Small town life
As Canada Day ends, I want to take some time to thank all the people on the Canada Day Committee for organizing such a great series of events to celebrate the wonderful country we live in. I also want to thank the people in our community who work tirelessly on countless events to make our community so awesome to be a part of. I know how much work it is to make events happen, and appreciate so much all the unpaid hours that go into all the fun activities we have available to us.
Growing up, I couldn’t wait to hit the road and get out of my small, suffocating town. I hated that everyone knew me and every move I made (and made sure my parents knew also). I did have a stint living in the city, which I somewhat enjoyed. I enjoyed proximity to different services, such as gyms, malls and a variety of restaurants, theatres etc.
When we took the leap and moved back home I was nervous, scared, anxious and excited. I was looking for the small town feel that I missed, looking to say hi to my neighbours in the grocery store and on the street, looking to get to know the people in our community, looking to be part of the community.
All of a sudden I wanted our kids to grow up in the small town world where everyone knew them and every move they made (which I guess means, I would know every move also) and I cared less about variety. I wanted the familiar feel of a waitress who knew us and a store owner who appreciated our presence.
Once we settled here, I started to feel these sought after warm feelings. I’m so happy we made the leap to come back home.
I swore that if I moved to this town I would be a part of the community and made sure we all felt like we belonged. I have since joined Parents’ Voice and have helped organize and create events and activities for kids. I have also realized how much work it takes to do anything and everything.
It takes committed people to make anything happen and a lot of willingness. Willingness to make changes, willingness to be persistent and willingness to work together.
We have so many committed volunteers making things happen in our town, and it’s amazing being a part of the small picture that really makes up so much of the extracurricular activities people in the city take for granted. We work hard to bring activities here but this also makes them so much more special, exciting and appreciated.
I know that most organizations and committees are filled with longtime regular volunteers who have committed countless hours and most are happy and willing to welcome new comers. Most committees meet monthly or even only a few times a year.
If you have a bit of time to offer, please consider joining a committee that interests you, it’s really quite rewarding.
