Dear editor,
What are you grateful for living in Iola, Allen County, Kansas, United States of America, in celebrating our independence and our unique form of government in July of 2020?
As a life-long resident I’m grateful for a lot of local things, such as a fascinating history, plentiful work/jobs for people to be gainfully employed, good schools, good healthcare, effective city, county and state governments that have balanced budgets and forward-thinking leadership.
I’m grateful for a wealth of high quality-of-life enhancements thanks to the Reach, Health Forward and Kansas Health Foundations, and for the testamentary gifts of people such as Mr. Tom Bowlus to the school district and the many other testamentary gifts it triggered — Daniels, Sleeper, Whitehead and Stephenson, to name a few foundations and trusts.
I’m impressed by the local, positive approach to problem solving and local resilience and creativity in dealing with change despite drought, floods, industry closings, technological obsolescence and other disasters.
I think I am most grateful for the fact that as a larger community we are always open to reform and reforming. We embrace change with an eye to preserving the good things we have and at the same time with the desire to update our institutions in order to “keep up with needed changes.” We usually do this in an orderly way through our elected officials, and if we need to, we create groups, such as Iola Industries, Thrive Allen County, A Bolder Humboldt and Marmaton Market, to help us move in new directions.
What are you grateful for? How would you like to preserve and celebrate that for which you are grateful, and how would you like to improve our community?
In this census year of 2020, we have a wonderful opportunity not only to fill out our personal census form, but also to vote in the upcoming elections. It’s also a time to assess the last decade, to discuss areas we need to work on and make plans for the next 10 years. For what are you most grateful? What would you like to improve? What suggestions do you have to tackle those improvements? I’m sure the Iola Register and its readers and the community would welcome your insights and your letters.
With gratitude for our democratic republican forms of government,
Jim Gilpin,
Iola, Kan.
