Making lemonade out of lemons
Monday evening I exercised my resident’s right to attend the Board of Selectmen’s meeting. There was a sparse audience of about 20 people, some being the “regular attendees” and others who had interest in a particular agenda item and several newspaper reporters. As the meeting progressed, comments were made by selectmen, the town manager and the public pertaining to the issue of the manner in which the town handled the disastrous nor’easter snowstorm that took everyone by surprise.
Critical comments were adamantly spoken regarding the closing of the emergency center prior to the restoration of the power throughout town. Positive positions were also expressed and accolades bestowed upon the wonderful people — including our town manager, Dale Martin — who came to the aid of our community members as well as complete strangers in need of food, warmth and shelter. As I listened, there were comments made that our community should improve the emergency plan, learn from our shortfalls and create avenues for accommodating more people.
“What more can we do?” was among the many comments made at Monday’s meeting. Having been a professional counselor, my mind raced to the concept of enabling people — empowering people, providing the avenue for people to be self-sufficient, independent, mature and responsible members of our community. I recalled teachings and warnings of doing too much for people who are able and can be taught how to do for themselves, family, friends and neighbors. “Knowledge is Power!”
Doing for people helps in the short term but hurts in the long term. Innocently, we stumble into creating a dangerous and deleterious dependency on community social services. We unwittingly chip away at a person’s ability to plan, prepare and be able to become a mature, independent, self-sufficient individual. We erode whatever survival skills they might have, diminish their pride, self-esteem and somewhat revert adults to dependent children. We innocently, and with all good intentions, put people into a mindset and attitude of entitlement.
Is there a more positive and effective avenue? I believe so.
Simply stated, our community is at a turning point — at the fork in the road. Will we pursue the “road less traveled” or will we travel the tried and true traditional approach to helping our citizenry? I fervently hope that the town of Winchester will follow the path less traveled, knowing that we don’t want to nurture a continually escalating dependent population that will grow larger and more demanding. That would create a climate for entitlement thinking and attitudes, erode our community’s self-concept and strain our financial means.
I believe the more effective, positive path would be to educate our citizens regarding survival of disaster/emergency situations. Certainly there are times when the most prudent action is to call 911 and avail oneself of emergency help. My point has to do with helping our town’s people to grow in their capacity to be self-sufficient in most situations. Workshops and presentations conducted by professionals and trained lay people could be offered to citizens of all age levels in age-appropriate presentations and workshops that could be broadcast to “shut-ins” on our community cable access TV station. Presentations can be provided in a variety of venues, i.e.: Beardsley Library, public schools, churches, PTO groups, community service groups and at Northwestern Connecticut Community College.
Meanwhile our town leaders can review and refine the town Emergency Plan. It is their responsibility to provide overall emergency response in disastrous events.
I believe that we can grow a more knowledgeable, capable, self-sufficient and sustainable citizenry of the town of Winchester. Pride in our town and ourselves can lead to one small step forward, one giant leap toward improving our community welfare, lifestyles, health and education. Let’s use this disaster to make lemonade out of lemons and develop a “can do” mode of action.
Clare Stevens
Winchester
