When I was asked to write the Thanksgiving column this year, I admit to having a few moments of panic. There are so many things I am thankful for, and so few column inches to work with.
Though I will be stepping down as president of The Active Age’s board of directors in December, I will always be thankful for the experiences I’ve had with it and the people I’ve gotten to know. The people first. The newspaper staff (Joe Stumpe, editor, Mike Parker, advertising manager, and Tammara Fogle, business manager) are so organized it made it easy to serve as president. The members of the board (Tim Marlar, Linda Matney, Diana Wolfe, Harry Clements, Shana Gregory, Lona Kelly, Julie Schaar, and Sharon Van Horn) always offered their time and talents to make The Active Age a success. The work of the staff and board is aided by so many volunteers each month it is impossible to name them all, but I am thankful for each and every one of them.
I am also thankful for our readers and everyone who has been able to make a donation, no matter how small, to The Active Age. Your care and concern help us ensure a quality and timely publication each month. And speaking of quality, you will read in this issue about national awards that The Active Age recently won. I am proud of the staff and all the writers whose stories were recognized.
I am thankful for each edition of the paper that includes items about the history of this area. Although born and raised in Kansas, there are many things I had forgotten about. A few months ago, a story about the Innes Tea Room really struck a personal chord with me. I remember being so excited when my parents treated us to a lunch there. I am thankful for the recipes that appear in each issue of the paper, even if I’ve gained a few pounds trying some of them out.
On a very personal level, I am thankful that as I write this, I have my right arm back. Last Christmas Day I fell and fractured my shoulder in four places. I spent nine weeks in a torturous shoulder immobilizer and then months of therapy to get movement back. It is bizarre to say I am thankful for the experience of the fracture — the first bone I’ve ever broken — but the experience made me more appreciative of family and friends. Special kudos to my sister, Susie, who took care of me through those nine weeks.
I think my column inches are used up now, so I’ll close by wishing each and everyone of you a very happy Thanksgiving.
Editor’s note: Although Mary Corrigan is stepping down as our president, she has agreed to stay on as a board member for the time being, and we are very thankful for that.
