It Takes a Whole Village

I firmly believe that we must lead by example. If we want to get something done we need to do it ourselves. I get frustrated when I hear people complain, but never see them get involved to change anything.

This belief often overextends my schedule, and sometimes it drives my husband nuts, but I couldn't imagine living any other way.

I can't sit back and expect "them" to do it. I am "them" - we all are.

I was raised by two people who hold this same philosophy, so it comes as no surprise that I am bringing my own children along side me as I volunteer. I want to show them the great importance of investing in our community. I want them to continue the legacy of change and progress and my hope is that they fall in love with their home and take pride in it. I believe we need to aim our children at the targets we want them to hit and being a productive member of society is one of those targets. I also believe our children should learn how to interact with people from all walks of life and various age groups and volunteering is a great way to accomplish this.

We live in a modest sized community that is rich in character and charm. I love living here and I hope to make it a better place for my family and others who call it home. I'm an adult advisor on the Mayor's Youth Task Force and one area of need we've identified is a family friendly complex with a splash pad, skate park, walking trails, etc. Just last week we secured 20+ acres of land that we hope to develop for this purpose. Today we held one of many fundraisers and I think it was a great success with hundreds of people coming out to participate.

I had my girls by my side almost all day and I'm so proud of their hard work and diligence for the cause; they're excited for a splash pad, which makes it easier to volunteer! It would have been nice to sit at home on this beautiful June day, but I know how much this complex means for our town and, more importantly, how vital this lesson is for my children. I hope they continue giving back and making a difference for the rest of their lives.



The kids getting the prizes ready for the games (and
making sure all of them work properly...)



After all their hard work they were able to enjoy some fun!



Our little Charmer was a natural on the trampoline