Day 1017 Universal Juice

 

Forty degrees and pouring rain—not exactly the kind of night that inspires going out for an event. But this one wasn't to be missed.

A few years ago, my friend Lisa was hit head-on in a car crash by a vehicle traveling the wrong way on our small, two-lane highway. Thankfully, she doesn’t remember anything from the crash. When first responders arrived on the scene, they found her barely clinging to life. The other driver had died on impact. Lisa was a mess of broken bones and endured countless surgeries and an incredibly painful, lengthy recovery. But she’s come out the other side like an absolute rockstar.

Now, Lisa has launched a nonprofit called Universal Juice, dedicated to reuniting first responders with the people they’ve helped—or their families. What an incredible mission! Imagine being reunited with the person who cared for you during your darkest, most vulnerable moments.

So, on a cold, rainy night when all I wanted to do was throw on my pajamas and crawl into bed, I mustered up the motivation to head out into the storm to support her first fundraising event. Tim was off doing his own thing, so thankfully my neighbor joined me. Once we arrived, I was surrounded by familiar faces within minutes—and I was glad I had made the effort to attend.

The event was held at Kinney Bungalow, located on the historic Sunset Farm property. Built in 1899, the bungalow is a beautiful example of turn-of-the-century architecture, and the farm is now preserved under a land trust. I posted a photo of the building—not my own, but worth sharing just to show how pretty it is. Had it been a warm, sunny evening, it would have been lovely to stroll the grounds and enjoy the farm, but at least we could gaze out the windows and take in the spectacular views from above.

In the end, the cold and rain didn’t matter. What mattered was showing up—for Lisa, for her mission, and for the community she’s building. Nights like these are reminders that even the darkest journeys can lead to something truly inspiring.