With the primary election behind us, and school in session again we're headed for the quiet time of year here on the island. There is a hesitance to admit that, but it's the truth. Some businesses choose this month to shorten their hours or close for some sprucing up. Businesses would like to see more activity, surely. But there is no doubt that our community has a seasonal cycle to it. No one is hesitant to admit that in March, we're all crazy busy, so recognizing that we're not in September shouldn't be difficult. We don't have snow or changing leaf colors to mark seasons, we have visitors and tourists. And while we do see some visitors this late in the summer, and they are certainly welcome at any time of year, their numbers are low about now. Which makes this a good time to talk about community, our island community.
What makes a community? Chances are, if you're reading this, you do. Take a look around, it's the folks next door, the ones you pass every day on the street. The server who brings you lunch. That guy who lets you into Estero traffic. The lady who holds the door for you at the library. This time of year, with fewer visitors, it's easier to see just who forms the backbone of our community. And it's a great time of year to reconnect with your island community.
One of the benefits of living and working in a small community is that you have the ability to know your neighbors. That may sound like a truly obvious statement, but it only takes a little experience living in a large community and you appreciate the truth of that statement. In a large community, people can tend to be isolated, not knowing the people who live a couple doors down the block. In a small community, we have the luxury of encountering the same people repeatedly, the opportunity to converse with them, learn a bit about them and connect with each other as a community. That is pretty rare in large communities. Here on the island, I'm convinced that I could stop a random person and ask them who lives on their street and I'd get a 30 minute conversation about who lives there, who their kids are and who's off visiting their kids up north. And that is an excellent complement for our island community. Beach people know and care about each other.
We've heard from the Lee County deputy that we profiled recently, Ed Waite. He's noticed more people greeting him these days. Beach residents now know his name and a little bit about him, which makes him a regular guy that you can wave at. And it's helped him connect with more Beach residents. Which was our goal in profiling LCSO deputies. Last week, you met another Lee County deputy, Kim Swanson. We think you'll find her yet another interesting member of our community. We want to help Islanders get to know some of the people who serve the Beach every day. If you have a suggestion on someone we should all get to know, give us a call.
While we'd love our streets to be teeming with visitors and customers, the reality is that at this time of year, they're not, so why not take advantage of the opportunity we have. I'd propose that during the next month, one of our most quiet months, we all make the effort to connect with other island residents. Stop in for coffee, ice cream or a drink at your favorite spot. They can use the business and we all can use the community building. Make the effort to stop in a new place and introduce yourself. Think you know everyone? Impossible! Our community is a dynamic place. There are always new people arriving and looking to find their place here in our Beach community. Go find them-they need to know your favorite places on the beach and you!
Along this community building theme, I want to mention the power of volunteering. With the start up of school, this is a great time to commit to donating a few hours a month to a cause that's important to you. Whether it be a school or church or a service organization, they all could use a little help about now. Make a call today to see what you can do to make our slice of paradise a bit better. If you could use volunteers at your community organization, let us know and we'll do our part to let Islanders know where they're needed.
Missy Layfield, Editor