When it comes to being informed about community events
and the accomplishments and achievements of local residents, Valley East
surely must count its blessings. The Vision Paper has been delivered to
each home in Valley East and Capreol for almost ten years. Each week it
contains a wealth of information about things that are most important to
people living in this part of the City of Greater Sudbury. Each week it
provides a venue through which businesses and individuals may communicate
to more than 25,000 people. Pierre Charette, owner of The Vision Paper,
along with Jean Guy Charette and the entire staff of the company are to be
commended for their years of hard work to create and maintain this
excellent publication.
For the past several months, another communication
vehicle has been established to provide additional information to local
residents. The community web site, has been created to assist the Valley
East Centennial Committee in generating interest and awareness of our
Centennial 2004 celebrations. Valley East will turn 100 years old during
2004 and we feel this is an excellent time to let everyone in Valley East,
and indeed, the rest of the world, know what this great community is made
of.
Both publications: The Vision Paper, which uses
traditional print and the postal service, and valleyeasttoday.ca, which
uses the modern information technology of the internet, are designed to do
one main thing - to provide a "Window To The Community" through
which information can be "seen and acknowledged".
And yet, despite the fact that local residents of
Valley East and Capreol have such a golden opportunity to keep up to date
with what is happening in their community, and also a golden opportunity
to tell others what they are doing, I am sad to say that there are many
who seem oblivious to their good fortune and have failed to seize the
opportunity.
Perhaps the best way to introduce the main message of
this editorial is to use one of my favourite stories. I simply call it
"The Little Red Hen".
One day a little red hen was scratching around in the
barnyard when she discovered some grains of wheat. She had a great idea
and called all of her barnyard neigbours together.
"If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to
eat. Who will help me plant it?"
"Not I," said the cow. "Not I,"
said the duck. "Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the goose. "Then I
will," said the little red hen. And she did.
The wheat grew tall and ripened into golden grain.
"Who will help me reap my wheat?" asked the little red hen.
"Not I," said the duck. "Out of my classification,"
said the pig. "I’d lose my seniority," said the cow. "I’d
lose my unemployment compensation," said the goose.
"Then I will," said the little red hen, and
she did.
At last it came time to bake the bread. "Who will
help me bake the bread?" asked the little red hen. "That would
be overtime for me," said the cow. "I’d lose my welfare
benefits," said the duck. "I’m a dropout and never learned
how," said the pig. "If I’m the only helper, that’s
discrimination," said the goose.
"Then I will," said the little red hen.
She baked five loaves and held them up for her
neighbours to see. They all wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share.
But the little red hen said, "No, I can eat the five loaves
myself."
"Excess profits," said the cow.
"Capitalist leech," screamed the duck.
"I demand equal rights," yelled the goose.
And the pig just grunted. And they painted "unfair" picket signs
and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.
When the government agent came, he said to the little
red hen, "You mustn’t be greedy."
"But I earned the bread," said the little red
hen.
"Exactly," said the agent. "That’s the
wonderful free enterprise system. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much
as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive
workers must divide their product with the idle."
And they lived happily ever after, including the little
red hen, who smiled and chuckled. "I am grateful. I am grateful"
But her neighbours wondered why she never again baked
any more bread.
IT’S TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOWS
The Vision Paper is the window to the community. But it
takes the support and cooperation of individuals, organizations and
businesses to keep the window clean. Businesses must use the publication
to advertise and promote their goods and services so that the Vision has
enough funds to provide space to report on all of the activities.
For weeks we have been encouraging people to send us
information that can be posted on the web site at . Unless people take
advantage of this opportunity, the window will be useless.
Let’s not be like the barnyard animals who were quick
to run away when the little red hen needed help and were equally quick to
criticize the success of the little red hen. We will all benefit from The
Vision Paper and from the web site at valleyeasttoday.ca.
It takes a lot of hard work to bring you publications
like The Vision Paper and valleyeasttoday.ca. This hard work must be
supported by local businesses and local organizations. Individuals must
contribute stories and let us know about events that are going on so that
they can be covered. Take pride in your community and make a sincere
effort to "look through the windows"
Let’s all do our part and we can all share the bread!
