Thanks!
Thank God for Thanksgiving. We can all use some time for rest and reflection after one of the most bitter presidential elections in the history of the country and before the madness of the holiday shopping season officially kicks off tomorrow.
Many local residents, no doubt, are thankful that Donald Trump won the election and will be sworn in as our next president. After all, voters in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties did support him in overwhelming numbers.
However, we should all be thankful, even those who voted for Hillary Clinton, to live in a country like ours which has free and fair elections. It’s something that many have fought for over the years, and it’s something that we should never take for granted.
No matter who you voted for, your voice was heard. People stood up in vast numbers to cast their ballots, and that’s a great thing no matter how you voted.
And the best thing is that in four years, Americans will have another chance to vote in a presidential election. No matter how the Trump presidency goes, there will be a referendum in 2020 on how things are going and whether the country wants to stay the course or change horses. There will be countless elections before then, giving us all a chance to have our votes counted in local, county and state elections.
While there’s nothing wrong with a passionate electorate, let’s hope that in four years the country won’t be as divided as it is now, and perhaps there will be more of a consensus about what direction the nation should be headed in.
In the meantime, we certainly have many other things to be thankful for today. If you have any doubts, just take a good look around you. Chances are you’ll see good people doing all sorts of great things to help those in need.
Consider all the volunteers at the various soup kitchens in our area who feed the needy not just today but every day. The Salvation Army will also be getting plenty of help from now until Christmas with a variety of fundraisers to help those in need. They range from volunteers manning the agency’s red kettles at various locations throughout the area to the throngs of people braving the elements in today’s Turkey Trot in downtown Uniontown.
Then, there’s our annual Sparkle campaign, which benefits the Salvation Army. Now in its 31st year, the campaign has raised $1.1 million for those in need at the holidays. Certainly that’s an impressive number for any community, never mind one that’s not among the most affluent. But despite its economic challenges or perhaps because of them, the people in our area have stood up time and time again to help the less fortunate among us.
While it’s true that many area residents are suffering, it’s also true that many area residents are trying to help alleviate that suffering. And it’s important on this Thanksgiving Day that we give thanks for all the good people that we have right here in our area. They are what makes this such a special place.