Did Someone Say RV Road Trip?

USA to Switzerland

2010-12-05T06:47:00.008-07:00

Let’s step back a moment to a day in October 2009 when an email popped into my mailbox. The message invited me to consider a position with UNICEF in Geneva, Switzerland. Apparently, the resume I had submitted six months earlier finally grabbed someone’s attention.

I read the job description attached to the email in disbelief. The qualifications described my career skills – a 100% match! Ed and my son Chris also read the job description. Ed shouted, “SOLD!” And, Chris warned me, “Mom, if you apply, you are going to be going to Switzerland. You match this job perfectly. Go for it!”

Three days before the November application deadline, I hit send. A current resume and updated cover letter launched into cyberspace. And then, I waited and waited. No, news came for four months.

The next email hit my box in February, 2010. Could I participate in a teleconference interview? Yes. Two weeks later, another email arrived. Can you come to Geneva? I countered with the idea of a teleconference. After all, I had commitments in the USA.

“Teleconference?” HR hesitated. “Ok, agreed!” No trip to Geneva, a teleconference would suffice. There’d be no jaunt to Europe. Technology served me well with visual clarity and minimal vocal delay. The interview discussion convinced me this was a good fit. Only one “opps” occurred. As I gestured my hand with enthusiasm, I bumped my pearl earring. The earring went skidding across the conference table like a puck on an air hockey table. The interviewers didn’t notice and I just kept on talking. Days later, a third phone call covered a few more points for clarity. And then, I waited and waited.

The official offer to join the UNICEF Private Fundraising and Partnership team in Geneva happened the day before my sorority reunion in April 2010. I was home in Greensburg for the reunion so I broke the news in person to my family. Mixed reactions of pride, hesitancy, and the reality that I’d be leaving the USA hit my family. By contrast, my sorority sisters squealed with happiness for me. Just as in our years at PITT, my Alpha Delta Pi sisters celebrated my joy with hugs, encouragement, and a celebratory toast! A day later, Ed met me at the Kansas City Airport with a bouquet of balloons! We were on our way to a new life experience.

When this excitement happened, we were in Independence, Missouri, a place with historic connections to the United Nations, my new global employer. Ceremoniously, I visited the UN Peace Plaza. The statuette mimicked my joy. Ed took photos of me standing where is estimated Switzerland to be located on the world mosaic in the plaza of the Temple of the Community of Christ. This was meant to happen to me as if the story was being written with a transitional beginning and end. Ed and I started our RV road trip on Independence Day 2007; now our road trip would end in Independence, Missouri. What a perfect beginning and perfect ending.

“We’d like to in Geneva before the end of the summer,” I heard my new boss say over the phone. In June, I signed the UNICEF contract agreeing to serve two years with UNICEF as a Global Fundraising Specialist focused on Major Donors. I took two months to whittle down my already sparse possessions to even less than when we compressed things from our Texas home to six trunks stacked in Mom’s basement. With three suitcases each, Ed and I boarded an August Continental flight which brought us to Switzerland.

Bold Moves Make for Long Goodbyes...

2010-12-05T05:47:00.012-07:00

This is the boldest move I ever made in my 55 years! Bolder than skiing a black diamond slope, bolder than auctioning dates with bachelors to raise money for fighting cancer, bolder than tasting squid. Perhaps this move is as bold as taking a two-year career break to travel in an RV across the US and Canada. Bold!

Bold is accepting a career opportunity to work for UNICEF. Bold is launching a global fundraising initiative to increase individual giving through major gifts. Bold is compressing my stuff into three suitcases to move to Switzerland. Bold is immersing myself in the Swiss culture where people speak French and buy with cash. Bold is giving up travel by car, shopping at Wal-Mart, and unlimited cell phone minutes evenings and weekends. Bold is saying “Goodbye.”

My husband Ed called our last three months in the USA the longest goodbye ever. He was right in tagging the lunches, parties, and visits that way but somehow, I needed these interactions with people important in my life. And so it was that I said my goodbyes, each one full of meaning, building confidence that I made the right choice, and connecting to people important to me who have contributed to my successes, held meaning in my life.

