Columns
There’s plenty to be pleased about
There seems to be more naysayers in Rush County than optimists nowadays. I guess that is just life. We have been told to look at the negative, not the positive — a switch from my younger days. Then we were proud and happy with ourselves. We knew we had problems but nothing that we could not contend with. Society today seems to be much more interested in not looking forward but looking backward and keeping the status quo. We just don’t see the good in Rush County, and there is a lot of it (believe it or not).
For one important thing let us look at Varsity Scholars, a program unlike any other in the country. Our high school students have the opportunity to take a one day trip away from school during a school day. They earn this opportunity by making and keeping or improving their grades. It is the only one like it that I know of in the whole country. It is one of the longest, if not only one, in existence today. If that isn’t something positive what is? We have a Community Foundation that gives out a lot of grants to every facet of life in our county. They help fund the arts, volunteer fire departments, organizations, scholarships ... many other items that are local. And they have done this for several years.
Our school system is a good one, even if we don’t care at times to admit it. Our youngsters get a solid foundation for later life. Sure, we have fewer students, because we have fewer families. Also, the family is smaller than it was, even in my day. We have a lot of our graduates going on to further education, a good sign of a functional school system. There are numerous scholarships given out each year. Have you ever looked in the paper and seen the number, quality and amounts of scholarships given out to our graduates? Check this out, there is a lot, and again this is a positive sign. There is the Coleman-Lower Scholarships, where a lot of local students get something to help with their further education, be it vocational or academic. There are many other scholarships from organizations, clubs, and business establishments all available to our students.
Fujitsu Ten closed recently, but Copeland and Trane have added on to their facilities. McCreary Block is building a new facility in the North Industrial Park and there are others who are interested in that park. Ever thought about this? You should, because it is something that is good and is happening right now. We have Riverside Park, something that has grown and will continue to grow with the backing of the community and businesses of the community. If you have never gone to a concert there you just don’t know what you are missing. We have Willkie Days, a fall festival, Fourth of July, and Moscow Covered Bridge Festival, all available to any one who cares to attend. We have a farmers market in the summer and fall. Milroy is having a festival for their new school, street and lights. Carthage is active and growing. The old paper mill has been sold and it in the process of being marketed around the country.
Streets in Rushville are being redone to make them more user friendly. Sure, this is going to be a pain for a short time, but in the long run will benefit us all. Milroy has a new look through town with the new lights and road work on Main Street. Road 44 is being redone and making it better for us all. Our students are making themselves known in sports, academic and achievement categories each year. Hey, people, we do have good things happening in Rush County.
Yes, we also have problems, but not one that cannot be worked out. It may take longer than we would like but it can and will be worked out to everyone’s benefit — even if we really don’t want to believe that last part. We have an active and young well-connected Economic and Community Development executive director in Brad Buening. He is doing an outstanding job of promoting what we have in Rush County. The thing people just don’t seem to realize is that economic development takes time, lots of time. And it is the nature of the beast that a lot of this must be done quietly and out of the public eye. We are progressing and, believe it or not, doing really rather well considering the national economic situation.
Yes, Rushville and Rush County, we do have lots to be proud of and there are more things to be proud of than those I have mentioned above. Sit down, put on your thinking hats and think positive, think good, think “I am proud of Rushville and Rush County.”
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