BRADY FLANIGAN
Editor
Before 10 a.m., everyone had gathered on the ground floor of the Shelbyville courthouse. In much the same tradition as the highest hills of England are oft dotted with medieval moss-stone castles, cities in the American South seem bound by instinct to perch their courthouses on the highest mound of dirt in the land. Outside, a man swept across the lawn with a zero-turn. From that high place, it looked as if he were trimming the rooftops of the town below.
Enough of the crowd was wearing bright yellow that it’d’ve looked alien to a passerby. But the crowd was there to honor something called the “daffodil initiative,” a new part of the N.O.W. Foundation’s Kindness Campaign. Women in yellow pantsuits and button-ups, and men in generic blue or black blazers, clustered in groups of three, talking amongst themselves. Occasionally one would break loose from their triumvirate and wander to another. The crowd of maybe 30 kept a steady flow of bodies moving from group to group.
The N.O.W. (No Opportunities Wasted) Foundation is a non-profit founded in 2024 by Angelia James and Tiffany Dandy, built on a mission of growing community in Bedford County by offering services like food and clothing assistance, mental health resources, and educational programs to those in need. Everyone was there for a proclamation ceremony authorized by County Mayor Chad Graham to honor the work of the N.O.W. Foundation.
The crowd arrived in pieces, and as the lower floor filled up, the chamber became increasingly loud. Sounds sprang off the marble walls, and with each new arrival the room grew louder—until it was a wide roar, as if stepping into a moth sanctuary full of fluttering wings.
When 10 a.m. arrived, a man waved his arms and shouted until the crowd quieted down. He declared the ceremony would soon begin upstairs, in the room where county commission meetings are held. The crowd migrated up the stairs and settled down in rows of wooden pews while the cameramen set up their equipment in the aisles. Angelia and the other members of the N.O.W. Foundation hung back a minute, building tension for a slightly late arrival, the way brides do. They arrived with a bouquet of daffodils.
The proclamation was supposed to be delivered by Bedford County Mayor Chad Graham, but he was caught up last minute. County Trustee Tonya Davis read in his place.
The proclamation followed the classic government script—formal, florid, and stitched together with “Whereas” clauses:
Whereas the N.O.W. Foundation has served the citizens of Bedford County… Whereas their work promotes kindness and community… Whereas the daffodil shall stand as a symbol of that kindness…
Tonya became choked up on that last “whereas.” It’s hard to say whether it was the content, the cadence, or the sheer number of preambles that did it. For a second, the ceremony cracked open, and something human spilled out.
When the proclamation was finished, Tonya invited Angelia forward to speak.
“This time I would like Angelie—”
“Angelia,” she cut in, correcting her name.
“Angelia—Dr. James—to come forward to accept the proclamation.”
“I appreciate you all coming out,” she said.
“We are just very happy with the success of the event. We want you to know that we want to express kindness. It is very important to our foundation. This initiative, we are very serious about it… thank you again.”
