Sunday, September 4, 2016

Mayor of Centersville

This is a true story but the name of the mayor and town have been fictionalized to protect "the innocent." :)

Our town is so small we don't have speed limits, well none enforced anyway. There is a small market, not a mini mart, but a very nice market that is a throw back to gentler times. We do have a pizza place, an arcade for the youth, a library and a swimming pool and oh yes we have one bar. A beautiful park where someone I  know quite well works.  I am sure by now you've gotten the idea.

A man, named Fred, is a wonderful asset to our town, He is quite unpretentious all most shy at times but he gives of himself. Fred does a number of acts volunteering his time He does not seek kudos or recognition for his acts of charity. Fred wants only to give as he has taken away. We all have taken away but not always recognized it.

Some of the volunteering Fred does is for the home bound taking food to them from the local food pantry, also making sure they receive food  at Thanksgiving by taking them a plate made at the free community dinner and also cheers them with a container from the monthly free breakfast.  At the free breakfast he has a warm coat give away in cold weather. He goes to thrift stores and takes extra coats off their hands. I was the recipient  of one of Fred's coats.

In the summer he has a cookout once a week for the youth. Fred gets help with the food from his church and the local market.  In the spring and late summer he organizes a soap box derby. This takes a tremendous amount of time and skill  getting others to volunteer their time for the setting up of the track, which is basically from one end of town where there is a huge hill to the other, placing bales of hay for a brake wall and barricades for the street. At the same time he organized an art showing for local artists, which I had the honor of taking part  He did have help with this thanks to the generosity of Debby one of the artists. Who by the way is very good and had the grace to complement my paintings.

One day a reporter came to cover the soap box derby. When they asked who was responsible for the derby someone pointed to Fred. The reporter ask if would give him an interview and also said I understand that you are the mayor of Centersville to which Fred replied no.

 We don't have a mayor but if we did Fred would sure be a great one  There you have it the true story of the mayor of Centersville. One thing I am sure of, there is a Fred in communities all over the country which go unrecognized for their  labors and like Fred many would not want or welcome the attention.
http://Facebook.com

2 comments: