Merry Christmas!
It has been a heckuva year in this United States. Every new story seems to carry a more bleak message than the next. In Washington state, we have been far more fortunate than in other parts of the country — as hard as that is to believe, Renton citizens. In the spirit of the season, I would like to reflect on what I am thankful for this year as you reflect on what you are also thankful for this Christmas Day.
As a board member of the Renton Clothes Bank, we have been serving record numbers of people in need. In the last several months, we have served more than 700 families — each month! Thankfully, we were able to serve them in part because of donations from folks like you. The Salvation Army Renton Rotary Food Bank has seen similar issues of record numbers of people in need. Thanks again to all of you for reaching out and filling the food bank when the need was asked. Continue to remember them after the holidays are over. I know many of you are surviving a difficult year — lost jobs as well as health and financial issues. It has hit my family as well — we have lost several friends this year, my mother-in-law and my 51-year-old sister-in-law two weeks ago. My husband lost his job as well, in a situation much more public than I wished it to be.
Having said all that, I am trying to be thankful for many things this holiday season. Here is my list of random things I am thankful for this year:
- I am thankful for some dear friends who are adopting a baby boy who was born MINUTES before I submitted this column and that we have been selected as godparents.
- I am thankful for Rev. Kirby Unti.
- I am thankful for the volunteers in this community who serve our service clubs, staff our farmer’s market, work booths at our public events and serve in missions all over the community.
- I am thankful for restaurant owners hanging in there in a miserable economy and finding new ways of reaching out to customers. Armondo gets a shout out for his creativity — marketing sandwiches at Uwajimaya. So does Daphne’s restaurant that has embraced Renton in a big way. And a shout out goes to the restaurateurs who designed “Roving Renton” to allow people to continue to dine out in a budget-conscious way.
- I am thankful for the spirit of Third Street and Mary Clymer and her store, happy delusions. Mary’s energy embodies all that is DTR (Downtown Renton) and all it should be!
- I am thankful for the generous community members who open their hearts and pockets books to the Renton Community Foundation’s “Circle of Giving” — money that goes back into this community – $42,000 and counting (more in another column).
- I am thankful for you, dear readers.
I am thankful for my great niece, Addison, who was born 3 months premature in July—and is now a bouncing baby girl at 11 pounds!
May God bless you for a bountiful new year.
Susan Bressler is an active member of a number of Renton organizations, including Piazza Renton. E-mail her at scbressler@comcast.net.
