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Never too Late: Volunteers Immortalized in The Extra Mile
By John Johansen
Four new medallions added to the Extra Mile Pathway.
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On April 16, 2007, in a ceremony at the Hotel Washington, four U.S. citizens were immortalized as the newest honorees of The Extra Mile national monument. Much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Extra Mile, located in the nation’s capital, utilizes a sidewalk-level tribute to recognize its honorees. It is dedicated to the spirit of service in America.
Despite the similarity in design, the two monuments couldn’t be more different. The Walk of Fame recognizes people from the entertainment world whose professional and personal lives are known to us almost as well as our own. On the other hand, The Extra Mile recognizes the leaders of important volunteer movements through the course of our country’s history. Rarely do they achieve the celebrity that their achievements would suggest they are due.
The popularity of one group and the obscurity of the other are ironic and frame an interesting question. Does our culture not place greater value on those who set their self-interest aside and help others by pioneering social change than on those who use self-interest to pioneer personal fame and fortune?
The chart below provides the obvious answer to that question. After all, it would be very difficult to argue that Donald Trump isn’t easily “trumped” in a pop culture contest by the achievements of Ida Wells Barnett, who jeopardized her own life to save the lives of thousands. More than anyone, Barnett is credited with ending the lynching practice in this country. Sadly however, it would probably be more difficult to find someone who hasn’t heard of Donald Trump than it would be to find someone who has heard of Ida Wells Barnett.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Most Recent Honorees |
Extra Mile
Most Recent Honorees |
Halle Berry — Academy Award winning actress
Wink Martindale — game show host
Donald Trump — TV producer / star of The Apprentice
Vanessa Williams — multi-faceted performer |
Jane Addams — Nobel Peace Prize winner
Susan B. Anthony — won for women the right to vote
Ida Wells Barnett — ended the lynching practice
Dorothea Dix — improved mental hospital conditions |
Our culture needs to rethink what we value on many levels. So, the next time we pick up People Magazine, watch Entertainment Tonight or visit the Walk of Fame, let’s also think about those who selflessly devote themselves to helping others. It may be a long time before our star-struck infatuation with celebrity abates, but in the meantime, we can go the extra mile to change that dynamic by savoring the recognition of these four new Extra Mile honorees.
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