November 22, 2007

Editorial

Grateful to live here

This Thanksgiving I’m especially grateful for the energy in this small town. I see people working together in so many ways to make our town even better.

The hard work and creative ideas of local business people and the Chamber of Commerce have paid off in the busy sidewalks and many shoppers we see every weekend. These out-of-towners are good for the local economy, of course, and perhaps they’re even good for the rest of us too, since they remind us that we have something special here in Yellow Springs.

On a Saturday not long ago I walked down Xenia Avenue delighted by the small works of art placed in odd places during Art Stroll the night before. It was another quirky and delightful idea from the Arts Council folks, who seem blessed with an endless supply. And of course, the work of the arts center committee this past year promises to more strongly enhance our town’s arts identity. All of these efforts make our town even more lively and distinctive, and we’re lucky to have them.

Lots of villagers have aimed their energies toward critical local issues this year, including affordable housing, the possibility of annexation and, especially, energy use. The folks who comprise the Electric System Task Force got up at dawn every other week to meet, as well as spending countless hours studying and researching complex questions. It’s exciting to live in a place in which people care so much about both local and global issues.

And, of course, those who threw their hearts and minds into keeping Antioch College open deserve all of our thanks. While many questions remain unanswered about the future of the college, it’s clear that we wouldn’t have come this far without all the energy that alumni, faculty, staff, students and villagers have given towards saving the college.

Each day I feel lucky to live in Yellow Springs, but these days I’m especially grateful. Thanks for all of your energy, and for your caring.

—Diane Chiddister