Lending a hand

By: Jeremy D. Wells

It feels like there is a theme to this week’s paper. It wasn’t intentional. It just sort of happened. One of those things that the more esoteric minded will call “the universe speaking to us” and the more skeptical will attribute to coincidence and the fact that the human brain is designed to look for connections and patterns. 

Regardless of whether it’s coincidence or “the universe” or the subtle nudge of the Almighty, it’s there. This week community and charity are on my mind, and on the front page. But it isn’t just community centers like the one on Rattlesnake Ridge or individuals like Mr. Cole who need a helping hand. All of our other community groups, non-profits, and public service organizations are still in need after an absolutely insane year for maintaining their missions and securing the funds needed to meet operating costs. 

If you frequented places like the public library before the pandemic – and appreciated the curbside pickup and other services they provided during quarantine and shut down – we know you’re looking forward to returning to normal. If you didn’t, we hope that after a year of isolation you’ll want to get out and see what your local library offers. But before they can fully reopen there is cleaning and sanitizing that needs to be done. We hope you’ll consider contributing to their fundraising efforts when those begin. We also hope you’ll consider joining the Friends of the Library (full disclosure, I’m a dues paying member) to help plan and organize those upcoming fundraising events. 

If you appreciate the visual arts, you’re probably glad that the Grayson Gallery & Arts Center is returning to live viewings. Looking at art on the laptop is great, but it doesn’t compare to seeing the art in person – where you can really take in the scale, observe the brushstrokes and the execution, and appreciate how the choice of medium contributes to the overall effect. The Gallery has taken great pains to be safe while making this return, even holding an encore show this month so that more folks could enjoy the work while maintaining safe social distances. The Gallery needs your help too. Like any non-profit organization they can always use your money. But they really need your time. They’ve been working to increase their open hours – and the ability of visitors to shop the gallery store for local art – but they need artists willing to use the space to create work during the day so they can stay open. Keep it in mind if you would like a space to work and reach out to director Dan Click. 

The Grahn Community Center has been closed for the past year, but they are also reportedly looking for volunteers to help get it ready for re-opening as well. Anyone interested in helping out there is encouraged to reach out to Starlene Harris. 

If you feel like being involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out. The help is always appreciated. 

Jeremy D. Wells can be reached at editor@cartercountytimes.com