Let's Get Local, Tallahassee!
Animal Therapy + Mad Dogs + Work Parties + Softball = Community Building with Chuck Mitchell (25)
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Episode notes
Season 2 continues with another extraordinary Tallahassee neighbor – Chuck Mitchell. Chuck’s service to our community has impacted countless lives and will benefit generations to come.
As we explore community building on this show, I especially love Chuck’s story because there’s a prominent theme of physically building. As a founder of Mad Dog Construction, he’s impacted the way we build in this community – focusing on responsible growth and sustainability. Through his volunteer work, he’s organized and participated in countless work parties to build homes for people. He’s built playgrounds for kids. And he played a major role in the creation of the Greenway along Miccosukee road.
But you know… that’s not even why I asked him on this show. It’s his Animal Therapy work that caught my attention most recently. Chuck told me a story many years ago that has stayed with me all this time… it’s about how dogs came to be allowed in our local courtrooms to support child victims of sexual violence. This story is both heart breaking and heartwarming at the same time… but hearing about the impact the animals and volunteers make in people’s lives makes this story ultimately uplifting and inspirational.
Because we covered so much territory with Chuck, we’re giving you two episodes with him. In this first one, we cover the TMH Animal Therapy program, the beginnings of the Miccosukee Land Co-op and Mad Dog Construction, and throughout we talk about building community through shared experiences like a legendary softball team and volunteer efforts.
Then we’ll have Chuck back in the next episode to share two stories that demonstrate why local builders and residents play an important role in shaping the community where they live and work. Join us for part 2 to hear about Chuck’s role in preserving the DeSoto site where Christmas was first celebrated in America. And also learn about the development of the Miccosukee Greenway which is surprisingly relevant today as our community considers how to develop the Welaunee area.