The following are photos of these precious moments spent before a Continental flight landed me in Geneva, Switzerland where a bold new life experience would begin.

Portrait of Mom & Me

My family: Mom, Chris, Me, Brady, Jason, Brianna & Suzie

At Indian Lake with Ed, Val & Greg

Chris & I at Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania

A winning hand at Canasta with Brianna

Mini golfing at Statler's with me, Suzie, Matt, Chris, & Brianna

Lifelong friends Craig & Robin with me

My ACS team: Beth, Joann, me, & Anna

Ed & I on the steps of the church where we were married -
October 3, 1997

The old Sanford barn at "The Farm"

New flowers for Grandma & Grandpa's grave

Looking at family heirlooms with Becky

Celebrating with Suzie & Matt in Kansas City

The Mlinarich cousins at a family party

My 2010 reunion with ADP sorority sisters from PITT

Suzie jumping with Allie

One last hug from baby Anthony at Sheffield Place

Me & Kim - Best friends from college at the ADP Reunion

Me & Sherry at the UN Peace Plaza, Independence, MO

A luminary for Dad at the Relay for Life, an event I launched over 14 years ago.

"Good-bye"

December 5, 2010

No Longer an RV Road Trip!

2010-11-04T12:13:00.006-07:00

Just as the sunset photo represents the end to my RV road trip through the USA and Canada, the sunrise illuminates a new beginning, a new day, a new adventure. This sunrise photo taken on Saturday, November 1, 2010 captures Mount Blanc against a horizon of “sky blue pink” - as my Dad would describe such colors. Neither he nor I would have ever imagined that my life would bring me to Switzerland. I arrived on August 2, 2010, a day that marks the official end of my RV road trip. I have come to this country to work as the Major Donor Global Fundraising Specialist for UNICEF in Geneva. Ed and I have stored the Prevost coach which we affectionately called “Dolly’s Pride” so I could accept this extraordinary opportunity. Our new life in Europe is another one of my bold moves ranking along with the decisions in 2007 to sell our Texas home, leave a career with the prestigious fundraising firm of Ketchum, and take a 24 month 20 day, 28,022 mile road trip. So now, I am on a journey of a new kind – living in a modern apartment in the Swiss village of Mies, working for the United Nations agency UNICEF, and experiencing culture shock while adapting to the Swiss way of life. Follow me on this new journey…building an international major donor program for UNICEF and exploring Switzerland, then eventually Europe.

November 4, 2010

2009 U Go! Awards: I Won Best Nature Photo!!!

2009-12-06T15:30:00.001-07:00

All my life I have won things. When banks wanted to encourage customers to us ATM banking, Pittsburgh National Bank randomly awarded cash prizes for withdrawals. I won $20. My essay on citizenship submitted to the American Legion took top prize. The veterans awarded me a trail bike and my high school English teacher received a $25 U.S. Savings Bond. As a frequent flier, the photo I submitted of my grand-daughter Brianna sitting in my suitcase won an American Airlines “road warrior” recognition. Now, this week, I have learned that one of the many photos that I posted on www.igougo.com is winner of the 2009 U Go! Awards. This photo won the Best of Nature Photo in the Frames of Flora Awards. How cool is that?

National World War I Museum

2009-11-29T17:25:00.010-07:00

Aruthur Bryant's Barbeque: World Famous Even for a Late Breakfast!

2009-11-29T17:20:00.005-07:00

Getting up early has its drawbacks. If you eat breakfast at 6 AM, very possibly you’re hungry again by 10:30 or 11 AM. So no wonder, when I revealed our Saturday plans to Ed – a trip to the National World War I Museum and a meal at the famous Kansas City Arthur Bryant’s – he wanted to go for BBQ first.

“We just ate,” I whined, amazed that he even thought the place would be open in the morning.

“Use your cell phone to call the BBQ place. If they are open, we’ll eat before visiting the museum,” he persisted.

I called. “Yes, we’re open. Come on over,” I heard over the kitchen noise.

