It’s 1 a.m., and as I type this, I am working at one of the five shelters set up during Hurricane Florence.
There are about 130 folks here trying to get a little sleep amid crying babies, folks who are Olympic snorers, and those who have a little too much on their minds to sleep but are quietly staying busy. This storm has been hard on all of our residents, especially those who find themselves in the shelters — strangers with the common goal to stay safe while Mother Nature is wreaking havoc outside. Now that the storm is over, we will clean off what the water has covered and decide where to go from here — move forward, rebuild and learn to do it a little better.
It’s been tiring waiting for the storm, worrying during the storm and even thinking about what comes after the storm. However, the one thing we haven’t thought about is celebrating. What do we have to celebrate? Well, just about everything. The fact that this community came together, yet again, in the face of adversity. Our first responders who were there trying to keep things going when the wind and rain tried to stop them. The loads of linemen, tree companies, and Department of Transportation folks who were lined up waiting to come in to rebuild our infrastructure and help us get back to our lives. Most of all, we need to celebrate that we survived and are alive.
How do we celebrate? Right around the corner is the biggest community event of the year, the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. This is an event that does nothing other than celebrate our community. Because of the storm, the fair is on an abbreviated schedule and will open today at 11 a.m. Come and check out all the great reasons to celebrate our community. Our youth will have Future Farmers of America and 4-H booths set up. There will be home exhibits to enjoy how crafty your neighbors are, and let’s not forget educational events like the Master Gardeners’ “Talks from the Porch” series. There is truly something for everyone, of every age, at the fair.
As you are getting your feet back under you, think about celebrating our community and all the incredible things we have to offer. Come on out to the fair and have some fun. Because we all need a beacon of light, a little hope during such trying times.
