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OPEN FORUM: What Makes A Small Town Worth Staying In?

OPEN FORUM:

What Makes A Small Town Worth Staying In?
By OLIVA DOMINGUEZ
MVHS Class of 2009
Published May 6, 2009

Every year I hear it from the brittle old and the hearty young. “Why do I live here?” As the temperature begins its annual climb into the triple digits, it’s hard to look out at the dry desert and not say this. I never really took into consideration the real reason why people continue their stay here year after year.

Our senior class had been planning a trip to gorgeous Newport Beach California since the beginning of this school year. We were especially looking forward to this trip. Hard work had been put into planning. Bus, hotel, activities, enough food abundance and even chaperons were arranged. Or so we thought.

Four days before we were to leave we were faced with the dilemma to find five NEW chaperons to oversee 40 kids. So here we were…40 kids, a bus paid for, a hotel paid for…but no adults. Canceling the trip was out of the question. Do you think you could tell so many eager high school seniors that a trip like this was going to be canceled? Would you have liked to try?

We were then given advice to approach community members to fill the empty chaperone positions. The first people who came to mind were Scott and Linda Carson. I immediately called and spoke to Linda. I explained to her our situation and right away she was there to help. Her husband wasn’t able to come but she offered to bring a friend, Jackie Bush.

We then decided to reach out to student’s parents. I called Mrs. Denna Anderson. She was not able to go but was enthusiastic to say her husband could go. On Friday we were finally able to round up our last two chaperons. Fellow senior; Elli Mulcock’s brother Ryan and wife Alex who took the trouble of taking off work to come with us.

In the end no one had to face the over active expressions of teen-anguished, eye rolling, “if there is a will there is a way attitude”-of MVHS students.

This trip could not have been successful without the help of these five people. Ryan and Alex Mulcock were generous enough to drive to a pizza place to pick up eighteen pizza’s for our bonfire on the beach.

During the trip, the buses transmission was damaged and liquid was leaking from it. This would have been a $50,000 fix! Not to mention we would have had to wait another day for the company to send another bus. But fortunately, we had a mechanic on hand: enter Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Anderson was able to fix the problem with almost no supplies! All the while, while we were happily shopping at Fashion Island for two hours. None of us kids were aware that this was happening.

Linda and Jackie were the life of the party. They were always smiling and excited when it came to watching 40 kids. At first sighting these spring chickens would ask “Do you need any help?” They also took the time to pick up and drop off kids from and to the beach.

I have worked for Linda Carson for the past eight months at our local Tiffany’s. I’ve come to find out Scott and Linda Carson are always among the first to lend a helping hand. This includes giving money for eagle projects, scholarships, sponsoring the fair, providing jobs for eleven girls and many more.

Also I cannot forget the master mind behind this project, Anthony Jacobsmeyer. He is the one who got the hotel, bus, snacks, and more. He went above and beyond planning this trip. Donna Swanson also came at 6:00 in the morning to help send us off.

The trip ended up being a big hit. It all went smoothly and every kid returned; limbs and all. It really could not have gone more smoothly. From the bottom of our hearts we thank everyone for making this trip possible. Soon we will be in the dry heat of triple digits and ask ourselves if we can make it one more year here in this weather. I ask you to stay! All of you in this valley, are what make this little small town worth living in.

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