2017/11/21 - Mayor's Column: Happy Thanksgiving!
“An Open Door to O’Fallon”
A Weekly Note from O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach
On Thursday this week, Americans across the country will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, to get together with family and friends, and to enjoy the traditional culinary delights of the holiday. I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. Please be sure to reflect on the things that you are thankful for. I, for one, am very thankful to be your Mayor!
While celebrating this holiday, it is also important for us to reflect on an important part of our community -- those that we too often take for granted and just think that they will always be there. Those that really make O’Fallon the place that we all want to call home.
I speak of those that volunteer untold hours without pay and little, if any, recognition. They are the ones that help our youth & school programs, our churches, our elderly, our veterans, our disabled, our needy individuals & families, those that fight our fires, and those that help our community in general.
Without you our city would not be what it is. I’m grateful for all that you do and want to say, thank you!
As you gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, please pause for a minute to express your thanks for the bounty of blessings we all enjoy, which includes our volunteers. America is a land of abundance, prosperity, and hope, and we should not take for granted the things that make our city and our country great: a firm foundation of freedom, justice, and equality; a belief in democracy and the rule of law; and our fundamental rights to gather, speak, and worship freely.
Thanksgiving is also a time for us to reach out to those in our community who are less fortunate. O’Fallon’s local charities and non-profit groups work hard throughout the year to provide programs and services for those less fortunate and it is through the dedication of these groups and the community’s generosity that numerous families in O’Fallon will experience a happy and peaceful holiday season.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open……………HAPPY THANKSGIVING!