Both of my favorite travel books give Arthur Bryant’s high marks. Road Trip USA calls it a “classic, no-frills rib shack” … “where heavenly BBQ sauces come in plain plastic bottles.” And, 1,000 Place to See Before You Die calls it “the best barbecue joint in town, or maybe anywhere.” This book elaborates and recommends “the signature half-pound of slow cooked brisket slapped on plain old white bread, with a gritty herbs- and spices-flavored barbecue sauce and the best skin-on french fries in America.” – This is what we ordered.

Ed carried the overloaded tray of food to a window seat following behind me. I cut a path through the crowd that gathered in the narrow passageway to the counter. Saturday tailgaters had lined up for to-go boxes behind us. Two busloads of tourists made a line out the door winding out on the sidewalk. They all knew Arthur Bryant’s was open early and the food was great.

Ed and I didn’t have much to say during our meal. It wasn’t because we had an attitude. We were munching, sampling the BBQ sauces, and licking our fingers!

Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue

1727 Brooklyn Avenue

Kansas City, MO

816-231-1123

www.arthurbryantsbbq.com

October 3, 2009

Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, MO

2009-11-29T17:05:00.003-07:00

Halloween Parade of Extraordinary Proportions

2009-11-29T14:56:00.007-07:00

The Halloween Parade came nearly to the doorstep of the coach. The staging area was in a parking lot just down the hillside near Campus RV Park. With all the commotion, I grabbed my camera and went out the door.

No vehicles cruised the streets of Independence, Missouri. Every throughway been blocked and was patrolled by security for the parade. The sidewalks – well, the sidewalks were jammed with people. Some brought chairs, others just plopped on the curb. The crowd lined the streets of town square and all the surrounding arteries. Downtown was alive and elbow-to-elbow with people.

I found a spot behind a street barrier on O’Sage at the base of a hill. I had a cascading view from the top of the hill to the level boulevard.

When the parade began, a line of headlights crested the hill. The Independence Police Force came forward in an impressive formation. The parade began with the thunder of their Harleys. Bands, show dogs, dance schools, witches, Scout troops, antique cars, John Deer tractors, more Harleys, Red Hatters, and even a Coast Guard boat followed. Ghostly creatures, darling princesses, and a politician or two passed by with waves and hand tosses of candy to the spectators.

The parade went on for over an hour. That’s how the folks in Independence, Missouri celebrate Halloween!

October 31, 2009

Independence, MO: Our Temporary Home

2009-11-29T14:48:00.005-07:00

Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

2009-11-29T14:41:00.003-07:00

The presence of America’s 33^rd President Harry S. Truman dominates downtown Independence, Missouri. He lived here, governed from here, and built his presidential library here.

His image is silhouetted on streetlight banners. Plaques embedded in the city sidewalks through the Truman District and neighborhood map a 2.7 mile trail of key places in Harry’s life. It’s called the Truman Walking Trail. Clinton’s Soda Fountain on the corner at 100 W. Maple Street still serves ice cream. It’s the place where Harry had his first job. And, the Victorian house where he lived from 1919 until his death in 1972 remains known as the “Summer White House.”

Our “road trip” brought Ed and me to Independence in early September when I took a job in Kansas City. We thought our two-years of travel experiences had ended. Instead, we became tourists in our new home – Harry’s town. Bit-by-bit, the historic nature of Independence captivated Ed and I. Was it coincidence that when we arrived I had been reading a biography written by David McCullough: Truman? Ed frequently remarks that it is “freaky” to be in Independence since he considers July 4^th – “Independence Day” – as his start date for our “road trip.”

Harry’s own road trips are chronicled around Independence. He bought a car to travel from his family’s rural farm to Independence to court Bess Wallace, the woman he married. The town’s train depot is noted for his whistle-stop presidential campaign and trips to Washington, D.C.

For eight years, Harry guided the U.S. as President and a world leader. He made the difficult decision to drop the atomic bomb in World War II. He helped form the United Nations, NATO, and the Marshall Plan. He ordered the Berlin Airlift. The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence contains his presidential papers and a replica of his White House office. His gravesite and that of his wife Bess are in the courtyard.

