TMI Editorial
The Window Unveiling event in Meaford on Saturday November 21 should serve as a reminder of what community spirit is all about, and how fortunate we are to live in a small town like ours.
Events like this not only bring large numbers of residents together, but also involve an unbelievable number of people working together simply to make it happen.
In order for the Window Unveiling to take place, downtown businesses first and foremost, need to enthusiastically participate by dedicating valuable time and resources to the creation of the sometimes stunning holiday window displays.
Then there are the local organizations like the Golden Town Outreach who organized face painting for the little ones, and the Meaford & St. Vincent 4-H Beef & Dairy Club who not only spent the evening grilling food for hungry visitors to the downtown, they also provided some impressive musical entertainment.
The Goldenaires brought along their beautiful voices to fill the air with seasonal carols, Georgian College Police Foundation students volunteered their time to oversee the road barricades, and keep the fire barrels burning.
The municipality helps out in a big way by allowing the main street to be closed to traffic for the duration of the event, and they also ensure that barricades are available, and that trash and recycling bins are delivered prior to, and then taken away at the end of the evening.
Santa himself arrives in style with the assistance of the Meaford Fire Department who also make themselves available after the party is over to douse the flames in the fire barrels.
Meaford Hall opens their doors to provide a space for children to visit with Santa and whisper their special holiday wishes in his ear.
Local businesses donate items like firewood for the barrels, cups for the chili tasting, and candy and treats for the little ones.
Volunteers are enlisted to deliver and erect tents and tables, and to take them down and return them at the end of the evening.
After all of those people carry out all of those tasks, hundreds upon hundreds of our community members flow into the downtown to take part in what is most definitely an old fashioned street party.
The aroma of grilling food and popping corn fill the air, lights twinkle, and the sounds of carollers flow through the night.
There may be some issues in our community, there are after all issues in every community, but if you needed any insight into what community is all about, all you needed to do was take a stroll down Sykes Street on Saturday night.
It is amazing what good things can be accomplished when people work together.
