A sense of community

Ken Boshcoff
M.P. T. Bay-RR

The world is run by those who show up! This can take many meanings and my intent is to encourage active involvement in the life of your community.
Please do a mental list of groups, clubs, and organizations that exist - looking to include your legions, social, ethnic, games, crafts, religious, charitable, self-improvement, health, fitness, training and specialties of all types. There are activities for people of all ages and abilities. Are you maxing out your time by joining those of like-minds?
Not only do these offer great potential for individual gratification as a collective but their total contributions to building communities is nothing short of phenomenal. The reason all of the generosity, financial and personal time has never been documented is because it is off the scale. We are very, very generous. Name any group and then compute how much they have willingly given to your community. The hours and the dollars are just amazing!
Hospitals, parks, libraries, museums, arenas-all have been touched by people who cared more about their community than themselves. Where would we be without them? They answered the call willingly and unselfishly.
So many civic projects have come from groups that only wanted to make things better. This drives the joy that is the heartbeat of what makes us proud to be from Northwest. First the ideas, then the plans, then the fundraising, then the realizing of dreams. We have done it many times in the past and can do it if we set our minds to it again.
We talk proudly of the residents who have gone on to achieve fame in the worlds of sports, arts, business, entertainment, education or even politics. That is the pride of accomplishment that should guide our comments about our community. The Northwest has much of which to be proud.
And here’s the crunch – when you are finished talking with a stranger when you are away or a visitor when you are here – would they want to move here? If you can honestly answer yes - you are a true hometown champ. If not then you must take stock of the good things and admit that you could do more to be part of the solution.
All life is difficult but we in Canada and the Northwest can really count our blessings – we have much to be grateful for. I ask again, if a tourist arrived would you be a willing guide and show off the innumerable places of beauty and interest? If you can convey your pride in your hometown to someone you have never met then you will be a great ambassador.
You have to be bursting with pride to help direct your leaders to make them work harder to share your vision of a strong and prosperous North West. They will understand your message.