Some would say it has been a good summer and there are some who say it has not been a good year.  I think overall it has been a good year so far for our community.  The economy may not be the best but we need to continue moving forward.
Most of you have read in our paper from the America in Bloom contest that we have won in the category of heritage preservation.  This is a Criteria Award which means that we were the best of all entries in Heritage Preservation.  That speaks very highly of our community and what we were trying to achieve.  This is not something taken lightly and it is a very awesome award.   This category was judged from the smallest town of Echo, Oregon to big communities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I am very proud of our community and what we have done and my heart goes out to all those who help in achieving this.  I do appreciate these folks; each one of you know who you are
We started the process this summer to utilize our summer help to start some sidewalk projects and replacements.  I believe they did a good job and more is coming as next year starts so some of you may receive letters on right of ways along streets or easements as we plan for 2010.  This will be a long drawn-out process but for those of you who like to walk in our community it will be a blessing so that folks don’t have to walk on streets that have no sidewalks
The process has been started to put a strategic plan which is developing a mission statement, a vision statement, and goals that we would like to achieve.  This is a process involving quite of few groups within our community which has been a long drawn-out process.  I do believe that we will have to involve the entire community.  As these meetings start, I would appreciate all of your comments.  If you see me out and about, do not hesitate to give me your thoughts or put them in writing and tell me what you would like to see in our community.  It is going to take all of us working together not working against each other to achieve this.  Working together is the best alternative for I believe that we can accomplish this and I do hope that most people and business owners will work with us to achieve our goals.
I hope that as the holiday season comes around in these trying times that we remember those who need help and give to those who need our assistance.  I believe that is what small-town America is all about and I see it happen here often in our own community.  We are all grateful for many things and the friends that we have here are most precious.
Please remember our men and women who are in the armed services especially those serving overseas and may God bless this community that we call Rising Sun, Ohio County.