Run out of a turtle lovin’ town by the Chief of Police and his wife in Astoria, Oregon!

That was the scene last Saturday April 18th at 6:30am underneath Astoria’s famous landmark, the Washington Bridge. Carla Oja and her Chief of Police husband, Alan, literally following us across the 4 ½ mile expanse between Oregon and Washington, with flashing red and blues to ensure we made it in style to run our last State.

How’d we get to do this you may be asking? While we were presenting to 500 kids, in the town were I shot a movie called “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-3," I asked “Does anyone know a police officer who can get us across the bridge?" I wasn't even thinking for a second that it would work, when Carla (a teacher at Lewis & Clark Elementary) came rushing up with the news that her husband Alan was indeed Chief of Police, and she’d already called him to line it up! And she added that I’d kissed her daughter 16 years previous and said she’d send a picture later that day. I must add that Carla’s daughter was all but 4 years old 16 years ago and is now fully grown and attending university. My how time flies!

So our visit to Lewis & Clark Elementary and St. Mary Star of the Sea was filled with more deep memories for Steph and I (and Amber) to process because of so many hospitable people in this Northern Oregon seaside town, helping us to spread our message of action for a healthier planet! Time and time again we’ve been shown that acting “local” means living and doing on a grassroots level and the through-line being that people care about each other because they’ve created community and the vision of how they want their community to be.

We were (dare I say again), welcomed in like old friends in a town that I felt a kinship with because of a filming event 16 years ago. And now, because this same community, saw something in our tour and our message that resonated with them.

Thanks Astoria, we think you’re all pretty cool and look forward the next time our paths cross again.