Every step in Independence, whether in the Presidential Library and Museum or strolling the Truman District. Harry feels like a good neighbor. He’s had such humble beginnings that to call him “Truman” seems cold. He’s Harry and his spirit is everywhere in town.

Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

500 W. U.S. Highway 24

Independence, MO

800-833-1225

www.trumanlibrary.org

September 26 & 27, 2009

Dedicated to Peace: The World Headquarters of the Community of Christ

2009-08-22T13:15:00.014-07:00

I prayed for peace in Tanzania. I prayed for successful peacemaking efforts around the world. I heard the organ pipes play and voices rise in song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” I was seated in a sanctuary where each day a different country is selected for reflection in the Daily Prayer for Peace. On this day, two pre-teen girls, accompanied by their mom, led the service in observation of the United Nations Youth Day. They read scripture, offered a prayer, sang the hymn, and became quiet to allow silent meditation. This brief experience happened in the emblem of peace for the world, the Temple Sanctuary of the Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri.

From the Campus RV Park in Independence where we parked the Prevost, the spire of the Temple rose high about the tree line shining in the August sun like a silver needle poking through a bright blue fabric. This architectural masterpiece is home to the World Headquarters of the Community of Christ, an international denomination with 250,000 members in more than 50 countries. Persons of all faiths are welcome to the Temple which was dedicated in 1994 to the “pursuit of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit.”

The bright light in the Temple entrance showed off a row of international flags along the hallway and many colorful tapestries hanging from a balcony terrace. This initial brightness lasts only until you enter the doors leading to the Worshiper’s Path. These lights are dim here to allow time for reflection at each stop point before reaching the Sanctuary. Symbolic artwork along the Path includes a carved-glass entrance of a grove of trees and a granite sculpture of the return of the prodigal son. A rough-hewn cross proclaims the risen Christ. Ikebana-style floral arrangements symbolize heaven, humanity and earth. And, water flows over a granite pool representing the overflowing of God’s love. The light grows brighter at each station until finally, the grandeur of the Sanctuary overcomes you.

Most impressive is the Sanctuary’s spiral ceiling which rises 195 feet. Looking at it, I felt that if were to rise up to its peak, I’d surely float to heaven. That is exactly the effect the designers wanted “to focus on the Divine.” I felt certain that our prayers for peace that afternoon went direct to heaven.

After participating in the Daily Prayer for Peace, I joined a small tour of the Temple. I walked the Worshiper’s Path again, this time with narration explaining the significance of the art. In the sanctuary my guide warned, “You can become dizzy staring up to the pinnacle.” I had already learned this lesson.

He pointed out the 102-rank, 5,685-pipe organ in the Sanctuary that has pipes ranging in size from six inches to 32 feet. He invited us to attend one of the organ recitals beginning at 3 PM daily. He called attention to the award-winning stained glass window depicting the harvest of wheat and rice. He took our small group outside to the World Plaza where we walked on a brick inlaid map of the world. We sat in Meditation Chapel which overlooks a Japanese garden. There he answered questions about the Community of Christ and its founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Our group tour ended in the Library where some folks wanted to see the Doctrines and Covenants relating to the Church.

I was the only person who wanted to see the adjacent Auditorium. My guide graciously accommodated my interest in seeing more. He led me thorough an underground passageway connecting the Temple to the Auditorium.

The Auditorium features a 5,800-seat Conference Chamber with seating in-the-round beneath an expansive domed ceiling measuring 90 feet from the floor, 214 feet wide, and 168 feet long. The 111-rank organ here is among the largest free-standing organs in the United States with 6,500 pipes ranging from ¼ inch to 32 feet. In July 1948, President Harry S. Truman made history in the Auditorium by signing Executive Order 9981 to desegregate the United States armed forces. Now, the Auditorium functions as a religious, cultural and community center for the Kansas City region.

In addition to the Auditorium and Temple tour, there was still more to experience at the Community of Christ World Headquarters. A small museum houses 17 exhibits tracing the history of the Church from its origins in the 1820’s to its world missions today.

