Credit PaulaFOD

Article by PaulaFOD

I have a hometown connection to Andy Andrews, the author of the quote, “Everything you do matters.”  His grandmother was in charge of the cafeteria at my high school, and I went to school with his younger sister.  I’ve met Andy, and I love his books, full of motivation and encouragement.  I knew about Andy before I heard about a young man named David Archuleta.  As I have learned more about David and his fans, I know more than ever that what we do, each of us, really does matter.

I have a story, a true story, about a young man and the people who are his fans.  I would love to start at the beginning, but I cannot.  Everyone that plays a part in this story has a tale of their own and how they came to be part of this adventure.  I cannot explain it.  I believe that the Lord orchestrated this little story….this Journey.  I don’t believe that any of it was coincidence.  I do know that a young man named David, small in stature, but big in heart and voice, decided to take his gift of music and share it in a way that could benefit other people.  He set off a ripple effect in a big ocean. That ripple effect touched other people, and they, in turn, set off a ripple of their own.  We are all Davids in our own right.  We all feel small.  We all have a voice.  We all matter.

My part in this particular story, a journey to India, began at my home in Alabama, in my upstairs room, with a piece of paper and a pencil.  Although I have been involved in some form of painting or crafting for most of my life, drawing in pencil, specifically portraits, is new to me.  Drawing has taught me to really look at someone’s face, for the light and shadow, for the shapes and tones that come together to form the likeness of a person.  After finishing several portraits that were commissioned, I had time to choose someone at random… anyone…. to draw.  I chose David.  A fellow Archie, @jenleighbarry, had shared her pictures of David’s concert in Rexburg with fans, and I had set aside one of those pictures for a potential drawing.  It is important to have a clear reference photo for a drawing, and @jenleighbarry’s willingness to share her photos provided the first step.

As I was working on the drawing, I saw @StephaineBALTO’s name mentioned during a conversation on twitter.  I recognized the name, knowing that she and her daughter, @danielle_BALTO, had done so much to support Rising Star Outreach and David, and I decided to follow her.  She sent a message to ask me about purchasing a David bumper sticker to benefit RSO.  As it turns out, I had already purchased a bumper sticker.  Also, as it turns out, I had just been introduced to the person who would have the knowledge and the willingness that would soon send my drawing farther than my home in Alabama.

After speaking with Steph, an idea occurred to me….maybe the drawing could be used as an auction item for Rising Star Outreach.  I contacted Steph and she agreed to approach Wendy and Cheryl at Angels for a Cause and Amelia at RSO for their opinions.  Angels for a Cause works diligently to support David’s charity work and RSO works in the trenches to see that funds raised meet the needs of the leprosy colony in India.  What all of these ladies do is amazing.  We agreed that the idea to auction the drawing had potential, but we also agreed that it needed David’s signature.   We emailed each other, getting everyone’s approval and the formalities settled: AFAC and RSO gave their blessing.  Everything was settled within a few days time.  It was now Sept. 1.

I had tickets to the taping of the “Orla’s Celtic Christmas” in Nashville on Sept. 2, tickets that were ordered weeks before I’d even started the drawing.  This was my opportunity to have David sign it for the auction.  However, there was no M&G planned for the taping.  Could I somehow get David’s attention, or at least rally support to increase my chances?  I stated my mission on twitter:

Click here

and beginning the night of Sept. 1st, tweeted pictures of the drawing with friends around town who graciously agreed to participate in my “mission”.  Pictures like: this and this and this.

I received a few confused looks when asking people to pose with “David”,  but everyone was willing to laugh at themselves (and me) to help with a good cause.  Friendship is such a precious thing!  I tried my best to get David’s attention with the pictures…unsuccessfully…but fans jumped in and offered their support!  There were tweets and retweets and good wishes and fun.  What a joy to see Archies support RSO!  The support from Archies encouraged me.  Maybe, just maybe, somehow, the drawing could get that special signature it needed.

Joining me and my husband at Tennessee Performing Arts Center for the taping was my daughter, son-in-law, his parents, and three new friends that I met through twitter.  (Thank you @VickyNashville for feeding us before the taping; we were sooo hungry!) I was so excited to be there, but there was no indication that there would be any chance to get David’s signature.  The taping would actually consist of two complete run-throughs of the show, with a quick intermission between the two tapings.  Intermission was the time for those who could not stay for the second taping to make their exit and the time for those who wanted to stay for the second taping to step outside and stretch.  I knew the chances were small that David would come into the theater, but I walked toward the stage and watched, hoping he would make an appearance to greet those of us waiting.  He did!  He walked out, smiling, and I am quite sure that everyone heard me gasp.  I held up the drawing, it caught his attention, and he stepped toward me.  What I thought was a “mission impossible” turned out to be possible after all.  I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time!  I was joyous and grateful, and humbled to be part of this experience.  I tweeted from the theater:  “And sometimes miracles happen…he signed it!”  and my twitterworld rejoiced with me.  If you’ve ever received encouragement from friends and people you’ve never even met, then you know how I felt.  It was a blessing to me.

David signs my drawing

Before mailing the drawing to Angels for a Cause for the auction, I made a small scrapbook about the journey “From Alabama to India, the Story of a Piece of Paper, a Pencil, and a Sharpie”, and included it for the auction.  I scanned in a rough copy, as a keepsake.  And, I printed out a copy to take to Memphis. For our anniversary, my husband and I decided to go to Memphis as an anniversary trip, the same weekend as David’s performance at the Delta State Fair.  I had no way of knowing if I could give him a copy of the scrapbook, but I took one just in case.  An hour away from Memphis, while my husband was driving, I checked twitter.  A friend in Honduras retweeted a radio station tweet to come by a certain location for a chance to meet David Archuleta.  Seriously?  The contents of the car went flying, seatbelts were thrown off, scurrying to get to our laptop and Google the location.  We may even have driven a little faster than we should have.  But, we made it to the location in time to enter the drawing…time to spare…and time to meet more David fans that were so wonderful!  Then came time for the drawing.  I won. Really?  Yep, I won, which meant that I could give David his copy of the scrapbook.

Showing David the scrapbook

In Memphis, I met Angelica, which is how this article came to find its way to The Voice website.

The auction will end October 6th, and on that date, the person who purchases the drawing will allow the drawing to complete it’s journey from Alabama to India.  The generosity of that person will make it’s way to the other side of the world.  And the story continues, though we may never know the next chapter. 

I am not a famous artist; my work will never raise huge amounts of money for worthy causes.  I am just me, @PaulaFOD, and I’ve met some amazing people.  I’ve watched as we’ve stood up to cancer, supported Make-a-Wish and Children’s Miracle Network, and fought MS.  We’ve rippled the waters a bit.

We may feel small, but we have a voice, and everything we do, matters.

Admin note:  Click on scrapbook above to go to auction which ends Oct. 6th.