First off, I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday! For a lot of reasons, this was the first one in over 40-years we didn’t have a real tree. In a lot of ways it didn’t feel like Christmas until the family showed up and it instantly changed. Family is everything. And that leads me into our community family.
For several days over the holiday weekend, a beloved dog was lost. It’s wet. It’s cold and the owners spent time looking for her. Sunday, around 70 people showed up to help in the search, and within minutes found the dog, alive and well. This community I love so much knows the meaning of giving and helping their neighbors.
The volunteers who come together to bring us the Lights of the Northwoods, support the food pantry, the Community Foundation, our service organizations, the Farmer’s Market and a host of other things should feel proud.
There’s a lot of garbage going on in this world and for a brief time yesterday, because of concerned fellow Hodagers, it wasn’t even thought of or considered. The focus was on a lonely dog and its concerned family.
This story gives us hope in humanity. Rhinelander stepped up and turned what could have been something sad into something that lifted all of our spirits and added another smile to the holidays.
We should all take a piece of the spark created through this and have it lead us into the New Year. We’re in this together, no matter what. Hodag Proud…
MM