Jason Anthony brought an inspirational message to Rumford.
RUMFORD – School isn’t the first place most people think of going to begin a nice spring weekend, but most people don’t have a chance to see Jason Anthony.

Also known as “The Chalk Guy,” Anthony is an inspirational speaker from Florida who came to the River Valley on Friday at the invitation of area Wellness Centers, including those from the Region 9 school in Mexico, the Rumford Hospital and SADs 21, 43 and 44. Friday evening at Mountain Valley High School, Anthony combined his message of hope and well-being with a hectic display of artistic ability.

Anthony’s message was straightforward; it stressed the importance of interest and concern for other people.

“It’s all about relationships – that’s what really matters in life,” he said.

Anthony relayed some of the difficult times he and his family have been through, including the birth of a son with spina bifida.

“We were on food stamps at the time, and to make ends meet I had to start delivering pizzas for Domino’s,” he said. Through encouragement and hard work, Anthony said, his son is now walking with the help of crutches, something the doctors told the family would never happen.
Sunset by the sea
Near the end of his oral presentation, Anthony began to demonstrate his artistic talents. For several minutes, the audience of around 150 people watched as he used pieces of colored chalk to turn a blank, 6-foot canvas into a stunning sunset seascape.

Afterward, organizer Judy Powell presented Anthony with some Maine maple syrup and a Maine T-shirt as tokens of appreciation.

The presentation at Mountain Valley High School was Anthony’s second of the day. He’d spent the morning at Dirigo High School as part of a program set up by representatives from the Wellness Centers. Powell, a member of the Wellness Center at Mexico’s Region 9 School, was very excited that people from this area were able to hear Anthony’s message.

She saw Anthony last year during a weeklong School Site Wellness Conference held at Sugarloaf when he was one of the keynote speakers.

“On the way home we started thinking about how he could impact the youth in this area,” said Powell. “We started contacting people to see if there was interest in bringing him back here again, and everyone we talked to gave a resounding yes.'”

Powell and others worked with the Healthy Communities Coalition and local school districts to set up Anthony’s trip to the River Valley. She said Principal Dan Hart from Dirigo High School played a big role in getting Anthony to his school.

“Some of the districts decided that, with all the difficult times people have been having, maybe it wasn’t the right time for an inspirational speaker,” explained Powell. “Dan was great in having us go over to Dirigo for the juniors and seniors.”

Although Wellness Centers have typically been associated with nutrition and physical health, Deb Gorham from the Rumford Hospital said that they’re trying to take a more complete look at healthy living. By bringing Anthony here, organizers hoped to encourage multiple aspects of healthy living. “We thought if we could get thousands of people to hear this message, what kind of overall effect that would have on the community.”

Powell said that the response she had gotten from people who had seen Anthony speak was overwhelmingly positive.

“With some of the money we have left over, we are hoping to start on plans to hold a similar event in the future, maybe next year,” she said.