HomeMy WebLinkAbout011624 email - community_ not a community pool_ just community_ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Hello Commissioners and Staff,
I'd like to tell you a story. No, it is not about the pool, so you can unclench your white knuckles and tight jaw muscles. It is not about kittens, either. Although, I am reserving the
weaponized kitten deployment to use on you if I must.
This is a story about community.
This deep chill we experienced over the weekend was a bit unusual for a few reasons. The obvious reason is, of course, the deepness of the chill. It was colder than predicted and colder
than we believed it could be. The result has been difficulty traveling and lots of vehicles in ditches and stranded diagonally in the middle of the road. We've also seen lots and lots
of burst pipes, even though people left their faucets trickling.
I already told you about my booster pump suffering catastrophic frost damage despite being located inside my garage. What I did not tell you was about how many of my neighbors are without
water. Which brings me to the other way in which this storm has been a bit out of the ordinary.
Rich has been making the community center available to people to fill their water jugs, charge their phones and warm up. He will accomodate people on a moment's notice and run over there
to help people.
It seems like everyone down here has been helping everyone else and most of us need some kind of help. I'd like to think I am pretty close to 150% self-sufficient and that when the world
caves in, I will be just fine. But when my pump stroked out, I needed help, too, and I contacted Rich to get water. I pretty much never ask for help, whether I need it or not. I am
far more comfortable offering help than receiving it.
People have been fixing pipes and working on keeping neighbors warm. Strangers helping strangers. Neighbors helping neighbors.
Today the Port stepped up with an extremely kind and considerate gesture. They gave us some key fobs to get into the Herb Beck Marina so we could take showers. It is a very touching
thing for a governmental agency to lend a hand. This seems like an incredibly minor event compared to a hurricane or flood but it is still nice to give, and receive, kindness and consideration.
I am constantly reminded of what a special place we live in.
Jean