Shamrock Shuffle brings Mondovi together like old times
I want to congratulate the business group and all of the participating businesses for hosting the first Annual Shamrock Shuffle. From what I saw that night, it was a great success. I’m sure it was a financially successful night, but there was a better success I saw. I saw happy people walking around visiting with each other. I saw generous people. I saw smiles. I saw everyone getting along. I saw people being respectful of the rules set up for the event. It was great. It reminded me of the old Friendship Days celebrations when they were held at Mirror Lake. People grabbed spots with blankets for their families and spent the whole day and evening. They ate chicken, hot dogs, and ice cream. They walked around in a couple block area visiting with people they hadn’t seen for months or years. They listened to music playing. Kids ran and played in great anticipation for the fireworks that ended a great day. That is the feeling I got walking the streets of Mondovi on St. Patrick’s night.
I care a lot about Mondovi. I think most everyone here does. But hard decisions have had to be made to fix financial problems as well as other problems. It has caused much dissension in our town. Lots of rumors have been spread, and believe me, rumors are believed quicker than the truth. I have been to all but five or six City Council meetings in the past year and a half. Many things have been achieved. I wish more people would come and see things for themselves instead of listening to the rumors.
Last weekend I tackled my kitchen cupboards and spent hours going through everything. The kitchen became a huge mess until everything had been gone through and either saved or tossed. While doing this, I thought about the correlation between cleaning the cupboards and what is going on in our town. Things that need changing for financial or other reasons can get very messy before everything is gone through. Change is not easy. Cleaning up messes is not easy. In order to make Mondovi the best it can be, to make it a place that can attract families, and to be a place desirable for businesses, we need to be patient and let the cupboards get cleaned. We have to give new ideas and necessary changes time to work. In time, things will be better and settle out. We have a mayor and a council who are trying very hard to achieve this. They are doing a tough, but great job. And even though it is not exactly what you may want or what you may agree with, please give it time. Please make sure there is truth in what you say to each other. And when you vote this spring, please ask yourself if your vote is just because you are mad at an issue, or whether your vote is for the good of Mondovi as a whole.
Mondovi is a good, wholesome place to live. The Shamrock Shuffle was an example of what we can all do together. Thank you to all who worked it, donated to it, and came to support it! Let’s keep that spirit alive.
Jan Martin
Mondovi