Livin' it up in Glenns Ferry

Do you know how proud I am to be a part of this community?  For a "spot in the road" this little town is busier than a jumping bean.

We will celebrate our second community wide Fall Harvest Festival on October 27th.  From the looks of things, it has expanded and grown in just one year.  There are booths for shopping, food to try, a chili cook off, games to play, costume contests, trunk or treat, and so much more!  It is  so heartwarming to see the community step up and participate. Whether you sponsor a booth, provide an

Servers at theThanksgiving dinner.

activity, or just come to spend the day having good time, you will all add to the fun and flavor of the day.

We have another community event coming in November. It is the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on November 17^th at the VFW Hall. Each year I watch more and more people take ownership of this event by providing food, setting up and cleaning up, serving, and helping in so many different ways. I love to hear the cacophony of all those voices visiting with each other, enjoying their meal, and reaching out to get to know one another as they fellowship together. This is what our country is about . . . sharing, caring, and reaching out to each other.

Another event that has been going on for a number of years is the annual Coat Give-Away on October 20th. Each year we collect coats, hundreds and hundreds of coats, thanks to the community’s generosity, and give them to anyone who has a need. There are no questions asked, no need to qualify . . . just come and get a coat so you won’t be cold in the winter. Approximately 300 coats are dispersed in our area alone. The rest are passed on to homeless shelters or other entities that can reach

Free coats.

people in need.

And then we have all the activities coming up for the holidays. I would love to see the community organizations step up and participate in the Holiday Light Parade on November 24th as well as the various activities offered by the Dickens Festival which begins December 2nd. You are all needed: whether you participate in one of the many contests, dress up in a period costume, sing carols, attend a tea with Mr. Dickens or enjoy the performance of “A Christmas Carol”.

And add to this list the Fourth of July Celebration, golf tournaments, Community Church services in the park, the Grape Stomp Fest at the winery, crab feeds, the fishing and kayaking, hunting deer and fowl and we are one busy place!

Just look at that list! We are but a small spot on the map with no major employment to speak of, not a lot going for us (if you just look on the outside). So how does this happen? What is it that sparks this community to strive to be something more? Are we different from other places? I don’t think we are

Shoppers at the Harvest Fest.

all that different from people in other areas. There are good, caring people everywhere. Perhaps we are fortunate that we are small and must work together to make things happen. We don’t have a lot of money (which in my opinion is highly over rated), but we have heart!

Because we don’t have major funding, we have to be creative and innovative. How wonderful is that? We all have talents, gifts, abilities, ideas and thoughts. We need each other. By bringing them all together we have created clever and creative ways to make our little community fun and visible to visitors. Are you new to the area? Please join in and throw your ideas into the mix. Nothing is “set in cement” around here, we are in a constant state of growth and expansion. Which is as it should be.

As I have said ever so many times, “If you talk long enough about the possibilities, someone else will catch your enthusiasm, and the dream will happen”. Listen, learn, grow, participate in whatever way you can. Everyone can add to our community to make it special. You are needed. What can you do? How can you help? Just start hanging out with your friends and neighbors and you will find a place that fits you like a glove. If you don’t, maybe it is time for you to step up to the plate and start something new that will enhance our area.

Just writin' on the River Road