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BEDFORD GET TOGETHER
History In early 2017, a small group of Bedford residents began to gather weekly to share concerns about the polarized climate in our country. In a short time, and as the group grew, we came to the realization that there is so much more that unites the Bedford community than divides it and the idea for Bedford Get Together was born. In October 2017, the Bedford community gathered at Edmund Street Park for the first ever Bedford Get Together—a grassroots event organized to bring neighbors throughout Bedford County together to celebrate our community’s shared values. Not only did the several hundred people who participated in this event have a great day but we also began to make connections to continue working together to create unity and care for one another.The group incorporated in December 2017 as a private non-profit organization. In early 2018, Bedford Get Together sponsored and supported community activities including the NAACP Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March, Bridges Out of Poverty Training, and Celebration of Earth Day. A second Bedford Get Together event was held at Edmund Street Park in October 2018. Bedford Get Together held its major 2019 event in August as a part of Jonathan Hayden’sannual Back to School Fun Day.Also that year, Bedford Get Together sponsored its first annual community Service Awards, offered unity flag making and a sheriff’s candidate forum at Centerfest, volunteered for LACIL’s Santa program, and supported the Raintree Community Day. In 2020, Bedford Get Together held no events but rather turned its attention to the community’s needs in light of the pandemic, assisting Bedford Christian Ministries and Lynchburg Daily Bread with food deliveries, volunteering at the blood drive, and partnering with the Adult and Career Education Center for a Digital Literacy Grant from the County under the CARES Act.Additionally, Bedford Get Together responded by editorial to the racial issues surrounding George Floyd’s death and is currently partnering with the Sedalia Center to preserve the history of the African-American school–Counter Ridge–which the Center now occupies.Ever concerned about the growing political polarity, later in the year Bedford Get Together began participating in a national initiative, With Malice Toward None, sponsored by the Braver Angels. Mission The mission of Bedford Get Together is to foster communication and understanding within our community, to create opportunities for greater interaction among all groups, to encourage a more civil and respectful political dialogue in order to bring the community together, and to set an example for future generations. Vision A community united through mutual understanding, trust, kindness and respect. |
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