Thursday, September 30, 2010

Hallmark Center 1980 - 2010

September 30th, 2010.

It seems today's date has been highlighted on our calendars for such a long time. We had hoped today would have played out differently than it is.

Our Town Center has officially closed it's doors. :`(

I have hope for our future, but I'm definitely taking today to grieve our loss. An era has come to an end.

Hang in there Hornepayne. ♥♥♥

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Remembering and Moving Forward.....

This week has been sad and exciting at the same time. I went to collect my mail before going for my last swim, and I found all the mail boxes empty. Of course I knew this was happening, but it all became real on Friday.
Our "last swim" turned out to be a perfect night. We celebrated as we remembered all the good times. Then, we said "good bye".
Last night we went to the Quiet Bar for the last Saturday at Craig's. Again, celebration in remembering.
I had my first job in that restaurant; it was called the Green Apple then. Spent my pre-teen years in there drinking pop and forming the friendships that I still treasure today. Jody and I went on our first date in the Dinning Room. Years and Years of Fritters! And over a decade of daily coffee break visits with the staff. Fun times right up until the end.
Change is hard, but it's also exciting! We will hold our memories together and we can remember them with joy. The building is going and making memories in that place is coming to an end, but we're still going to make history in Hornepayne! There are memories yet to be made. Good things are coming, they're not ending.
We're going to grieve and celebrate together; we're going to remember together; and we're going to move into our future together. ♥

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Talk is NOT Cheap. Post #8

Have you ever noticed how a wife can make or break her husband with her words? Or how a husband can lift up his wife or tear her down simply by what he says? Have you ever noticed how the friends around them will eventually believe what is being said? If a spouse speaks with honor, then their partner is honored.

Over the past few years, a group of us have met with other groups of people in several different towns. I need to tell you that the people around us honor Hornepayne! Our neighbors honor us!! Not only are we being spoken about positivly, but we have experienced Hornepayne being highlighted. At first I was amazed because I have mostly heard Hornepayne spoken about in the negative sense. The sad fact is that Hornepayne-ers speak this way more than anyone else.

Hornepayne is valued by our neighbors, and it's time we value ourselves! It's time we believe in ourselves and rise up with pride. It's time to speak to our kids about the joys of living here. What we lack in services, we make up for with community spirit. We may not have a shopping mall, but if you need something you can probably find someone who will lend you theirs. We may not have side walks, but we can stop our cars in the middle of the street to chat. We don't have traffic lights, and we don't get suck in traffic! Our Small Town does not have everything the city has; and that's exactly why we live here.

If I could only accomplish one thing, it would be to change how Hornepayne-ers view Hornepayne. Our town is Gem. The people here are a treasure. Hornepayne is not a clone of any other town, and we don't want to be either. We are not only capable, but we are equipped to truly be, Hornepayne.

C'mon, take another look! What do you see? ☺

Monday, September 13, 2010

Our Youth, our Treasure.

I've always been passionate about the Youth in Hornepayne. I lead Youth Group for 7 years. I don't believe they are the leaders of tomorrow, but they are an important part of our society, today! They need somebody who will believe in them, help them, teach them, and raise them to be who they were created to be.

Mistakes are a great teaching tool. We can either learn from our own mistakes or we can learn from the mistakes that others make. It's very important for the older generation to teach the younger one. If the seasoned leaders never teach the newer ones what they've learned along the way, then the new generation is left to make every mistake on their own. The mistakes we make must be passed along, they might be worth more than Gold!

If we want to see growth in Hornepayne we're gonna have to invest in our Youth. If you know business, then you need to pass along what you know to those who want to be in business. If you know hospitality, then you need to pass along your wisdom. If you know about health, then you need to share what you've learned to help others live a healthy lifestyle. If you know how to paint, paint with others. And for us leaders, we need to raise up the leaders. There should never be a Municipal election where a Young leader is not equipped to run in it.

I would like to see our Municipal leaders taking personal interest in our School Councils. A lunch date at least 4 times a year would be a great start. Through that avenue, relationships can be built, encouragement can be given, and our Town Leaders will be connected to what is going on in the social lives of our underage citizens.

In the past, I taught a structured weekly study on leadership. This is a good format, but not practical for all areas of life. I'm not suggesting to start professional teaching times to train and equip, I'm just saying to treasure what you've learned and be willing to pass it along to anyone you are in relationship with. Sometimes a young person will want to spend time with you just so they can know your "specialty".

I also want to point out something that was pointed out to me. Our Youth leave our town to receive the training they need, (College or University), but most of them don't return here. There are many reasons, but I want to highlight one: there's usually not a position here for them to use their skills. Other communities are receiving the talents and skills of our Youth. If we want them to return, then we need to make room for them. I believe this is something that needs to be looked at more closely. Internship programs could greatly asset our community.

For now, let's invest our time in the Youth, and watch Hornepayne flourish!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

A Team Player; my first campaign promise.

I took a relationships course last year, and learned so much through it.

Here's a quote that I've pondered quite a bit, "Working with others is a slower process than working alone."

There is a lot that needs to be done in our Town, but I'm not running for Council with the intention of becoming some super hero. (Super heroes work alone to save the day). My main concern is creating an environment where all of Hornepayne can (if they so desire), contribute. We are entering into a rebuilding season, and well, it's a process that nobody can do alone. We need each other and we need to be able to work together.

I have been involved in many things over the years; Minor Hockey, Friends of the Library, KidSport, the Youth Center Board, and the truth is, working with others is not always easy! Many who are reading this know it's true, LOL. Good leadership is essential to smooth interaction.

There are two main Political relationships that the voter has to consider when choosing a Mayor and Council. The Council themselves have to work together, and together, they have to work with the public. Together we are a Team, and each of us need to be a Team Player. I don't know how the current Council works together, but it's my opinion that they don't work well with the public. This relationship should never be overlooked, especially at this time.

Anyone who is running for Council should not be going into it with their own agendas. Good ideas, yes! Once voted in, you are part of a team and you have to be ready to work as a team; with each other and with the public who just voted for you.

Here are my initial campaign promises ☺:
1. I promise to bring my ideas to the table, take criticism, allow others to contribute, and help grow them.
2. I promise to not only work hard on all the causes that I'm passionate about, but also for the causes that my team members are passionate about. (Remember team members are the other members of Council AND the Public.)
3. I promise to not only listen, but to also consider what others are saying. (That should be a no brain er right?)
4. I promise to not judge another team Player from the outside, or play favorites. (Another no brain-er! ☺) Not everyone's qualities, talents, or strengths are on display. Everyone has something to contribute to Hornepayne, and that's the treasure our leaders need to seek out.
5. I promise to communicate with the Public and to remain in communication throughout the full term.

Don't underestimate the need for this skill. Not everyone can work with others and if your leaders fail in this category, Hornepayne will suffer from disorder, (see my post on order.)

I look forward to working with you.