Louis and Aiden Ardine, brothers, say the restaurant business has been a blessing. The pandemic struck, devastating the livelihoods and especially the small businesses that provide food services, restaurants, and bars to the people of the tribe. So the Ardine brothers wanted to help them. In May 2021 they set out to walk the 3,200-mile route across America in an effort to increase awareness and raise funds.
Art & Design alum Louis Ardine and his brother, RU alum Aidan, are set to trek across the U.S. to raise money for a nonprofit for restaurant workers. “We feel [they’ve]Aidan states that many people were left behind in this pandemic. Keep reading @ardinesxamerica
on IG https://t.co/N9OdXGHoTM pic.twitter.com/HOJs2IkE9X— Mason Gross (@MasonGross) April 28, 2021
New Jerseyans started at Asbury Park, NJ in May and finished their walk in San Francisco on Oct. 9, walking all the way to San Francisco. Their goal was achieved in just five months. That’s a huge accomplishment.
They told CBS 2 in NY that they had just started their journey.
“To support the service industry, which has so long supported us,” Louis said.
“Trying to hit big cities with a culinary scene. We’re going to interview restaurant workers and small business owners across the country, to share their stories with the rest of America so they can a bit of insight into what this year has been like for us,” Aiden added.
Brothers @ardinesxamerica documented their trip via Instagram. They posted pictures of the American landscape, including the Nebraska wheat field, Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah and Colorado Rocky Mountains.
They also had moments when they shared a bond. Aiden shared his thoughts about his brother in an August 21 posting, as they crossed over the Continental Divide.
“To commemorate this special day, I would like to share some photos I took of Louis from today (and one from last night). Louis, as many people know, is much stronger than me and has many more capabilities. He’s also the fastest walker I personally know (and I am a pretty effing fast walker). I plan out the routes every day, but he’s the one leading the way as we walk through cities and cornfields, through forests and valleys, and today, climb some real badass mountains. He’s the best. And I love him.”
It is truly precious and touching.
Their goal was to raise $30,000 for the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, and other charities that were helping restaurant workers. The exposure and a partnership with Verizon allowed the brothers to raise $70,000.
Anderson Cooper Full Circle featured the Brothers discussing their story.
On October 9, 2021, their Instagram post featured beautiful photos of the Atlantic Coast and then the Pacific Coast with the following message:
First picture taken as dawn broke in Asbury Park (NJ) on May 1. This second picture was only hours later, on October 9th in San Francisco, CA.
162 days. 4 times zones. 11 states. Numerous cities. It was a great adventure and we made many friends along the journey.
Your support was crucial. With @rwcfusa & @thecocofund, we raised thousands of dollars to support restaurant workers.
Bravo, you guys! Nice work.
THANK YOU.
We love you all, truly.
Right now I feel very fulfilled.
“This would not have been possible without the help of a huge community of people, whether people were donating or helping us navigate our way across the United States.
“This was definitely an adventure founded in a very hopeful notion about America, and it confirmed our suspicion that people are inherently good and want to help their neighbors.”
The entire Instagram account is full of the goodwill and neighborliness displayed by American average citizens. It can bring a smile to your face. Feeling depressed? Stop watching the news and check out the Ardine Brothers’ Instagram page.
It was their interactions with strangers that made the most impact. In the searing Nebraska heat, a driver who’d passed them doubled back and handed out cold Gatorades. In Iowa, a couple invited them for dinner and served them steak and homemade macaroni and cheese.
In Nevada, a woman running a campground let them stay free of charge and told them about her niece, who had attempted a cross-country bicycle ride to raise awareness for breast cancer — but tragically was killed along the way when she was struck by a car.
“It reminded me of the gravity of what we were doing,” Louis Ardine said. “And how meaningful this was not only to us, but to other people.”
Aiden is planning to write about his experience.
“Amazing journey,” Louis said. “I’ve always looked for the best in people. We found it.”
They wanted to be good and chose to leave their bubble. We can learn from the Ardine Brothers that when we step out of our bubbles and let go about ourselves and start looking for beauty, goodness, adventure and joy, then we’ll find all these things and more. Maybe this kind of adventure is the right prescription for Americans, particularly the young.
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