Creating a community this Christmas

Creating a community this Christmas

Many communities, including ours, kick off the Christmas season with a Christmas parade. Everyone brings the whole family to watch the floats, bands, elected officials, dancers, classic cars, motorcycles, and various community groups come together to celebrate the beginning of the season. And, of course, the final float is always Santa Claus.

While the parade takes a lot of work for coordinators, it gives the community a chance to come together. The parade indicates that the Holidays are officially here.

Riding in the parade this year with my two year old grandson, I was reminded of just how important the parades are to our county. It was such a pleasure to see his delight and the joy in his young eyes.

In today's world of connecting through social media and text messages, small town parades connect us in ways few events do. I enjoyed the photographs in the newspaper and on Facebook, but neither replaces the experience of the personal connection that we make by coming together.

Community is not a building or an organization. It is a place where members have a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. Communities have a collective sense that they can influence their environments and each other.

Mankind has known its importance since the beginning of time. Community was how we survived. This holiday season, I want to encourage you to think of ways to strengthen the community around you in the New Year.

No local or state government can do everything that needs to be done.

Simply put, we need your help.

There are so many ways each of us can create a better community. Start by volunteering to clean up trash in your neighborhood, plant a community garden, and help organize a painting project in your neighborhood.

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy.

When you volunteer you help decide every day about the kind of community you want to live in.

On a broader scale, show up to your town hall meetings or neighborhood associations. Information is power. When you know what the needs of your neighbors are, you'll be better equipped to meet them. As Christ said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. It has been an honor to serve our district throughout 2017. I look forward to working with you to see what progress we can make as a state and a community in the years to come.

From State Representative Deborah Ferguson