A personal piece by Sharyn Walz
As you may have heard, or even seen for yourself, the Roosevelt Community Bulletin Board was destroyed recently. Prior to that, hikers on the Roosevelt Woodland Trail noticed that the caution signs placed on the puncheons had been ripped off and thrown into the woods. They have since been replaced, and now the bulletin board needs to be replaced as well.
Our Community Bulletin Board is literally the communication hub of our small town. In this day and age of electronic communications, there is still a place for flyers to advertise events, offer services, and provide notices of important issues in town. Even in the face of disagreement, our Community Bulletin Board provides an outlet for the many disparate opinions, a place to post persuasive arguments, and provides food for thought for all who read (and write) the postings. Having the Community Bulletin Board available to us gives us a space to get our messages out to the rest of the community in real time, without waiting for the next Bulletin edition. I am still “new” in town and I’ve met some of the nicest people while standing in front of the Community Bulletin Board reading the various letters, flyers, and items for sale. More than just a space for written communication, the Community Bulletin Board allows each of us to connect with someone new, or maybe someone we otherwise haven’t seen for a while.
Now that the referendum has been settled, we need our Community Bulletin Board more than ever. Our community has been deeply divided and we must communicate in order to heal. In my three years here, I have witnessed the wonderful, kind-hearted people of Roosevelt, and I know that underneath the tension, there is great pride in this town. I, personally, love it here, and have finally found the place I really belong. It’s OK to disagree on a topic, and it’s important to have a place where everyone has an opportunity to share their positions. We desperately need to rebuild the Community Bulletin Board to restore our communication hub.
This is not a town of vandals. This is a town of hard-working people with good hearts and minds. Some of our residents are artistically talented, some are brilliant, and some are very invested in our community. People like me come here because it is a safe, quiet town surrounded by nature and all of its beauty. Roosevelt is not “perfect,” but our community is our biggest asset. We must not let disagreements fracture our community beyond repair. Small communities like ours are an endangered species and are worthy of preservation.
Starting next month, I’ll be writing a small Bulletin feature called “Bright Spots”, which will highlight acts of kindness between our residents. If someone you know has gone above and beyond for a fellow resident, please let me know so we can share the good vibes. It doesn’t have to be a major event, anything that warms your heart or makes you smile will be right on target. Thank you in advance for sharing the goodness in all of us. Sharyn Walz sbonfonti@msn.com or 609-448-1693
As you may have heard, or even seen for yourself, the Roosevelt Community Bulletin Board was destroyed recently. Prior to that, hikers on the Roosevelt Woodland Trail noticed that the caution signs placed on the puncheons had been ripped off and thrown into the woods. They have since been replaced, and now the bulletin board needs to be replaced as well.
Our Community Bulletin Board is literally the communication hub of our small town. In this day and age of electronic communications, there is still a place for flyers to advertise events, offer services, and provide notices of important issues in town. Even in the face of disagreement, our Community Bulletin Board provides an outlet for the many disparate opinions, a place to post persuasive arguments, and provides food for thought for all who read (and write) the postings. Having the Community Bulletin Board available to us gives us a space to get our messages out to the rest of the community in real time, without waiting for the next Bulletin edition. I am still “new” in town and I’ve met some of the nicest people while standing in front of the Community Bulletin Board reading the various letters, flyers, and items for sale. More than just a space for written communication, the Community Bulletin Board allows each of us to connect with someone new, or maybe someone we otherwise haven’t seen for a while.
Now that the referendum has been settled, we need our Community Bulletin Board more than ever. Our community has been deeply divided and we must communicate in order to heal. In my three years here, I have witnessed the wonderful, kind-hearted people of Roosevelt, and I know that underneath the tension, there is great pride in this town. I, personally, love it here, and have finally found the place I really belong. It’s OK to disagree on a topic, and it’s important to have a place where everyone has an opportunity to share their positions. We desperately need to rebuild the Community Bulletin Board to restore our communication hub.
This is not a town of vandals. This is a town of hard-working people with good hearts and minds. Some of our residents are artistically talented, some are brilliant, and some are very invested in our community. People like me come here because it is a safe, quiet town surrounded by nature and all of its beauty. Roosevelt is not “perfect,” but our community is our biggest asset. We must not let disagreements fracture our community beyond repair. Small communities like ours are an endangered species and are worthy of preservation.
Starting next month, I’ll be writing a small Bulletin feature called “Bright Spots”, which will highlight acts of kindness between our residents. If someone you know has gone above and beyond for a fellow resident, please let me know so we can share the good vibes. It doesn’t have to be a major event, anything that warms your heart or makes you smile will be right on target. Thank you in advance for sharing the goodness in all of us. Sharyn Walz sbonfonti@msn.com or 609-448-1693