Meet Jessica Washburn, a former Franklin High School graduate as well as MTSU graduate. Her family has called Franklin home since 1999 when her father Jim Washburn became the defensive lineman coach for the Tennessee Titans. And even though he is the Detroit Lions defensive coach now, they have a home here in Franklin.
While most like to plan summer vacations to the beach or to visit family, Washburn has something else in mind this summer. After her mother told her a story about a homeless man who had only one book to read.
“I just wanted to do something for others this summer. I am a huge fan of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program so that was also a part of my inspiration,” Washburn said.
So Washburn set out with a perfect route to cover all 50 states in 28 days delivering 3200 books to homeless shelters across the country. When we asked about her trip she said, “I was able to see both oceans, desert, prairie, it was really quite amazing, and I traveled all by myself. In choosing to travel by myself, it gave me time to think and take in the trip.”
Washburn was able to make the trip due to the support of her family. She told us, “I am the adventurous one in the family so when I told them my plan, they said ‘okay, how can we help?” Washburn said the support was humbling as she received donations of books from old friends that she hadn’t spoken to since she was 15. Even some of her father’s former players heard about her trip and donated books or money to purchase books. “Friends even offered to let me stay at their home while I was traveling,” she added.
Over the course of 28 days, Washburn was able to deliver 50 books in every state but her last donation was just a bit bigger than that. She purposely saved her hometown for last, stating,”this area has such a special place in my heart, I wanted my trip to end here.” On Friday, her last donation of 300 books was given to the Nashville Rescue Mission.
We asked if she will miss delivering books. “It hasn’t hit me that this is it! I think I will miss the time alone in my car while traveling. I will miss seeing the books that were donated stacked in the garage.” Is Washburn planning another summer of delivering books? “I’d like to do it again but this time take my niece with me or maybe even take it globally next time. I have to say this has been one of the most rewarding things for me in my life in so many ways, having to ask for help with donations, and travel. It was a huge life lesson. ”
When Jessica Washburn is not delivering book across the country, she works at a Wilderness Therapy Camp in North Georgia as a field instructor where children come to live in the wilderness for seven days. These children have often been given up on by parents or society but Washburn said, “reading is my passion, I always bring books out to the wilderness. When these kids see me get excited about a book, they get excited. I guess you could say they inspired me as well.”
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