Never have I felt so conflicted about what to talk about! The situations surrounding the presidential election and pandemic are so discouraging it’s
easier to ignore them than to wade in.
Before I share some positive thoughts I agree wholeheartedly with an editorial from the Topeka Capital Journal re-printed in Tuesday’s Gazette thanking the judicial system of the United States for doing its job in attempts to change election results. It said our judicial “stood strong” as a “pillar of democracy.” More accurate words have never been printed!
Secondly let me lift up my unsung hero award for the year 2020 in Emporia.
The Emporia Area Disaster Relief Fund is my choice. With the Covid 19 alarm barely audible 4 Emporia groups put their thinking caps on and created this amazing fund the collected $205,078.11 to help area businesses and organizations plow through the pandemic.
I’m not sure who dreamed up this idea, but I know the Emporia Community Foundation, the United Way, Main Street and KVOE were at the table.
Our community responded in a magnificent manner. This was a spur of the moment appeal. Not an annual drive. There were way more questions than answers, but the Emporia area responded. The funds were carefully distributed and became life saving difference makers for many of the recipients.
Becky Nurnberg from the Community Foundation shared that she had visited with leaders from other cities who were proud of raising ten thousand
dollars to help victims. We raised over two hundred thousand! We should be proud!
Becky pointed out “this is what makes this area so special is that people genuinely care for each other…” I agree!
Let me finish with a social media post for the new year.
If you want 2021 to be your year:
Don’t sit on the couch and wait for it.
Go out. Make a change. Smile more.
Be excited. Do new things. Throw away what you’ve been cluttering.
Unfollow negative people on social media.
Ge to bed early. Wake up early. Be fierce.
Don’t gossip. Show more gratitude.
Do things that challenge you.
Be brave.
And let me add, throw in a prayer once in awhile.
I’m Steve Sauder and “there’s some things to think about.”
