Taking A Stand: Warren County a caring place
Warren County is full of a bunch of do-gooders, all the time helping other people and giving of themselves for the betterment of others.
We should count ourselves lucky this holiday season to be living in a place where people actually care about other people. It’s not like this everywhere. Here, if there is a need, people generally step in and fill the need even if they don’t know the needy person or family.
This is a place where, if my home burned down tomorrow, I would have no doubt the people of the community would step up to help me and my family. It wouldn’t surprise me. Actually, it would be expected given our track record here. For some reason it’s a passion amongst Warren countians to make sure no one is left behind.
There are benefits and fundraisers all the time, and other things the community is doing to help others. This is done without request or need of begging on the part of those who are in need. It’s basically done because people are just plain nice here. We should never underestimate good Christian values because they tend to shine through, especially when times are tough.
Sure, I generally write about criminals and bad things that happen, but being a lifelong Warren County resident, I know for every piece of trash around here, there’s 50 good people who will give you the shirt off their backs.
Just look around you right now. You have a rescue squad which provided Christmas gifts for around 1,000 underprivileged kids. They derive no profit from it. Instead, they are doing it just so kids won’t have to go without just due to their economic status. Then you had churches and clubs who devoted their time and money to help other kids through shopping sprees and Christmas parties.
The kindness people show around here really makes me wonder when some folks say there’s nothing to do in McMinnville. Perhaps if they’d put down the cocktail glass and get their head out of their own, you know, then they’d see there’s plenty that could be done here. Things don’t always have to be done for one’s self. Instead, a person can have fun by doing for others. Perhaps if some folks would stop being so self-absorbed they could actually have more fun.
Hey, I’m somewhat guilty myself. For many years, I did little to give back to the community. Like some others, I just sat around and let others do the work. However, over recent years I’ve discovered what all the hoopla was about. I discovered why people are all the time doing for others. They do it because it makes them feel better about themselves. You’d be amazed at the fun you can have knowing you’ve helped someone who needed help. It’s like a natural high that lifts you up all day.
When our club did a children’s shopping spree last week, I felt great all day even though I got up at the crack of dawn. Doing good is almost like a drug, but it doesn’t leave you with a hangover in the morning. When you see kids who just don’t have the things we had growing up, and you’re able to get them a little something and see them happy, well, that’s about as good as you can do as a person.
So, if you’re feeling bored and don’t have anything to do, why not join the do-gooder bandwagon? Instead of whining about no good places to eat or shop or harping about no rocking nightclubs to occupy your time, why not just do something for somebody? It’ll make you high, legally.
What is Christmas all about, you ask? Just look around you. It’s Hometown, USA. Add a little snow and you’ve got a Rockwell painting.
(Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].)