Another Holiday Express season begins, and with 52 events planned, the only way to get them all in before Christmas is to start…before Thanksgiving. Fortunately for Holiday Express, they have the people power to start strong and go long. Holiday Express - the focus of our documentary, ROCK and a HEART PLACE - is a classic, grass-roots organization that started over 15 years ago with nothing more than a dream. Today with hundreds of volunteers, they continue to work their mission statement, which is to “deliver the gift of human kindness.” Keeping the seasoned veterans while soliciting new volunteers is easy once they catch the true “meaning of life” feeling contagious in the joyful audiences at the many events.
One of the reasons ROCK and a HEART PLACE stays relevant is that there is a connection between the viewer, the audience member and the volunteer. The common denominator in life no matter how different the circumstances is the sincere interest in another person’s existence for no other reason but to share a moment in time.
We are looking at a particularly difficult economic time ahead and those at the bottom are always going to feel it the worst. Holiday Express gives anyone an outlet to do something about feelings of helplessness in light of needs so great. They do it one-on-one, and for a brief time, bring some comfort to those who need it the most.
This year, in the midst of the continuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, one of the events on the schedule is going to be for the families of our soldiers. The site for this event is none other than Asbury Park’s Convention Hall, a space graciously offered by Madison Marquette, the developer responsible for so much of the resurgence of the AP boardwalk this year.
With the thoughts of bail outs rippling through the consciousness of anyone aware of the situation in the marketplace, Holiday Express begins again to bail out our little corner of the world, touching those here in NJ, but resonating with our troops, half way round the world. Santa has to be proud.
-Nancy
