Ann McWilliams and Luke Austin Daugherty from 6-9 pm. Donations accepted to benefit the 20^th Anniversary Tenderness Tour. “Give a Girl a Chance” for sale. Additional outreach opportunities pending. Route into Greenfield directly on US 40.
  
  Overnight Host: Sandra Mott (Sponsor) , Super 8 Motel
  Meal Sponsor: The Bread Ladies/Laura Rutledge
• October 14
  Depart from Greenfield City Hall at 9am for Knightstown. Assisted in Knightstown by Chamber of Commerce and continue working on outreach opportunities at this time. Meet & Greet at American Legion pending. Route into Knightstown on US 40.
  
  Overnight Host: To be announced                              Meal Sponsor: American Legion (pending) 
• October 15
  Depart from Knightstown Town Hall/Town Square at 9am headed for Cambridge City. Meet w/Nettle Creek Church of the Brethren. Additional outreach opportunities pending. Route into Cambridge City on US 40.
  
  Overnight Host: To be Announced                              Meal Sponsor: To be Announced 
• October 16
  Depart from Cambridge City Town Hall approximately 10am headed for Richmond. Planned meeting with Mayor Sally Hutton, gathering at Bethany Theological Seminary and additional opportunities pending. Route into Richmond on US 40.
  
  Meal Sponsor: The Ulrich Family at Bethany
• October 17
  Interview on WIBC from 3-4 pm in Indianapolis.
  
• October 18
  Done wheeling, I will return home to Indianapolis for the closing celebration at Earth House, 237 N. East Street, in downtown Indianapolis. I will preach at Lockerbie Central United Methodist Church at 6pm, followed by a volunteer reception from 6-7 pm featuring an acoustic performance by Frank Bradford. From 8-11pm, volunteer acknowledgement and music from Soulshine, Luke Austin Daugherty and Ann McWilliams Band. From 10:30 – 11:00 PM a special time featuring Heartland Film Festival filmmakers will be featured in honor of “Give a Girl a Chance” being part of the VIP Package during the Heartland Film Festival.
  
  Richard Propes,
  Richard@theindependentcritic.com,
  http://tendernesstour.com
  http://twitter.com/tendernesstour
  http://facebook.com/richardpropes
  http://cdbaby.com/cd/tendernesstour

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?


There are lots of other opportunities to volunteer. I'd very much like to find some medical support throughout the tour including, perhaps, a personal assistant in various cities. Additionally, help is needed with PR, fund-raising, special events and as overall "street team" members. For more info, contact me!

CHECK OUT WHAT I DID FOR THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY!

Heartland Film Festival will be including "Give a Girl a Chance" in their VIP gift bag for their top 100 guests & filmmakers that attend the 2009 Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis.

In celebration of the Tenderness Tour's 20th Anniversary, Richard has released the Tenderness Tour's 1st ever musical compilation, "Give a Girl a Chance," with ALL profits benefiting the 20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour and its three beneficiary organizations.

Participating artists include:

1. Carrie Newcomer
2. Henry Lee Summer
3. Jennie Devoe
4. Ann McWilliams
5. Krista Detor
6. Jeff DeHerdt
7. Carl Storie
8. Soulshine
9. Luke Austin Daugherty
10. Frank Bradford
11. Mandy Marie Luke
12. Mutual Kumquat
13. Dancin' Nancys
14. Dark Matter Halos
15. Patchwork
16. The Trust Project
17. Brandon Cannon & Matt Heinrich
18. Dean Phelps
19. Justin McElhany
    

Proceeds from the CD will benefit:

Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence- To help establish a children's resource center within their existing resource center.

New Community Project- To support their "Give a Girl a Chance" Program providing educational opportunities to girls around the world.

Young Peacemakers Film Project- To support the Young Peacemakers Film Festival

For more information, visit the "Give a Girl a Chance" page for all the details, artist bios and distribution sites! 

Those who know me, know that making the decision to stop wheeling after 20 years is the hardest decision I've made in quite some time. The Tenderness Tour is an integral part of who I am and how I've worked to improve the lives of children for most of my adult life. This decision hurts, badly, and it hasn't come easily. I'm struggling with a sense of "failure," because I didn't want to quit until children weren't being hurt anymore.

Stopping just feels wrong.

I have said, however, that I would stop if there came a time when the Tenderness Tour was becoming abusive to me. Simply put, while I am certainly able to live my life independently and much of my life remains normal, there's no denying that the everyday aspects of spina bifida are catching up to me and the physical wear and tear of touring simply is no longer justifiable. As painful as it is to stop, it is time to stop wheeling and looking at other ways to serve.

The decision to do "Give a Girl a Chance" coincided with the growth of The Independent Critic, my film website. I quickly realized that I could use these artistic pursuits in ways that contributed to the cause. So, I did. After awhile, I began to realize I'd maintained my long dormant gift for networking and had, in fact, put together an awesome CD of music. In both film and music, I quickly found myself surrounded by a variety of talented, compassionate and giving artists with similar professional goals.

Thus, "The Tenderness Network" has been born and the Tenderness Tour will continue.

The Tenderness Network is a grassroots, social justice arts collective composed of artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and others committed to improving the lives of others through the healing arts of music, art, drama, dance, literature, film and other forms of creative expression.

Members of The Tenderness Network are committed to making a difference in the world by creating and promoting artists and works that empower humanity, improve people's lives, challenge injustice, encourage community, seek peace and celebrate life.

There is no organizational "structure" desired for the Tenderness Network. The Tenderness Network is designed to serve as an international community of artists united together by their commitment towards improving the lives of others and a willingness to encourage and empower each other.

It has always been one of my primary goals to reach out to churches across every spiritual path & denomination in an effort to encourage churches, pastors and other church leaders to take a more active role in advocating for children through the intentional creation of child friendly and safe congregations that work to eliminate child abuse, domestic violence and sexual violence from the congregational setting.

As part of my final Tenderness Tour, I'm asking churches and supportive organizations to join me in honoring our children by declaring Sunday, October 11th as "A Day of Prayer" for the children of the world.

This interfaith effort carries with it no tangible burdens, no costs...merely a willingness to devote a moment of silence or a special prayer devoted to our children during the church service on Sunday, October 11th while I'm out on the road wheeling from Danville to Avon, Indiana in preparation for that evening's music event at Avon Christian Church.

All participating churches, artists and organizations will be listed on the Tenderness Tour website's "Day of Prayer" page! Please e-mail me to let me know you'll be joining me in prayer for our children on October 11th!