Hildo: Giving Thanks

As the calendar turns to November, and the weather finally turns toward normal autumn crispness, it’s time to pause and reflect. The past eighteen plus months have been a time like no other in our lifetimes. And guess what?

We made it!

Perhaps it’s a bit early to celebrate, what with aggressive and ever-evolving wee nasties still making their virulent ways through the human population. But more and more of us are vaccinated, leaving less and less room for the nastiest to incubate and grow. While we’re not totally out of the woods yet, it makes sense in this Fall season to at least give thanks. 

Here in the Swamp we have much to give thanks for in these plague-ridden times. These are just a few.

Surviving the worst of the worst.  
It could have been much more devastating. Many more lives could have been lost. Many more livelihoods could have been destroyed. The ongoing TTown renaissance could have been halted and reversed.

When Ohio shut down, the economy ground to a halt. But Toledoans are tough. We banded together, supported local, hunkered down and learned to adapt. And we made it out the other side, perhaps a bit weary, but we made it.

Downtown revitalization is back at full speed. Economic recovery continues, and what could have been a catastrophic economic depression instead was a pause and reset.

Smart, responsible leadership.
One of the reasons the worst was averted was clear, sober assessment of the situation and affirmative steps to address it. Budget discipline was paramount, and local leaders got through the crisis without loss of services or mass layoffs.   

Forward thinking solutions, like closing certain streets for outdoor dining and allowing for carry out alcoholic beverages, helped support struggling businesses. Strict health mandates, though not always popular, were imposed because they were right. Civic leaders banded together in support of a.fine balance between public health and economic viability.

Now that we can see some end to this tunnel, it’s time for revitalization. And local leadership, led by Mayor Wade, seeks to solidify the foundations of a livable city in spending the once-in-a-lifetime major investment of federal dollars. Public safety, neighborhood revitalization, renovated parks, and youth programming are all sound investments in our future.

Bottom line. Resilient hard working folks. That’s what got us to this point. ‘Nuff said.

The return of the best of TTown.
And so we are thankful that the best is back. The Toledo Mud Hens and Walleye, vibrant nightlife, a rejuvenated riverfront, the wildly successful Solheim Cup, the Toledo Symphony and Toledo Zoo and Toledo Museum of Art and the renovated Imagination Station, and so much more that makes our little piece of mud home. 

But thanks giving wouldn’t be complete without one last thing. A big, fat, self basting turkey.  And hoo boy has we got one of those too.

Yep. The belligerent self absorbed loud mouth, old man poking, coffee cup chucking, move the hearing impaired to the airport opining, octogenarian with the vein popping attitude, Carleton S.  

As we head into a season of healing and giving thanks, let’s add one more thing to be thankful for. After he gets trounced this November, this carved up old bird will finally be out to pasture. And can go back to being nameless.

So let it be done. 

As the calendar turns to November, and the weather finally turns toward normal autumn crispness, it’s time to pause and reflect. The past eighteen plus months have been a time like no other in our lifetimes. And guess what?

We made it!

Perhaps it’s a bit early to celebrate, what with aggressive and ever-evolving wee nasties still making their virulent ways through the human population. But more and more of us are vaccinated, leaving less and less room for the nastiest to incubate and grow. While we’re not totally out of the woods yet, it makes sense in this Fall season to at least give thanks. 

Here in the Swamp we have much to give thanks for in these plague-ridden times. These are just a few.

Surviving the worst of the worst.  
It could have been much more devastating. Many more lives could have been lost. Many more livelihoods could have been destroyed. The ongoing TTown renaissance could have been halted and reversed.

When Ohio shut down, the economy ground to a halt. But Toledoans are tough. We banded together, supported local, hunkered down and learned to adapt. And we made it out the other side, perhaps a bit weary, but we made it.

Downtown revitalization is back at full speed. Economic recovery continues, and what could have been a catastrophic economic depression instead was a pause and reset.

Smart, responsible leadership.
One of the reasons the worst was averted was clear, sober assessment of the situation and affirmative steps to address it. Budget discipline was paramount, and local leaders got through the crisis without loss of services or mass layoffs.   

Forward thinking solutions, like closing certain streets for outdoor dining and allowing for carry out alcoholic beverages, helped support struggling businesses. Strict health mandates, though not always popular, were imposed because they were right. Civic leaders banded together in support of a.fine balance between public health and economic viability.

Now that we can see some end to this tunnel, it’s time for revitalization. And local leadership, led by Mayor Wade, seeks to solidify the foundations of a livable city in spending the once-in-a-lifetime major investment of federal dollars. Public safety, neighborhood revitalization, renovated parks, and youth programming are all sound investments in our future.

Bottom line. Resilient hard working folks. That’s what got us to this point. ‘Nuff said.

The return of the best of TTown.
And so we are thankful that the best is back. The Toledo Mud Hens and Walleye, vibrant nightlife, a rejuvenated riverfront, the wildly successful Solheim Cup, the Toledo Symphony and Toledo Zoo and Toledo Museum of Art and the renovated Imagination Station, and so much more that makes our little piece of mud home. 

But thanks giving wouldn’t be complete without one last thing. A big, fat, self basting turkey.  And hoo boy has we got one of those too.

Yep. The belligerent self absorbed loud mouth, old man poking, coffee cup chucking, move the hearing impaired to the airport opining, octogenarian with the vein popping attitude, Carleton S.  

As we head into a season of healing and giving thanks, let’s add one more thing to be thankful for. After he gets trounced this November, this carved up old bird will finally be out to pasture. And can go back to being nameless.

So let it be done.