"Build It and They Will Come"

I've been following up with several people on last week's Reunion and Golf Tourney festivities.  A lot of the discussion was about our burgeoning numbers. Founder and Keeper of the Beer Clark Haley put it well when he paraphrased Field of Dreams with the title quote of this post.

Clark is responsible for building this event from the ground up, and keeping it alive through the turbulent beginning years.  Many others have chipped in since and we're now reaching a healthy number with which to keep it alive in the coming (more turbulent?) years.

Remember, the original idea in Field of Dreams was that "Build it and he will come" meant Shoeless Joe Jackson would come.  It turns out that Ray was wrong about that.  "He" turns out to be his father, with whom he had just a fleeting relationship.  Shoeless Joe just happens to be a conduit to a bigger Dream.

Our Reunion is very similar to the movie Field of Dreams and its progenitor short book Shoeless Joe. Once it was built, people began to come, expecting to reunite with friends and already known teammates.  The funny thing is, we got to meet unexpected new friends, people with intelligence, passions and talents we never dreamed of.  Come to see a few good friends and end up meeting 3 members from the 1950's Championship XC teams, a retired trackster from the 60's and a current team member who can't wait to join the festivities in the future. The dreams continue...