Be in Florence on Labor Day
Labor Day is just over a week away and that means a fun time in Florence. It's an annual tradition that's been revitalized the past few years.
Such celebrations take work. Those who kept the tradition alive in recent decades, when television and cars and computers led to the demise of regular community gatherings, deserve a great deal of thanks. And those who were willing to pick up the idea, make it grow, and try new things deserve thanks, too.
A glance at the schedule shows a busy weekend packed full of activities in Florence. There's the early morning Saturday breakfast to benefit the city library. They didn't ask me to say this, but I bet if you drop a little something extra in the cash box, the library board will find a use for it.
There's also the community-wide garage sale. What a great example of recycling. Admittedly, a few garage sale items in every community seem to take on lives of their own. No one ever throws them away, but they are bought and sold from one family to the next. But in sometimes-rocky economic times, garage sales make good sense for both buyers and sellers.
For those of us inclined to think with our tummies, Sept. 1 features a community potluck after the community church service and an ice cream social after the gospel concert. Other food vendors will operate throughout the weekend.
That Sunday also features fireworks at Marion County Lake, a good example of what can be achieved through a bit of cooperation. The Labor Day committee, Marion County Economic Development Council, county commissioners, and lake superintendent Dale Snelling are just some of the groups that had a say in helping the event take place. Any of them could have found reasons to derail it. Instead, they focused on the positives.
While the other days are a great deal of fun, Labor Day itself is the main event. The parade, flag raising, car show, and other activities continue to bring former residents back, and attract new interest from urban families wanting a unique experience.
To the organizers: congratulations on a job well done, even this far in advance.
To everyone else: if you can get there for part of the Labor Day weekend, do it. There's no greater reward for the organizers than seeing people with smiles on their faces.
— MATT NEWHOUSE
