Ridgeway, Fairfield welcomed Monks and Aloka

RIDGEWAY – A group of Buddhist Monks and their Peace Dog Aloka wrapped up their Columbia appearance and prepared to head north up Highway 21 through Blythewood and then to Ridgeway, where they would overnight before trekking on to Great Falls, following Hwy 21 out of the state to Charlotte.

“We only had about 36 hours to get ready for their visit,” Fairfield County Administrator Vic Carpenter said during Monday night’s County Council meeting.

Getting ready for the Monks, Aloka, and the crowds they would bring to the tiny town of Ridgeway seemed an insurmountable task. But, according to Carpenter, Ridgeway and the county rose to the occasion.

“Our Sheriff’s Office did an amazing job last night,” Carpenter said. “Our Parks and Rec team made this happen with very short notice. Two days before they came, we didn’t know they’d even come into our county. Our building maintenance team was out there helping. Our EMS folks were there. Our fire guys. It was a full effort. We had probably 3,000 people in the building and outside.”

When the Monks came into sight in the distance, the excitement at the Rec Center swelled. As the Walk for Peace turned in to the Rec Center parking lot at about 6:30 p.m., and on into the Rec Center, the Monks gave and received flowers and smiles along the way. Inside, the people sat on the gym floor listening to a peace sermon from the Monks’ leader, Bhikkhu Pannakara, and interacted with Aloka as he sometimes roamed the floor.

The next morning, the Monks rose early and set off through downtown Ridgeway, quietly past the shops and the Tin Man water tower, and on to Great Falls.

For the little town of Ridgeway, the Monks’ visit was a day to remember. And there are plenty of photos left behind to keep the memories flickering for a long time.