Our community is a rich tapestry, and we’re consistently amazed with the caliber of people who choose to call this place home.
The tapestry is woven with all sorts of threads — some small, some shiny, some seemingly invisible, but full of strength.
Some wish to work quietly as a part of the whole, lifting others up so they can shine, while others provide embellishment.
And it takes every single one to be what we are together.
We love hearing and learning about the people drawn to this place, whether they’ve been here for generations or just found this slice of beauty. Some found fame and fortune, while others suffered and dug deep to come out better on the other side, inspiring others.
We hear stories of love, loss, redemption, heartbreak, people who share their passions with others and so much more.
It’s a constant reminder of something we’re firm believers in: Everyone has a story that’s worth telling and worth hearing.
If you don’t agree, we encourage you to read some of the work of a journalist we look up to who has won award after award (even a Pulitzer) for his feature writing — Tom Hallman Jr. We’ve had the pleasure of learning from Hallman during several workshops and reading his work for years. He proves that even the most seemingly ordinary person has a compelling story worth telling and continues to inspire us as when we have opportunities to tell the stories of our fellow community members.
On Wednesday, June 11, a number of local veterans and officials will come together to offer respects and farewells to a pair of local veterans whose remains were unclaimed by family members after their deaths.
We’re not sure we ever crossed paths with these veterans — Benjamin H. Warner and Roger Glenn Web — at local events, but we’re certain they had a lot of stories to share and stories that would be worth telling.
We hope they got the chance to tell them to local students at the eighth-grade veteran breakfast on Veterans Day, to fellow veterans and to family and friends.
We hope some of their stories will be told on June 11.
We appreciate those in this community who are stepping up to, as Coroner Brad Hunt put it, ensure these veterans “receive the respect and dignity they deserve.”
We hope it becomes a sizable service, full of people who show up to pay their respects, whether they knew these gentlemen or not. These men are worth it. Everyone is.
Randi Pierce
