Ferndale is in an extremely lucky position. There are some fantastic people willing to dedicate their time to the betterment of the City of Ferndale. Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to meet a fantastic variation of community volunteers quietly assisting those who are in need behind the scenes. I have become educated on the network of (virtually) unknown services within the community, and I am constantly surprised by the web that keeps our community safe and functioning smoothly. In my personal time, I maintain a very minor role through volunteering community. I am constantly amazed at how much some people can give and still maintain a “day job”. Anya Milton is one of those people, I had the pleasure of discussing a few of our city’s issues with her, from teen homelessness, to creating/revitalizing a downtown that needs to have some life pumped into it. It is always difficult to learn information without a person’s political motivation surrounding the conversation, I was able to have that difficult conversation with Anya and after we parted ways I had two major revelations, 1. Anya cares deeply, she has an internal compass that guides her to where the biggest need is, and 2. it doesn’t matter to Anya how she gets there, she is dedicated to making Ferndale a better place. After all, that is one reason I (and 11 others) chose her for the Community Oversight Committee that monitors the progress of the bond construction within the Ferndale School District.
After working on a school bond campaign, I learned a lot about what motivates people and what this community has to offer to everyone who calls Ferndale their home. Our community is deeply motivated by a sense of belonging and traditions. That sense of belonging stretches from the very young to the very old, and the traditions piece still rings true today with the completion of the Old Settlers Festival just days ago. Our community has so much to offer, and the people that reside in it are such an integral part of what makes Ferndale unique. As I said in the beginning, Ferndale is in an extremely lucky position, with so many residents of Ferndale offering their precious time to make the community a better place through civic service. I want to extend a thank you to all who chose to donate their time, trekking through the campaign process. Please take your time when looking at the candidates, but most of all vote! It’s the one power we all have!
Joe Lupo
Ferndale
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