A sense of community.
When I describe to people why I love living in Edmonds, that’s the phrase I return to. People really do, as a rule, take care of each other here.
The importance of community really struck me during the short trip I took to New Orleans last week. I had a chance to visit a Lousiana State Museum that houses two permanent exhibits — one about the history of Mardis Gras and the other titled Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond. I had certainly seen television and print photographs of the Katrina disaster, which happened 10 years ago this August. But the museum exhibit’s story of rescue, rebuilding and renewal after 80 percent of the city was flooded, reminded me that if people love their community, they will find a way to overcome all odds and bounce back — even after one of the worst disasters in U.S. history.
It’s clear that the people who remained in New Orleans through the darkest of times — or those who returned after flood waters subsided — truly love their city. There is a warmth that permeates New Orleans, and it has nothing to do with the humid weather or the Cajun food. Take one of my favorite stops on my trip, the Ruby Slipper Cafe. As seen below, the cafe was inspired by “a powerful sense of homecoming when we returned to New Orleans after Katrina to be back with family and friends again the city we love.” Referring to the movie “The Wizard of Oz” (one of my personal favorites since childhood), the cafe notes that “Dorothy said it best: There’s No Place Like Home. We feel that gratitude every day for our home.”
Thankfully, we have not faced challenges of that magnitude in Edmonds in recent memory. But I am confident that if we did, those of us who call it home would do all we could to rally around the city we love.
In fact, our residents do that every day in much smaller ways, donating their time and money for a variety of good causes. From the Floretum Garden Club’s just-announced honor as “Citizen of the Year” to the numerous contributions from our local service clubs and non-profits, we are indeed a community of givers.
And speaking of giving, I continue to be humbled by the voluntary subscriptions that arrive online and in the mail to support My Edmonds News. I ask you to consider any amount, from a regular monthly payment of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to a one-time donation.
It helps fund our work to produce and support news and commentary about the city we love.
Because, as Dorothy said, there is NO place like home.
Until next time,
Teresa Wippel, Publisher
pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…….
Thank you Teresa for keeping me informed about my community! You bring a valuable service to the citizens of Edmonds. I spend about $45 a month for my coffee drinks and get a bit of a pick me up. It doesn’t compare to my $10 a month subscription to MEN and all the valuable information I receive about my community! Shame on me for putting more value on my cup of coffee than on my knowledge of our community!
I am a proud supporter of My Edmonds News at $10 a month. When I think how much I know about Edmonds because of what I read in My Edmonds News (and how much I would NOT know without it), my “subscription” is a great bargain. I urge anyone reading this to make a small ongoing donation to help ensure Teresa and her staff’s efforts continue for a long, long time.
I, too, am a proud supporter of My Edmonds News at $10 a month and absolutely agree with Chuck Woodbury and Gail Meyring Sarvis in their comments above. I appreciate reading our local news on a daily basis rather than with the alternative weekly option in the local print newspaper.