A Million Dollars!

If I had a million dollars, if I had a million dollars...so goes the popular song which strikes a wistful chord in all of us. Last Friday night hubby and I had the opportunity to witness our local Explanding Our Horizons campaign exceed its objective of a million dollars, an extraordinary accomplishment for a small community. The funding goes to support major renovations of the arena, with upgraded ice-making equipment as well as major improvements to the building, to revamp the large hall with a movable wall able to make two halls, with an extra small kitchen in the smaller space, and to build a new library, primarily funded by the County. Quite a lot for a small rural community and two years ago the goal seemed unattainable.

Nevertheless, a small committee of dedicated people kept at it until the goal was reached. What a life lesson for all of us. Don't give up. Keep your eye on the prize. You can do it. All of these sayings underline the theme. And now we are enjoying our renovated community centre as well as our brand new library.

The library comes at a good time for us personally, as we are selling our big house, and many of the books in my large collection. I no longer buy many books, only special authors or titles. I am intending to use the new library; hence I signed up for a library card last week when we toured the facility. It is lovely, spacious and inviting. The couches before the large fire place call to me. Some cold snowy day, I'll make that my goal on my walk and sit and read before the fire. There is a long bank of computers ready for searches and courses. The children's area is bright and colourful with lots of books. When I move from this house I expect I'll donate whatever books I can't sell to the collection at the library.
The newest project on the go is a new Emergency Services building. The hole is already in the ground next to the library. Ambulances will pull in on one street, park in the garage, and exit on the other street, eliminating those backup beeps which could be pretty annoying for the condo people across the street. The building should be completed in the spring.
All in all, our small village is looking pretty good with three new subdivisions going in, a Business Retention and Expansion project just getting into high gear and young people making the community theirs to live in and to improve. It's as though these tough projects make us strong. I certainly thought so at the affair last Friday when people joyfully got in on the bidding for many things but especially a large granite rock. The price went up to $3000 for this marker. People just couldn't seem to get into the bidding fast enough and the community is the winner, with about one million and thirty three thousand dollars raised. Good for us!