February, 2011
"Heroes"
In November of 2010, we introduced you to Jen Ballentine and her husband Ken, who made a cross-country trek on recumbent trikes to raise awareness for Organ Donation. At the age of 11, Jen's daughter Alex, had lost her life in an accident. Six months before that accident, Alex had expressed her desire that if anything happened to her, she would like her organs to be donated--a decision that makes Jen so proud of Alex and helped to “turn my grief into something else, something that can help others, so it didn‘t just save her recipients, it saved me too!”
On April 1, 2010, Jen, a Gulf War Veteran and former telecom engineer, and Ken, left Sanford, North Carolina, and dipped their trike tires in the Atlantic in Yorktown, Virginia. They then hopped on the beginning of the Trans American Trail, and headed for Florence, Oregon, a 4500 mile long adventure that took nearly 6 months. The plan was to meet with Dillon, 
the little boy who had received Alex's heart, but this cross country journey turned out to be more than just a way to raise awareness for Organ Donation, it also became a healing process for Jen during which she and Ken learned of so many heroes and people doing great things... "so many people who will probably never be recognized for how hard they work everyday to follow their passions..."
Before beginning their trip, Jen and Ken knew it would be necessary to pack light and bring only the essentials, plus, they wanted to be deliberate about where they spent their hard-earned dollars. They had made a conscious decision to support family business's and people who are passionate about what they do--and this is where J.R.LIGGETT’S Shampoo bar entered the picture . They had picked up an Herbal Shampoo Bar at a nearby health food store, and after reading about how this bar had no strange chemical concoctions, not tested on animals nor containing animal products, no harmful detergents, bio-degradable, and great for traveling, Jen was convinced that this bar would meet all their needs. Jen had always used a conditioner on her fine hair which had a tendency to be dry and brittle, but what she discovered with the Herbal Shampoo Bar, was that her hair had never looked better--minus the conditioner!
This was the beginning of a great adventure and an on-going appreciation of J.R.LIGGETT’S Shampoo. Along the cross country camping trip, Jen shared with others about her love and admiration of the shampoo, giving out so many samples, she ran out of her own supply! “I just wanted everyone to know how great it was and there’s only one way to do that, and that is to let them try it.” Jen says she doesn’t ever want to use anything but J.R.LIGGETT’S again... “I love how easy a shower is when you use the shampoo bar! One product, not three! Nice!”
Currently residing in South Fork, Colorado, Jen, an athlete and avid skier, and her husband, also a skier, are innkeepers at a lodge that rents out cabins. “We are the closest town to Wolf Creek Ski Area so we get lots of skiers and snowboarders as our guests in the winter. There are three busy seasons here since there are so many outdoor activities to enjoy. If you look on a map at where South Fork is, you will see that we are surrounded by huge National Forests and mountain ranges. Our home (a real log cabin) sits at 8200 feet and is right near the Rio Grande River.”
Jen states that, “living in an area of Colorado where below zero temperatures are not uncommon, it gets really dry here. Soap that doesn’t dry out my skin is imperative which makes J.R.LIGGETT’S the winner again.” “There’s nothing about it (J.R.LIGGETT’S Shampoo Bar) I don’t like, even the empty-looking shower. Nice and neat and minimalist looking...I like simplicity and cannot stand clutter, so for me, that part is another positive.”
A great day for Jen and Ken (“I have the best husband EVER and Ken and I do everything together...“) is a day spent skiing the slopes of Wolf Creek Ski Area. They are now at the ‘Intermediate’ level of expertise which allows one the privilege of riding the ‘Treasure Lift’ to what appears as being pretty near the top of the world--- Jen refers to it as, “the steeper stuff”, and if the air doesn’t take your breath away, the views definitely will! Having survived the wild experience of skiing during a blizzard, they can now be officially considered, ‘Powder Hounds’.
But don’t think for a minute that when winter has passed, Jen Ballentine will be sitting around twiddling her thumbs...not this active lady. She has big plans in the works and plenty of interests and ideas... when she hangs up her skis for the season, you’ll probably find her with a fishing pole in her hand learning the finer points of fly-fishing--or at least taking photos of Ken in the midst of that graceful art. She also nurtures her creative side with her small jewelry business ‘Jen Tiles’, making necklaces out of recycled Scrabble tiles with part of the profit going towards Organ Donation awareness. She has begun writing a book on her and Ken’s recent trek from coast to coast--which, by the way, they may continue this summer by heading down the Pacific Coast--that is if they can pull themselves away from their little piece of heaven where they now live. And not surprising for someone who’s parents are folk musicians, Jen is presently learning how to play the banjo... “it’s hard not be happy when you hear it go “boingy-boing-boing-boing!” ... she’s possesses a great sense of humor too!
Jen’s trip across the United States was life-changing; “I learned the world is full of great people doing great things. There are heroes everywhere! People who are able to pay attention to the beauty that surrounds us and knowing how love fills up our days if we allow it to... meeting people who are willing to open up and share about who they are, what they’ve been through, and what they are becoming is powerful stuff. I never felt less alone and more safe than in the homes of the people we met and shared with along the way, and I will never ever forget them. I am eternally grateful. The scenery was incredible, the slow pace was so peaceful, but the people we met were the true meat of the ride...so many heroes out there.”
Jen can count herself as one of those heroines.... a brave, resilient, inspiring woman who not only encouraged and accepted goodwill from all whom she met, and became even closer and more deeply in love with her husband; she also discovered a special, and peaceful healing place for her heart--a heart open to all that is good and lovely and true.
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