Take advantage of what you've got in a small town. Even as it grows, keep the essence of the community feel at the core. I got a free coffee at a fast food restaurant in town the other day as I slumped into a seat carrying two armloads of bags. "What's new with Rob at the POST?” the owner asked as we started on a great chat.
Take advantage of what you've got in a small town. Even as it grows, keep the essence of the community feel at the core.
I got a free coffee at a fast food restaurant in town the other day as I slumped into a seat carrying two armloads of bags. “What’ s new with Rob at the POST?” the owner asked as we started on a great chat. Every local store I went to for my Christmas shopping offered a discount, free offer or something additional to go with my purchases. I was told I could come back to exchange any item I had bought anytime after Christmas, or to come back in for servicing at anytime if something didn’ t quite work out as it should. I was greeted with smiles and cheery staff almost everywhere.
Doing the majority of my shopping from the place where I live is fantastic.
Notice I didn’ t say from ‘my hometown?” That’ s because this isn’ t my hometown. It’ s the best place that I can think of. It’ s one of the greatest places to raise a family (even after seeing former Lac La Biche doctor JP Mare’ s Christmas family wishes from his swimming pool in gorgeous Australia ... OK, that might be a nice place too, Doc. We’ ll give you that one ... but here is pretty great as well.) But it’ s not my hometown.
I moved here in ‘92. I’ ll never be a local. But my kids are. They were born in the Cadzow hospital and have swam in, and walked on, the Lac La Biche lake within a four-month period of the same year. They also know what fatyrs, bannock, pampushki and nalysnyky are. Their upbringing has been very well-rounded because of this place and its people. And just about every time you turn around, the feeling of this smalltown - their hometown - is apparent.
We were in the Ginger House restaurant on Dec. 27 and the smalltown meet-and-greet was in full swing. My wife and I were swapping pleasantries with lots of our neighbours and friends. It’ s a great feeling to stop and talk and share a smile with folks. It’ s something thankfully unique to a smaller community like ours. And then my little boy - he’ s 8 - waves out to one of his school friends.
“Hi Callum,” the little girl shouted back, then to her parents more quietly, “That’ s Callum’ s dad, mom and sister he’ s with.”
I felt the torch start to pass hands. I’ m still “Rob at the POST” but I’ m becoming more and more “Callum’ s dad.” A new generation of friends and neighbours are meeting and greeting, doing business and sharing laughs. It’ s a good thing.
We have to keep this smalltown life alive so our kids can benefit from it as we have.
It’ s not just about shopping locally- but that is vital. It’ s about feeling local, encouraging local and being happy locally. That is a good thing.
