By SHARON K. KARIS | Norwalk
In response to the Backtalk of the April 5 County Line edition: Thirty years ago this month, I left the big city with its manicured lawns, freshly painted homes, zoning laws and beautiful high-rise office buildings to come to Norwalk and marry the love of my life. I wouldn’t change a thing if I could (except have the love of my life still with me), because in that shabby house next to me lives a family who is involved in their church or local civic organization, raising funds to help others, and isn’t worried about having a better home or fancier car than the family next door.
They take the time to help an elderly neighbor grocery shop instead of being able to tend to their own needs; they are attending meetings of town and church councils, school boards, booster clubs and volunteer fire and EMS departments. They may be watching the kids next door whose mother had to work late or making a pie for the funeral meal tomorrow.
Yeah, we may not always have the time, money or energy to do what is needed to spruce up our home or small business, but in a small town, we always have the time, money and energy when one of our neighbors is in need. The fire at The Place on March 29 showed the best of small-town living. Within an hour, a number of different families and businesses raided their cupboards, refrigerators and all stores within a 15-mile radius to supply the firefighters with sandwiches, pizza, cheese and crackers, water and Gatorade at their own expense. If any of the 50-plus firefighters went home hungry, it wasn’t due to a shortage of food offered.
You drive down Main Street and see old “slum” buildings. I see a convenience store with a new canopy and improved lighting, a brand-new storage-unit facility, two new booming businesses with plans for expansion, three other established businesses, one with plans of expansion, an empty building with a possible buyer with a business plan, a newly renovated library, a very nice clinic at the edge of town and two village parks that the Norwalk Lions Club, Rails2Trails and village are constantly upgrading and improving.
I am not saying there aren’t improvements to be made — that would be denying reality; I see these as ways for growth and a promising future, not as necessarily a bad thing. These buildings didn’t get that way overnight; they aren’t going to be fixed overnight.
My point is this: the worth of a town or village is not measured by the “niceness” of the buildings, but rather by the hearts and souls of those who live there. You may be looking for change in Norwalk, but I hope it stays just the way it is: where people celebrate the good times together, grieve together in times of tragedy, and are there for each other in times of need and not so worried about keeping up with the Jones. If and when the Cunitzs decide to rebuild, rest assured that not only Norwalk, but also Ontario, Wilton, Kendall, Cashton and many, many others will be there with whatever they need because that is what we do. We show love. We are community. And it won’t be the brand-new “The Place” we will visit and celebrate, but the people inside that building.