And, then back in the lobby, the tapestries themselves are particularly important. They represent “The Thread Project” – an international exhibition by Terry Helwig. The threads in each tapestry were pulled from the fabric of people’s everyday lives: threads celebrating births and marriage, threads from 9/11 families…over 50,000 threads gathered in 70 countries and seven continents. Then, Helwig enlisted weavers and textile artists worldwide to create the tapestries from these threads. The result of this seven year project is the creation of one World Cloth – a reminder that the human race is a global family of one, united by a common thread.

The Community of Christ World Headquarters merits a slow paced visit to absorb all it encompasses – architecture, art, history, meditation and prayer. When you go there, peace will be with you.

August 12, 2009

Community of Christ World Headquarters

1001 W. Walnut Street

Independence, MO 64050

816-833-1000

www.CofChrist.org

Campus RV Park

406 S. Pleasant Road

Independence, MO

816-254-1815

Warm Welcome in Kansas City!

2009-08-02T13:11:00.002-07:00

When a long journey ends, a warm welcome from family and friends can make you feel so good! And, that is exactly how we felt arriving in Kansas City. On Friday night, our “bus nut” friend Sean opened his house to us and gave us a place to park the coach. By Saturday morning, Suzie and Matt arrived at Sean’s house with hugs and happiness knowing that we’d be in Kansas City for awhile.

Ed and I have traveled over 28,000 miles during our two year road trip that began in September 2007. Four times Sean met us on the road – first in Marshall, Missouri ; then in Albany, New York; once in Pharr, Texas and finally in Fulton, Missouri. It only seems fitting that our final mile ended at his front door.

And, when we look at the map charting our travels, there’s a thick series of lines passing behind a photo of daughter Suzie. Many of our routes no matter what the destination went through Futon and St. Louis where Suzie has lived while studying at the university. I know she and her boyfriend Matt will be happy to have Mom close by – only four hours away, no more wondering “where’s Mom?”

To celebrate our coming to Kansas City, Sean grilled burgers and mushrooms stuffed with crab. Suzie mixed the seasonings for some dippy bread. And, I made a family favorite perogies and corn-on-the-cob too. What a feast!

We celebrated the ties that bind us. We celebrated a safe, extraordinary journey through the US and Canada. We celebrated my new job.

On September 1^st, I begin a new career as the Director of Development and Marketing for a Kansas City non-profit organization. Sheffield Place empowers homeless mothers and their children to heal from their trauma and move toward self-sufficiency. When I am not out asking for money to fund this worthy program, I’ll be a tourist in my own town – Kansas City – and I will put the finishing touches on my book about our road trip.

Our journey maybe ending but more experiences will unfold. Expect the unexpected from me and more stories to entertain. This is a new beginning! Welcome to Kansas City!

July 24 - 25, 2009

Lewis & Clark vs. Ed & Patty

2009-08-02T13:08:00.007-07:00

I nudged Ed with my elbow over and over as we watched the film about the Lewis and Clark expedition. So many points rang true to our own expedition in our Prevost coach “Dolly’s Pride.”

We had stopped at the Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail & Visitor Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The Center sits on 79 acres of a wooded bluff overlooking the Missouri River, the very river navigated by Lewis and Clark over 200 years ago. We parked our 40-foot-long coach in the lot not far from the 55-foot-long, authentic replica of the keelboat used on this historic journey.

A three-story building houses the interactive exhibits and a theater. It was the film about the Corps of Discovery that reminded us most of our own Grand Tour of the US & Canada.

From 1804 to 1806, Lewis and Clark traveled under President Thomas Jefferson’s order to explore and find an inland route to the Pacific. We had no presidential directive, but our road trip ran the course of two years 2007 to 2009. They had brief and tense encounters with Indians. We encountered Indians. The encounters were brief but never tense. American Indians nowadays run the casinos. They gave us warm greetings, free places to park the RV, and eagerly shared stories about their culture. Lewis and Clark discovered that their keelboat was too large for navigation. On occasion our coach proved to be a bit too big on some winding narrow roads like the one to Winslow, Arkansas or when we encountered an old fashioned covered bridge.

