Happy Friday Everyone!
Have you ever reflected on the benefits of growing up and going to school in a small town like Battle Creek? I remember growing up in Osmond and thinking about how boring and small this place is. I'm sure some of our kids think the same thing today about Battle Creek. What I have come to realize and what our current kids will realize in due time is the intangible and unintentional benefits of growing up here or in other small towns in northeast Nebraska. Small town kids are inundated with grit, resiliency, and perseverance. Our children have witnessed natural disasters and as a result, witnessed their parents and community members come together and work to prepare or clean up. They have lived through an economic recession only to see their parents get up every day and go to work. They have seen grain prices drop and property taxes soar, only to witness their parents work harder and harder. Our small-town children have the opportunity to be recognized in our newspaper, be the topic of conversation around town, and be involved in a variety of activities. They play a major role in our community cohesiveness. I recently heard a former state senator refer to our small town students as "gold". We are producing the "gold" that everyone from coast to coast wants working for them because they have been enculturated with grit, resilience, and perseverance. Our challenge is to keep the "gold" in our own great state of Nebraska and even more selfishly in northeast Nebraska. This is how we boost our economy and grow our population - we invest in our own. Our small town is rich in "gold" because of our community. Although our "gold" may go away for a short time, we should be taking the necessary steps to ensure our "gold" returns to enrich our community for the future. We are invested in our Battle Creek "gold" and will take the necessary steps to ensure we get a "return" on our investment.
Happy Friday!