| More than 300 people gathered at the Rocky Grove fire hall Saturday for the inaugural Zen Dads’ Christmas Bash. The event was designed as a place for families to have fun, share some cookies and hot chocolate, visit with Santa and the Grinch, dance, make crafts and, most importantly, share some holiday spirit as a community. The party was an add-on to a toy drive conceived by Andrew Shipwash, Tim Tobin and CJ Hellem, who created Zen Dads in October after Shipwash came upon a large number of Halloween costumes that he and Tobin gave away. The effort was a huge success and got them thinking about what they could do next. “I wanted to do a toy drive for Christmas and Shipwash was all in," said Tobin, whose calm temperament as a parent inspired the Zen Dad name. |   |
To get started, the trio put donation boxes in area stores and spread the word through Facebook.
They also asked around to find families in Venango County who could use a little help providing gifts for their kids.
“We thought we’d help five to 10 families,” Shipwash said. “We got over 1,500 donations and were able to help 33 families and over 70 children.”
Then they wanted to do a little more, so they decided to plan a party opened to anyone who wanted to attend.
More than 300 people took them up on that invitation.
“We had the idea, but this wasn’t just a Zen Dads’ event; this was a community event,” said Shipwash. “It’s been a beautiful thing. In just four weeks, we got 1,500 items. That was the community, not us. This community really showed up.”
They also asked around to find families in Venango County who could use a little help providing gifts for their kids.
“We thought we’d help five to 10 families,” Shipwash said. “We got over 1,500 donations and were able to help 33 families and over 70 children.”
Then they wanted to do a little more, so they decided to plan a party opened to anyone who wanted to attend.
More than 300 people took them up on that invitation.
“We had the idea, but this wasn’t just a Zen Dads’ event; this was a community event,” said Shipwash. “It’s been a beautiful thing. In just four weeks, we got 1,500 items. That was the community, not us. This community really showed up.”
The event is the latest in the recovery journey for the single dads, who have similar troubled pasts that they have inspired them to now focus on service to others.
“We’re positive people. We just push each other to do better,” said Tobin.
“Andrew helped me. We’re super close. It’s amazing where we’re at,” Hellem added.
Shipwash said his daughter was eight-months old when he found himself in jail.
“I said something has got to change. I don’t want to be this person that is locked up away from my daughter,” he said. “And then a my probation officer said something to me that really stuck - 'you know if you don’t get your life in order some other man is going to be raising your daughter.’ That broke me."
"I got out (of jail) and I have been clean ever since," Shipwash shared. "That was 12 and a half years ago. I have learned a lot of life lessons that I want to now share with people through the Zen Dads.”
“We’re positive people. We just push each other to do better,” said Tobin.
“Andrew helped me. We’re super close. It’s amazing where we’re at,” Hellem added.
Shipwash said his daughter was eight-months old when he found himself in jail.
“I said something has got to change. I don’t want to be this person that is locked up away from my daughter,” he said. “And then a my probation officer said something to me that really stuck - 'you know if you don’t get your life in order some other man is going to be raising your daughter.’ That broke me."
"I got out (of jail) and I have been clean ever since," Shipwash shared. "That was 12 and a half years ago. I have learned a lot of life lessons that I want to now share with people through the Zen Dads.”
The first year success has the group looking forward, including the task of seeking non-profit status and and maybe starting an LLC to expand their idea further. For now their focus is on Venango County, but they see the potential for greater reach.
Their main message - by supporting each other we can provide people the opportunity to rise above their struggles and know they are not alone. "You can do anything and that’s what I want to convey to people,” Shipwash said.
“We want this to blow up across the country. We want to share as much knowledge as we’ve gained and pass it on to others. We want to show families the importance of being present in their kids' (lives) and to support their friends' families, their neighbors' families and anyone else that needs help," he explained.
Their main message - by supporting each other we can provide people the opportunity to rise above their struggles and know they are not alone. "You can do anything and that’s what I want to convey to people,” Shipwash said.
“We want this to blow up across the country. We want to share as much knowledge as we’ve gained and pass it on to others. We want to show families the importance of being present in their kids' (lives) and to support their friends' families, their neighbors' families and anyone else that needs help," he explained.
The three Zen Dads emphasized they've had a lot of help so far and will need more to grow their idea. In other words, the idea of community can be contagious. Community builds community.
“If you stay positive, everybody else around you just wants to be positive and they want to pitch in and do what you’re doing. People want to have a purpose, and this gives the community purpose,” Shipwash said.
“Life’s great today and it’s only going to get better.”
“If you stay positive, everybody else around you just wants to be positive and they want to pitch in and do what you’re doing. People want to have a purpose, and this gives the community purpose,” Shipwash said.
“Life’s great today and it’s only going to get better.”
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