Lewis and Clark traveled without maps and had to seek information and help along their journey. Our Wal-Mart Atlas served us well, but we too stopped to ask for information and help finding our way. We now have a Garmin. Lewis and Clark saw hoodoos, perhaps some of the same ones we saw out west. They saw elk, buffalo, pronghorn antelopes and prairie dogs. We did too. They complained about unpleasant insects – the mosquito. We consider them “unpleasant” as well. The expedition’s elk skin-bound journals recorded daily activities. This epic journal described culture and lifestyle. I used my Dell laptop for destination commentary, to write a blog “Did Someone Say RV Road Trip” www.glotours.blogspot.com and to comment on Facebook about our experiences.

Sometimes the Corps of Discovery rested for two days, sometimes for as long as two weeks. Ed and I also paused for days at a time, once we parked for nearly three months in Florence, Oregon so we could enjoy the Pacific coastline. And, when the expedition ended after 8,000 miles, Lewis and Clark returned to St. Louis for a hearty welcome. We are wrapping up our Grand Tour after 28,000 miles and came 200 miles shy of St. Louis. We received our hearty welcome in Kansas City, Missouri.

July 24, 2009

Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark

Interpretive Trail & Visitor Center

100 Valmont Drive

Nebraska City, Nebraska 68410

402-874-9900

www.mrb-lewisandclarkcenter.org

For RVers, I recommend staying at

Victorian Acres RV Park & Campground

6591 Hwy. 2, Nebraska City, NE 68410

402-873-6866

www.victorianacrearvpark.com

Ice Cream & Willow Creek Campground: Reasons to Visit Le Mars, Iowa

2009-08-02T13:02:00.005-07:00

I can give you two good reasons to visit Le Mars, Iowa – Blue Bunny Ice Cream and Willow Creek Campground!

Le Mars claimed the official title as “The Ice Cream Capital of the World” in October 1994. The town’s local Wells’ Dairy – the makers of Blue Bunny Ice Cream – produces over 120 million gallons of ice cream a year. That’s more ice cream produced by a single company in Le Mars than in any other city in the world!

When we arrived in Le Mars, I made a quick visit to the Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center. When I found out they weren’t giving out samples, I headed straight to the 1920’s Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor next door. I tasted a few flavors before settling on one for my cone. I chose a vanilla ice cream laced with a ribbon of caramel and some chunky, crunchy pecans. It reminded me of my Baskin- Robbins favorite Pralines n’ Cream only richer.

Did my Blue Bunny treat deserve the raves I heard preceding my visit? Yes, but I would venture to bet that these Blue Bunny loyalists have never tried what I still consider to be the best ice cream. The Creamery at Penn State University in College Station, Pennsylvania remains #1 in my ranking. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Shops are my favorite neighborhood ice cream parlors especially when they are serving Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. I am loyal to Baskin-Robbins for an occasional treat too since I scooped their ice cream for extra cash in college. On occasion, just give me a spoon and you’ll catch me eating some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream right out of the grocery store pint size container. And, when in Texas I learned that Texans love their Blue Bell Ice Cream just like the folks in Le Mars love their Blue Bunny. On a hot day, just about any ice cream will satisfy me.

Just like the ice cream, Willow Creek Campground gave me a good feeling. This Le Mars Municipal Park offered trees to shade our coach on the sunny days and a scenic place to barbecue our dinner. We could have filled several days here riding the bike trails, walking the paths, swimming in the pond, fishing, or testing our golf swing. Our two day stop flew by and we were on the road before we had time to appreciate these amenities around us. For a Municipal Park, Willow Creek exceeded my expectations. RVers passing through should consider this affordable location.

July 21 - 23, 2009

Dolly's Dolly Gets A Tune-Up

2009-08-02T12:51:00.013-07:00

Gambling & Grotto: An Odd Mix at the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa

2009-08-02T08:03:00.013-07:00

“So you are on the sinners and saints tour,” laughed Rhonda. You could draw that conclusion. While passing through Iowa, we parked the coach for two nights at the Wild Rose Casino. From the Casino, we drove our Toyota to visit the Grotto of the Redemption. Gambling and a Grotto – what an odd mix!

