An Evening with Pippi Longstocking: Community Coming Together for Del Rio
Sometimes the best moments happen when a whole bunch of people decide to show up for each other.
On August 6, we gathered at Valley View Venue for An Evening with Pippi Longstocking, a community benefit created to support our neighbors in Del Rio after the devastating flash flooding that impacted our community.
And what started as an idea became something pretty special.
Families came out. Kids played games. There were bunnies to love on, popcorn to eat, music, laughter, a silent auction, and plenty of moments that reminded us why gathering together matters so much. And, of course, we had Pippi.
A Little Pippi Magic
We were incredibly grateful to welcome Tami Erin, who played Pippi in The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, to spend the evening with our community. Tami donated her time to be there, meeting families, taking photos, signing autographs and sharing a little bit of that Pippi magic with all of us.
There is something pretty perfect about bringing Pippi into a day like this. She represents imagination, courage, independence, play and the idea that sometimes the world can be looked at a little differently. Those are things we believe in pretty strongly around here.
But This Was Really About Del Rio
Behind all the fun was a reason we came together. Our little mountain community of Del Rio, Tennessee was hit hard by flash flooding. When something happens to a small community, you quickly realize how connected everyone really is. Neighbors help neighbors. Businesses step in. People donate what they have. Someone brings food. Someone offers their hands. Someone knows somebody who can solve the next problem. That is community.
This benefit was one small way we could bring people together, raise support and remind our neighbors that they aren't standing alone. And while we may have helped organize the evening, so many people helped make it happen.
It Takes a Community to Create a Community Event
We want to give a huge thank you to the people, volunteers, businesses and friends who gave their time, talents and resources to make the evening possible. The Webb family of Simply Play Music, Chad, Jen, McKenna, Brailynn and Jax, jumped in to help with sound and our bunny area. Our friend and business partner Fred Lodsin kept everyone very happy with popcorn, ice cream and even root beer floats. And we are incredibly thankful to Tami Erin for donating her time and coming to Tennessee to spend the evening with us.
There were people helping behind the scenes, people donating, people sharing the event, businesses contributing, families buying tickets and community members simply showing up.
Every piece mattered.
This Is Part of What We're Building
Solara isn't meant to exist separately from the community around it. We want to create experiences that bring people together. Sometimes that may happen on the land around a table or a fire. Sometimes it may be a retreat. Sometimes it may mean partnering with another local venue, business or organization and taking the experience somewhere else entirely.
And sometimes it looks like kids carrying eggs on spoons while Pippi Longstocking cheers them on. Honestly, we think healing can look like that too. It can look like laughter. It can look like play. It can look like meeting someone you didn't know before and leaving knowing their name. It can look like realizing that when something difficult happens, there are still people willing to show up. That's the kind of community we want to help grow.
Thank You for Showing Up
To everyone who attended, volunteered, donated, sponsored, shared, helped, laughed, played or simply believed in what we were trying to do, thank you. We're still building Solara. We're still learning. We're still meeting incredible people and discovering what becomes possible when we stop trying to do everything alone. This evening was another little glimpse of what we're working toward. And we're incredibly grateful we got to experience it with all of you.
Thank you to our partners: Azure Standard, and The Terry Law Firm.
Thank you to our silent auction donations: Cruze Farms, LaCarreta, The Copper Dog, Visit Knoxville, The Sunsphere, Sarvani Designs, Pippi Longstocking, The Texaco Station AirBnB,
AND THANK YOU TO VALLEY VIEW VENUE!
I can't wait to host the next event. Let me know what kind of events you would like in the community?
With love,
Melissa & Jesse
Solara Sanctuary
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