It happened because of a mere mention of my agate hunting adventure along Lake Superior. This conversation with a manager of the Wild Rose Casino prompted her to recommend a nearby attraction. “If you enjoy agates or stones in general, you must visit the Grotto of the Redemption.” We had seen the roadside sign along Highway 18 earlier and passed it. Now on this hot summer afternoon, I reconsidered. The temperature in the coach was rising and my casino budget was dwindling. The time seemed right for an outing. My expectations of this attraction were low. Little did I know that visiting the Grotto would leave me feeling like I hit the “jackpot”!

Often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and a “Miracle in Stone, the Grotto of the Redemption spans a full city block in West Bend, Iowa. It is the largest religiously inspired grotto in the world. The Grotto is actually a composite of nine separate Grottos; each portrays a scene spanning the life of Jesus from His birth to His resurrection. The highest point of the Grotto rises forty feet. This mountain commemorates the 13^th Station of the Cross – Jesus is taken down from the cross. His limp body lays cradled in Mary’s arms in a sculpture patterned after Michelangelo’s famous Pieta. This is just one of the many Italian Mosaic and Carrara marble statues that adorn sacred place.

More than its size, more than its lifelike statues of the Holy Family and other Biblical figures like Adam & Eve, Moses, and heavenly angels, the minerals and stones used to construct the Grotto make it a geological wonder. One man – Father Paul Dobberstein (1872 – 1954) started construction of the Grotto in 1912 to fulfill a promise he made to God. For 42 years, Father Dobberstein labored setting the rocks and gems into concrete.

According to Rhonda Miller, Director of the Grotto, Father used materials considered to be “junk” at a time. Farmers and landowners were happy to have Father haul the stuff away. That “junk” represents a vast collection of minerals and stones – petrified wood, stalactite and stalagmite, malachite, jasper, quartz crystals, sea shells, and other gems invaluable today. An entry on Wikepedia sets the value of the Grotto gems at $4.3 million. In reaction to that number, Rhonda commented, “Bill Gates couldn’t build it. We can’t rebuild it. The materials aren’t available. The Grotto is priceless.”

The Grotto is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its geological value is world renown for rock hounds and artists. Architects study its construction. The non-religious visitors find it a “peaceful place.” The Faithful visitors move closer to Christ after they experience the Grotto. Rhonda Miller says she annual visitation to range between 25,000 – 30,000 people. Guided tours are available May through October, and anytime by appointment. I caught part of a tour but spent most of my time looking at the dazzling minerals and stones, each one unique, each one crafted by the hand of God.

In this sinners and saints tour, I took a gamble visiting the Grotto. It paid off big time!

July 19, 2009

Grotto of the Redemption

300 N. Broadway

West Bend, Iowa 50597

800-868-3641

www.westbendgrotto.com

RVers should note that the Grotto has a

campground with 80 sites available for RVs.

Electrical hookups are at each site.

There is an RV dump station available too.

Christmas Grotto in West Bend, Iowa

2009-08-02T07:58:00.006-07:00

When experiencing the Grotto of the Redemption, one could easily overlook the adjacent church. Inside Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church are two things you must see during a visit.

The Christmas Chapel is constructed of ornamental rocks and gems. It contains a Brazilian amethyst that weighs over 300 pounds. This nativity scene is considered to be one of Father Paul Dobberstein’s finest works. He completed the Christmas Chapel in 1927 using materials he considered too delicate to withstand conditions that would affect them if placed in the outdoor grottos.

A wooden altar stands 22-feet high in the sanctuary. Hand-carved out of bird’s-eye maple, this altar won first place at Chicago’s World Fair in 1893.

After admiring the Christmas Chapel and altar, you can light a candle and spend some time in quiet mediation inside this peaceful church.

July 19, 2009

Grotto of the Redemption

300 N. Broadway

West Bend, Iowa 50597

800-868-3641